Katit's LX470 2000 - take #2 (1 Viewer)

[katit]

I've got the dark Khaki and another color coming (Looks like 4P3 Desert Bronze - like my 100)
I'll decide when I see them.

Can you share what method you used to re-wrap the covers?
Is there a thread that is definitive or helpful?
Pics?

Did you get yours? What color do you like?

Here is how I do it.

STEP 1: I use some heat gun around on original, just a little, but I think it peels off easy without anything...

STEP 2: Landau Weldwood contact cement HHR. I buy it in gallons (it works for all upholstery stuff). I put it in glass jar and store together with chip brush. Use Tuolene if it gets thick.

Apply around edge on back side of a grill

At this point I just wait until it gets tacky but doesn't transfer to my finger. You can re-activate glue with heat gun. It works best when you apply to both sufrfaces, let it dry, and then activate with heat gun. In this case, you can't really apply to mesh, it will make a mess. So, I wait until it's tacky but not going to my finger.

STEP 3. Without much stretch, just very little, wrap and press. And keep going around.

STEP 4: Cut around with a blade, I buy those blades in packs, use them all the time for all kind of stuff. And keep working with your fingers.

Thats it. Mount on door panel, it will put some more pressure on it and it's not coming out.

 

[katit]

Kept working on 360 cameras. Yes I did right mirror and left one went so much more smoother. But 3 screws that hold turning base/mount to main mirror body made out of cheese and they locktite glued in place. I can't heat them when they hold plastic body. And no JIS screwdriver take them out. 2 out of 3 had to be drilled. But they made out of cheese, so drilling is not a problem

Luckily I had M5 stainless screws in my stash, just shorten them and voila! Just add some locktite. Once mirror apart I use dremel to cut a slit (as you see above) and then (very important) - torch it to melt glue, and then they come out nicely.


Camera wire comes out nicely almost like factory.

I use welding wire to fish camera cable via factory rubber sleeve. Once you push folder wire through sleeve, just tape camera cable to wire, lube it and pull it through.

Same happens on rear upper hitch. Fish cable throug rubber sleeve and I pushed it down along left side so it is around rear lock area ready for camera.

 

[katit]

Whats next?
Well..

First of all, I bought 4X of those actuator motors. Replaced all doors and they all work GREAT. Problem is - rear hitch has exact same problem. After 1-2 on/off it quits. Now I need to WAIT for another eBay order to finish with rear door. At least all 4 doors now DONE and covered with panels.

Another problem - rear camera cable is not long enough. Need to order extension and WAIT.

Front camera. The best place I decided going to be is at right above emblem. On order to mount it there I will need to fish it through hood reinforcements. So far, I don't see any holes that I can use meaning I will need to do some drilling. Plus, I damaged some clips (which is OK) covering hood insulation. So, need to order some random small OE parts and WAIT.

All in all, it's coming together, I am really seeing light at end of tunnel with interior. Once wiring there I can get trim back. I will probably start working on windshield next, along with rear seats upholstery.

 

[Trapper50cal]

Did you get yours? What color do you like?

Here is how I do it.

STEP 1: I use some heat gun around on original, just a little, but I think it peels off easy without anything...

View attachment 3451079

STEP 2: Landau Weldwood contact cement HHR. I buy it in gallons (it works for all upholstery stuff). I put it in glass jar and store together with chip brush. Use Tuolene if it gets thick.

View attachment 3451085

Apply around edge on back side of a grill
View attachment 3451086

At this point I just wait until it gets tacky but doesn't transfer to my finger. You can re-activate glue with heat gun. It works best when you apply to both sufrfaces, let it dry, and then activate with heat gun. In this case, you can't really apply to mesh, it will make a mess. So, I wait until it's tacky but not going to my finger.

STEP 3. Without much stretch, just very little, wrap and press. And keep going around.
View attachment 3451089

STEP 4: Cut around with a blade, I buy those blades in packs, use them all the time for all kind of stuff. And keep working with your fingers.

View attachment 3451090

Thats it. Mount on door panel, it will put some more pressure on it and it's not coming out.

Thank you so much! This should be an FAQ tutorial.

So questions:

I assume 3M Super77 isn't adhesive enough?
Do you think binder clips would be useful on fabric "gather/overlap" turns
or does that adhesive hold stuff pretty well at that tacky stage?
Are you also using the razor blade for cutting relief cuts on the turns?


Answers:

Nope, fabric hasn't arrived yet...so I don't know which I will like best
but I hope that the darker/bronzer fabric matches the 4P3 Metallic Desert Bronze.
I think that would be a nice subtle flair.

Thanks again!

 

[katit]

So questions:

I assume 3M Super77 isn't adhesive enough?
Do you think binder clips would be useful on fabric "gather/overlap" turns
or does that adhesive hold stuff pretty well at that tacky stage?
Are you also using the razor blade for cutting relief cuts on the turns?

Honestly anything should work in this application, as long as you don't soak fabrique so it shows on top. Factory only glued from a back, so should you.
I don't know how would you apply 3M in here, mask everything? I started using spray adhesives at beginning of my upholstery "career" but really dislike them. Too much mess. Maybe for stuff like gluing foam to leather during sewing when I just need contact but no real strength needed.

Here - don't overthink it. I think ANY DAP contact cement will work. It doesn't need to hold it pretty well. All it needs to do - hold it as shown on pictures. Once you put cover back on door panel, all this stuff will get pressed in against door panel and it's not coming out, trust me Just look how factory stuff holds, you just peel it off with your fingers. No binder clips, no relief cuts. Keep it simple, this is truly very simple job.

 

[katit]

Glass is out! As with everything, I would do it much better next time (if it ever happens). Yes I destroyed old glass, but it's OK I have new replacement.
Whoever did replacement put lot of urethane where it's not needed and missed/thin some spots where it is needed. ANd in general, it's not very even/good job.

Now I have LONG process ahead of cleaning ALL of it out. I started in a corner but haven't figured way to do it most efficiently yet. But right now plan is to clean all, sand, and then POR 15 everything..

 

[katit]

I was in doubt if I should have started this, but.. I think I am doing right thing. I caught it just in time

That a scratch from previous install, surface rust just starting.

Here is more... And it's like that all around. I will need to suspend headliner to do good job cleaning.. FSM calls for headliner removal, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary..

Few pictures of glass - shows how thin glue was in some areas:

 

[katit]

Organized work space, cut cardboard size of windshield and tuck it under. After seeing rust in spots - whole thing definitely need to be removed. Not going to bother with leaving urethane strip since it's a mess about to happen caught in right time.

Tried different things. Heatgun + plastic scraper kind of works on irregular parts. Corners, etc. For flat places using square blade works best, especially that I don't worry about scratching anything.
"Eraser" rubber wheel on a drill doesn't really work. So far best results is a conditioning discs on air grinder. But I am out of them, so wait again for supply.

This is like 2 minutes of work. I like that they don't really do much to metal but take paint/glue quick. Still need to cut as much glue as possible to not load disk

And "typical" spot - top driver side has most visible rust, but it's again, just beginning and I am glad I am taking care of it.

 

[katit]

I bought those expensive 2 plastic pieces (stoppers) for windshield. Can't figure out how they should go. Anyone maybe? Picture? And what is the idea behind those stoppers?

 

[Trapper50cal]

Fabric got here

I picked the dark khaki....it was actually closer to the Exterior color and matched the inside beige and coffee brown better.

Quick question on contact cement, and I know I'm asking your opinion on something you may not have used...

Do you think this stuff is generally equivalent?

Amazon product ASIN B000CD7QWK
It's just that you're recommendation only comes in gallons and I'm not even going to need 3 ozs.

 

[katit]

Fabric got here

I picked the dark khaki....it was actually closer to the Exterior color and matched the inside beige and coffee brown better.

Quick question on contact cement, and I know I'm asking your opinion on something you may not have used...

Do you think this stuff is generally equivalent?

Amazon product ASIN B000CD7QWK
It's just that you're recommendation only comes in gallons and I'm not even going to need 3 ozs.

I think it's just fine for this project

 

[katit]

Worked more on cleaning all. Done. And first coat of POR15. Will do 2 more coats and then scuff and apply urethane primer. Should be good enough.

Rust is actually got deeper then it looked. Used combination of dremel, paper, etc to get as much down to metal as aI can.

 

[katit]

Preparing to glue glass back in. (spoiler: it's in). Not a big deal, but psychologically it just took me awhile. After not being able to figure out what to do with those stoppers and unclear FSM instructions I glued them in after measuring and remeasuring.

Next step installing dams. HINT: they were numbered, you have to buy 4. However, side ones and top were the same size and 3 of them were enough for all glass, I got one spare.

One of the holdbacks is top trim. FMS is easy. "glue glass with one PN glue", then glue top moulding with different PN glue. I have no clue what is "other glue", after some research I figured it's just thinner trim glue. OK. I got it. But now, when I have window in, I will haver urethane flush with glass edge. And trim(see pic below) have to go under. So, I prepared spatula to scrape glue from under glass after it's in...

Primed body side (scuffed POR15 and painted over)

 

[katit]

Primed glass all around dam. Glue says you don't have to, but I did anyways.

Applying glue. It's 3M urethane, I heated it to 60C in water so it squeezes better, worked great. Tip was cut 8/12mm as per FSM

I practices with daughter multiple times dry fitting but she just doesn't have strength in her arms. So I had to call wife for install. All it takes - just put it into the car evenly and thats it! It hangs on stoppers and stops with dams. Not like you need to hold it or whatever. So, practice was good, but when installing of course with didn't quite "got it". No big deal, spent 15 minutes with scrapers to get all cleaned out..

Picture shows me scraping glue from under top of glass where moulding will go later. Will see how it goes .. I am going to let it dry.

 

[katit]

Thats it for today! Let it dry, planning to install trims tomorrow. Had to do some more touchups in places they scratched, and I scratched...

See how dam staying flush with metal and how glue squeezed through when look from inside? Also see "stoppers" in places. Looks like seal is pretty good! At least on TOP - there will be no problem for sure, because I will have moulding installed, which will take another load of sealer/adhesive.

 

[katit]

Work time permitting. Not much time available, but moving forward.
Rear row reupholstered. Well.. Ridies is like "OK for money". But quality of templates they use is NOT good. Wrinkles, sags, etc. If I hadn't done it before with me sewing - I wouldn't say anything. But I did, and I know how to put covers on. No, they are not good. Will do and much better than old cracked and cheap (considering). But not even close to OE.

Windshield DONE. I did mess up top trim install (made a lot of mess with a glue). Looks good from 5ft after cleanup. But side mouldings in (new), all aligned just fine and I am moving along.. I used different size of rivets (for oversized holes).

 

[Africaster]

Questions (if you read all the way )
1. Why 2 antenna connectors? I tried one and radio seem to work, but what is other for

1 is for the external telescopic antenna and the other is an antenna built into one of the rear most windows

 

[okoverland]

How did the Teyes CC3 2K install turn out? Would love to see some photos of it in dash with that bezel.

 

[katit]

How did the Teyes CC3 2K install turn out? Would love to see some photos of it in dash with that bezel.

Not yet, taking my time with this car, just getting interior wrapped up. Will post some updates when done with it.

 

[katit]

Life got on a way (good stuff), but anyways. Just got back to working on car. It was parked next to my garage outside for the past month+
Today finished seats upholstery and installed seats.

Ridies leather - blah... I don't know if others better, but it's just not good. For the price - OK. Otherwise - nah.