Window belt removal

[jda81]

I'm prepping my 80 for Monstaliner and my FSM has pulled a Keyser Soza. So what is the tick for removing the window belt trim on the front and rear doors? I have all of the rest of the trim removed just kinda held up here.

Thanks
JD

 

[toddsmith1]

Did you ever figure out how? I need to do the same thing.

 

[Kernal]

For the front doors there are five plastic clips holding the belt molding to the door and those clips have to be popped loose by inserting a tool down between the outside of the (lowered) window and the belt molding. Problem is there is no room for any common tool (I don't know what tool Toyota uses) and any standard tool you have in your tool box won't work just right. Really need a flat stiff bar with a flat tab or finger on the end made up specifically for the job (I only figured it out in my brain, haven't made one yet). Once you get a tool in there some of the fragile plastic clips might break when you remove them, and new clips are about $4-5 each.

 

[breathed]

A one inch putty knife with the end taped works ok. It would be better if it was stiffer, but it works well enough. You're going to break some of the clips, but I seemed to break fewer by pushing in with the putty knife while prying up. Start at one end and lift the molding a bit. Move down and lift it some more. You sort of peel it up, but not exactly because it doesn't bend. You'll need to remove your side mirrors.

 

[neal0124]

I replaced all of my belt molding with new pieces. I'm currently prepping the truck for the final color of monstaliner and I simply used a flat head screwdriver to pop them all loose. I wiggled it in right at each clip and gently twisted the screw driver. They popped out easily and none of them were damaged. I did the same thing for the third molding under the sliding rear glass, except I wasn't worried about damaging that molding because it was still the original stuff and I have new ones on the way.

 

[toddsmith1]

I asked the wrong question, sorry. I bought a 97 LX that did not have window belts on the right hand side. The PO didn't know they were even missing. How, I don't know I purchased used ones in great shape. They have most of the clips in tact. I need to know how to install them.

 

[Dirty Koala]

Installing is a snap...literally. you will need to pop the interior triangular plastic cover to access the mirror bolts. Remove the bolts so that you can wiggle the mirror up a bit...you don't need to fully remove the mirror. Then take your new weather strip belt and with the window down slide the strip over the edge and press the little white plastic clips into place (they clip into the underside edge of the outer door skin.) Tighten up your mirror bolts and replace your plastic cover and away you go.

 

[toddsmith1]

Thanks!

 

[ShawninVA]

There's a Lisle belt molding remover on Amazon. Won't this work? About to start my replacement without it, but it looks right.