Automotive moldings are factory-installed in most cases and serve two purposes: aesthetic and practical. In the first version, the moldings decorate the car, smoothing the transitions from one part of the body to another, for example - rubber pads on the seals cover the rough transition from glass to frame, between the bonnet and part of the bumper, doors and body.
The practical side of the element is that the moldings belong to the passive safety system of the car, rubberized strips on the doors soften the force of impact, protecting the paintwork from cracks and chips, metal moldings on the sills protect the bottom from premature corrosion, make getting in and out of the car comfortable.
Classification of moldings for a car
Decorative protective covers differ in shape, material, and place of installation. Most often, drivers independently change overhead elements for doors and sills - moldings in these places are exposed to the greatest mechanical damage, wear and tear and aggressive environmental influences. Most often, the linings are divided at the place of installation.
An overhead molding is a plate that is installed on a flat, straight surface: doors, upper / lower half of the bumper, sills. The molding is installed on an adhesive composition, double-sided tape, clips or self-tapping screws, depending on the place.
Sill covers are more often than others mounted on self-tapping screws or clips, panels on doors in most cases are glued.
For roof and glass. Moldings with drainage (rain) paths are installed on the roof. The bar has an inner channel for efficient moisture removal.
Side window molding. The part has a curved half-open shape, serves to decorate the side of the body and protects the sidewall from mechanical damage.
In addition to site classification, manufacturers offer universal designs. Protective strips can be used for decoration in those places of the body, where the factory does not provide for the installation of moldings. Universal pads are suitable for different car models and classes.
Manufacturing material
Automotive moldings are made of various materials, most often rubber and plastic elements are found on the market. Universal designs have a budgetary cost and are easy to install - you do not need to contact a service to glue the panel. The work is carried out independently and takes up to 15 minutes.
Decorative panels by material of manufacture:
- steel;
- aluminum;
- made of composite materials: rubber-plastic;
- universal steel with rubber inserts.
Steel linings in 90% of cases are installed on doors and sills. For the decoration of window openings and bumpers, aluminum linings, plastic, rubber panels are used.
Steel moldings with rubberized elements have a lower density, compared to steel parts, cost and weight.
The rubber pads are flexible enough - the molding can be bent at the required angle, it is simply cut to the required length. Often chosen for restyling cars for which the manufacturer does not produce original decorative components.
Plastic or rubber-plastic elements have a budgetary cost, but do not differ in strength. Plastic linings protect the body from chips minimally, they have the largest percentage of low-quality replicas on the market: they crack in the cold, deform in the heat, etc.
Original molding marking
Original moldings are certified by the manufacturer according to the accepted marking. From the marking, you can read what material the cover is made of, the type of molding, the recommended installation location.
Most manufacturers include overlays in the parts catalogs for their models - for example, accessories for BMW 5 series e34 in the manufacturer's catalog are under the following numbers:
- For the wings? front moldings: left 01-511319449 41, right 01-5113 19449 42. Rear: right 04-5113 19341 84, left 04-5113 19341 83.
- For doors? front panels: left 02-5113 19341 77, right 02-5113 19341 78. Rear: left 03-5113 19341 81, right 03-5113 19341 82.
If you are buying an analogue, an original replica or a universal element, it is recommended to remember main letters of marking:
- TPR. The molding is made of thermoplastic rubber, the material is resistant to salt reagents, gasoline and oil. Protects the body from electrochemical corrosion, has high strength parameters, while being flexible enough, it is mounted on glue.
- PVC (PVC Mld). The decorative cover is made of polymer, more often of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), it is characterized by low resistance to mechanical damage, cracks after impact, has high thermal characteristics (does not crack from frost, does not deform under the influence of high temperatures), easily tolerates the effects of aggressive environments. PVC panels are often painted in the color of lacquer, manufacturers offer moldings in gray or black.
- Butyl. The molding is made of thermoplastic with the addition of butyl. The composite increases the strength of the panel.
- Cavity. The molding has a channel for quick moisture removal. The markings are often found on plastic and rubber parts.
- EPDM. The composition uses rubber resins and ethylene, which makes the molding resistant to chemicals, gasoline, oils, etc., but at the same time the product does not withstand low and high temperatures and is rarely used for outdoor installation.
Among the wide range of decorative trims, there are moldings with a reflective option and built-in LEDs. Reflective panels are made of aluminum, stainless steel and rubber; reflective particles are used in the rubber component, which luminesce from the headlights of oncoming cars and determine the dimensions of your car.
Moldings with a built-in LED panel are used for tuning, more often installed on sports cars.
Replacement features
By the type of installation, the moldings are attached to clips, self-tapping screws and glued. Self-tapping screws and clips are used to attach body kits, door sills and bumpers, since such panels are more often than others made of steel and aluminum, differ in average weight and experience systematic stress.
On the doors, windshield and side windows and the roof, moldings are glued in 95% of cases. Correct gluing securely fixes the part to the body, prevents moisture from penetrating under the panel. How the molding is glued:
- auto glue;
- glass cloth sealant;
- liquid nails;
- double-sided tape.
It is simple, quick and cheap to glue the cover. The only thing worth remembering is that when gluing, it is necessary to distribute the adhesive composition evenly, without gaps. If moisture penetrates under the molding, a corrosion center may develop under the panel. Such a problem often occurs if the bottom of the doors is pasted over with moldings, door sills are glued.
Cyanoacryl-based glue is used to securely attach the molding to the body, fender or glass. The glue is applied in a thin layer to the previously cleaned surface of the molding and pressed firmly against the body. A feature of the composition is that when it gets on the paintwork, the top layer of paint is destroyed, a sealed adhesive base is created.
A glass surface sealant can be used if the panel is installed between the body frame and the glass.If you use glass glue for mounting moldings on paintwork, the quality of gluing will be low - due to constant mechanical loads, the panel may begin to peel off, which will lead to depressurization of the seam, penetration of moisture under the molding.
The adhesive composition "liquid nails" remains the most demanded. The glue creates a uniform coating, and after drying, the seam is sealed, resistant to vibrations and the action of aggressive reagents.
Installing molding on "liquid nails" will require high-quality surface preparation. The body must be washed, dried, degreased. After applying the glue, the panel is pressed tightly against the doors and fixed with tape. The glue dries up in 12 hours, all this time the molding must be firmly pressed to the body.
Double-sided tape is the easiest way to quickly glue the decorative panel. The main advantage of the adhesive tape is the tightness of the seam and ease of installation. In terms of reliability, scotch tape remains the worst option when installing molding on a door.
Tips for choosing
Experienced drivers recommend buying original products if metal or aluminum trims are changed. The manufacturer produces accessories according to factory templates, the panel has the optimal size and quality. When choosing replicas, it is necessary to take into account the standard size of the element, which is individual for each car.
If it is necessary to reinstall plastic or rubber-plastic factory moldings, it must be borne in mind that the part, in addition to being installed on glue, can be additionally fixed with internal clips. Genuine accessories for the door and fenders for BMW have clips in the kit, since the moldings are installed on an additional latch and then glued.
An improperly glued decorative strip will provoke a rapid onset of corrosion, therefore, you must carefully choose the glue and dwell on high-quality compounds.
The molding gives the vehicle a complete aesthetic appearance. Correctly and tastefully selected overlays make the car body beautiful and attractive. The difficulty in reinstalling a part arises at the time of choosing the desired lining; replacement takes 15 minutes even for an inexperienced driver.
|| list |
- Classification of moldings for a car
- Molding material
- Original molding marking
- Features of replacing molding
- Tips when choosing a molding
