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3rd gen chalky black plastic fender trim..is there a fix?
Hey everyone,
Like many of you, my 3rd gen black plastic fender guards, mud flaps and running board plastics have a nasty chalky color. The only wipe on fix that i have found is Meguires Ultimate Black which works well but attracts dirt......then you lean on it when pumping gas and its on your clothes.
Has anyone found something cheaper and better or has anyone used a spray on bedliner, rhino liner?
With good results??
Note: my runner goes offroad, in the dirt !
Not sure how I feel about this one but because I've heard of it:
I've seen posts about people using a heat gun...
Such as starting post 3- (and there are other methods in the thread too) https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...stic-trim.html
I fooled around with my heatgun on the rear tailgate panel and it does make a difference but i'm not blown away. You literally have to melt the plastic to get it to look refinished. I may just wait until summer here in Az. And let the runner bake in the sun so the plastics have a starting temp of well over 100 degrees.
Sun bleaching and oxidation can be removed from polymers (paint/plastics) with a mild abrasive, like a scotch bright or polishing compound. Then depending on the finish you are after think about adding a UV protection (satin/gloss) spray, there are also lots of detailing solutions you can use, but you have to get the degraded material off first.
Yes, i think i just found a way to return the chalky black fender trim to looking clean stock. Not crazy deep black.....just normal.
Comet and a scotchbrite pad in a linear direction on the part along with simple green. Clean off part with simple green. I wiped on Rit black dye and keep it wet and moving for about 10 minutes. Damp rag wipe off of all residual dye and then buff the plastic part in the same linear direction with a dry rag. The mild luster of the plastic will appear. Looks stock and a crazy difference to before with no waxes or paints . This truck runs through brush so paints are a no go ! Yes, a bit of elbow grease but worth it. Not sure if it will work on the grayish plastic parts. I'll report back. Yea.....forget the heatgun!
Ok guys ....after further review, i have eliminated the Rit black dye. Scotchbrite pad with comet in a linear direction gets you 85% there. The real trick here is to buff the part in a linear direction with a dry rag. Repeated rubbing brings back the stock mild luster of the original black part. The plastic heats up and looks great! The real trick after looking endlessly at the treated side of your vehicle is see the horror on the untreated side!! Whoa!!!
The actual granulated surface of the running boards may need a scrubbing more than once. Think of the years of car wax, armor all, sun, goofy tire shines and other chemicals on there. Sounds like a good scrub with 2.00 worth of supplies could do the trick.
Note: do not use t shirt rags for this job.....only terry cloth or red mechanics rags from dollar store.
After finishing the other side of my runner today.....it is amazing how stock and simple the plastics look!
No shine juice, polish, paint or anything on them.
Turning back the hands of time!!
Now i wish i could come up with something for those nasty grey front and rear bumper plastics.
They do not respond in the same way as the black plastics do.
Ok....so using an old fine scotchbrite pad and comet with simple green ...i massaged the rear grey plastic on top of the bumper and it came out great. On to the flat trim on top of the front bumper....that also came out great. It will look chalky until you buff it with a good terricloth rag. I also used bike spirit polish. A petroleum spray for plastic, paint etc.....made for the motorcycle market. That along with a rag with bring the shine. Then final buff with an old sock. Everything looked great after a car wash. Gotta say overall....it came out great.
The front lower bumper plastic will take a minute and the worst spot for dirt is the running boards.
They might take a few cleanings.
Preservation project.....ticking 300,000 miles no garage, trail rider.
Crazy.....i saw what looked like a pink 4runner the other day. Pink champagne.....not sure.
Anyhoo...my friend at work has a first year tundra with crazy chalky black fender plastics and looking at his rig compared to mine was shocking!
I even broke out my drill polisher today with some bike spirit petroleum as a polish and it brought a nice shine to the plastic.....even the grey front bumper plastics. It should make dirt come off of them much easier.
There is a 3rd gen 4Runner....it's white, or tan, or pink depending on light or angle....I'm pretty sure it's called Golden Pearl, I've only seen one. In other words, you're not seeing things!
Another good byproduct of the drill buffer and biker spirit as a polish is that my front clear directional lights look like new. That clear plastic buffed out nice! Took the haze right off!
02-11-2019, 02:17 PM
