Guys, I want to do something about this rust, can anyone explain how to get the window trim off so I can get to the problem area.

 

Use a plastic trim tool and go under neath the trim to release the plastic clips, The trim can be damaged easily. especially if the windshield has been re-glued, some installers want to use too much adhesive and will inevitably glue the trim in too. If your very persistent and go slowly you can actually cut the glue loose. If the winsheild has never been replaced the plastic trim clips should come loose.

 

The trim, then the screen would need to be removed to do the job properly. Besides, the trim is easier to get back on the retainers with e screen out of the car.

 

+1

The procedure in the Jaguar Bodyshop Manual for removing the windscreen trim sounds so easy but I've seen several trims damaged by incorrect removal or refitting.



Even if you do take the trims off, it doesn't get you much better access to the problem area because the rubber is still in the way.

I've had a windscreen taken out of an XJ8 for the same reason. However, as it was a bonded screen, the work was done at my risk owing to the chance of breakage. The fitter was skillful and I was lucky so the screen came out and went back in after the rust repair. The XK8 is bonded in the same way. If you choose this approach, be prepared for the possibility of the windscreen breaking during removal.

Graham

 

It's far better if the glass is being replaced due to breakage.

The installer will remove the glass, see the rust, refuse to install until rust is fixed. You fix the rust, the installer installs the glass afterwards.

Insurance won't cover the rust repair, only the glass, removal and install.

 

True, but why stack your history with a claim? This is the kind of data/info Claims and Underwriters Exchange (CUE) stores.

 

I did the rust around my windscreen a while ago.The metal part of the windscreen trim is in two parts and simply clips into plastic trims which are spread around the windscreen. On mine the rubber was attached to the metal windscreen trim and came away with it.

I used special rust treatment to eat all the rust away and after priming and top coating it has not come back to date.

A couple of months after doing this a stone came up and cracked the screen but fortunately my insurance covered the replacement.

The trim and rubber were replaced at the same time. They came separately and the rubber just pushed onto either side of the metal part of the trim.

A word of warning, when they took the screen out it was found that rust had got underneath the edge of the screen itself and the fitter advised that it would be best to ensure all the rust be removed otherwise the new screen would not bond to the body. Apparently if there are any points where the screen does not bond correctly it will cause a stress point and the screen will crack.

I completely removed all the rust and re-painted the edge and they came back and refitted the screen. I now have no rust, a new screen,new trim and rubbers and no problems.

With hindsight I would definitely say it is best to have the screen removed as it difficult to see how far the rust has penetrated. Though I must say that in your case the rust doesn't look too bad.

Moral of the story is wait until a stone cracks your screen and make sure you are insured. I wish the stone had cracked my screen first it would have been a lot easier. Never mind at least I got a good job done in the end.

I tried to upload some pics I took of the process but they were too large. Let me know if they would be useful and I will attempt to downsize them.

Good luck with your rust removal.

 

This makes me a little nervous. The paint on the trim is bubbling in places and I was going to take the trim off to rub it down and re-paint it. Might leave the trim in place now (masking off the body and glass) rather than trying to remove the trim and risk damaging it or the clips.

Best wishes, Colin

 

I did the metal trims on the side windows without removing them and although a little fiddly they turned out fine.

 

Guys, thanks for all the tips, doesn't look like a weekend job then. I think I will tackle this next winter.

 

Colin,

Masking up the body and glass looks straightforward but rubbing down needs precision.

When I did my Door Waist trims, I found using a pencil eraser as a miniature rubbing block made accurate work much easier:

1. prepare strips of 1200 grit West & Dry the same width as the eraser



2. wrap the Wet & Dry around the eraser



3. use the narrow edge which is approximately one third of the width of the trim



This enabled me to get right to the edge of the trim without damaging the rubber moulding.



The windscreen trim can be done in the same way.

Graham

 

I need to do my door trims as well and I have experimented in taking the trims off, which I have managed easily as well as re fitting them.
The main problem I have is that the aluminium is oxidising on the underside, where it is bonded to the rubber seal and as a consequence, it is pushing the trim piece ends upwards, away from the seal. The only way I can see to sort this out is to remove the trims from the doors, separate the trim from the seal, prepare and paint the trim and then attempt to re bond the two pieces together. Do you have any experience or thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Andy

 

Do they look like this one?



I thought this was completely gone but was surprised to find it cleaned up and refinished successfully. The main problem is the rubber seal can't be separated from the trim to refurbish them.



Over a year later and it's still unmarked.

The problem with both the early grey trims and later black trims is poor priming. Thorough preparation and etch priming is required.

Graham

 

Masking tape also goes a long way in preventing damage from errant strokes.

 

Graham, they really don't look too bad on the outside, certainly not as bad as the one in your photo. The nearside one has a small area of paint missing. The real problem is the corrosion underneath the trim piece which is quite bad and it is deforming the trim. Also, I'm getting some unsightly white powder residue where the trim / seal meet the door top.
I haven't checked on prices for new trim pieces or with the boys at Eurojag, but I want to see what I can do with the existing ones. I'm thinking that the seal could be cut away from the trim piece very carefully and with a very sharp scalpel and subsequently re attached with a strong contact adhesive after the necessary repairs to the trim.
Anyone tried this?

Andy

 

Mine has similar white powder but cleaned up successfully.

The trim seems to be pressed around the rubber seal with no way of dismantling it. If you cut it, there's little chance of being able to glue back such thin edges.

Careful masking avoids the need for this:



Apply masking tape overlapping the trim by approximately 3mm as shown by the two red arrows.

Pull the rubber seal away from the trim and turn the masking tape under the edge (as shown from the left up to the blue arrow) using a credit card or similar thin plastic.

Continue this folding along the full length and repeat for the other edge of the trim.

Graham

 

A lot of rust issues come as a direct result of the shoddy workmanship of a moody windscreen fitter.

 

When the fitter replaced my screen he said the rust was caused by a replacement screen being badly fitted previously.

A lot of fitters are under pressure to get to the next job quickly and often take short cuts.

I always make sure that I am there when the screen is replaced and point out if I am not happy with what they are doing.

In fairness there are some really good fitters out there who do an excellent job.

 

Two years on and I have finally got round to this.


I used this trim tool to ease off the trim starting at the bottom.





A closer look at the problem area.







A little bit of sanding.






A lot of rust eater, reapplied at least 6 times over 6 hours, with a lot of agitation with a sharp pick.





Not perfect but good enough for some epoxy primer.

 

I have a similar problem. A few weeks ago I had an Autoglass guy in to replace the windscreen on our little Peugeot and he advised against trying to remove the XK8 trim as if any of the plastic clips got broken, then it was a windscreen-out job to do the job properly. Did you get the trim out with no "collateral damage" in which case I might pluck up the courage to have a go myself ??