Body Cladding: #%$^&@%$ Car Wash...

[DiveCruiser]

I'm a drummer. This means that I'll park outside for life.

This weekend I took the LC to the wash for its sporadic cleaning, and when it came out it was missing a piece of body cladding. I had the wash monkey go in and retrieve it.

So now I have the cladding in hand, and I can't figure out how to put it back on.

2 clips look like they face forward, 2 look like they face backwards.

The cladding isn't damaged - I just want it back on there. The right-side Red Clip looks like it got a little chipped, but it will still grab the cladding, I'm sure.

There is some foam tape around the edge I'll need to replace... I presume that offers some adhesion, but it looks like the clips hold the thing on for the most part.

The two red clips slide a bit, and look like they're held on with foam tape, as well.

Any ideas? I'd like to get it back on there. As much as I'd like to pull off all the cladding, I can't right now. I've tried all manner of contortion to get it back on, but I can't figure it out. Maybe the red clips clip into the cladding, and then press on? Who knows... OY! The orientation is obvious, I just can't figure out how it goes on.

Any advice is sincerely appreciated. This is probably a half-a-banana job, but I have a quarter-banana brain.

Thanks

Ken

[JRE56]

I believe you're missing a couple of orange clips like the other two you have.The part where the clips attach to I believe are broke off.I'm not a 100% sure I'm going by observation purely.If i'm right you can attach the orange clips that you have and you'll have to glue or use double sided tape on the other side. Glue the entire perimeter of the piece or buy a new piece.

[LifeTech]

your cladding/moulding is NG. Two tabs are broken for sure.

Yu can try and use 3M automotive two sides tape. It will probably work.

A body repair shop can do this for yu for maybe $30 labor. That's what an honest shop would get.

Or just buy a new moulding.

YU must remove all traces of old tape to properly reinstall with new 3M tape. On both the LC as well as the moulding. Use Adhesive remover. Then wash in soap and water befor reapplying the 3M tape.

Question: why don't yu demand that the car wash pay for the part. Then tell them yu will absorb the labor charge.

The Auto Wash Place was responsible!!!!

All car wash places place signs all over indicating that they are NOT responsible for damage. It is BS to scare away people from asking to fix what the wash damaged.
Car washes can be very damaging to cars ! Think about it. Any car wash MUST be CAR friendly!
When **** happens they must pay for the damage. Just the cost of doing business.

Don't be bashful when other people Break your stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LT

[De]

Same problem with my 4Runner. I went through the "Touchless" car wash and the drying blower blew off my driver door body cladding. What a surprise when I saw it an hour later! I ran back to the car wash and retrieved my cladding. Good thing because that 1' x 4' piece of plastic costs over $200.
I looked for replacement fastner clips online and the diagram showed 2 clips,
1 blue and 1 orange and a 3/4" x 4" strip of felt with one side being self sticking. The whole thing looks pretty fishy to me. Any advice?

De.

[Tundradrenalin]

Remove all old tape/adhesive, install NEW clips where ever old clips were broken or removed, apply new adhesive foam tape as needed, clean surface with some alcohol to remove any grease or dirt, install the old panel!

It's kind of like rebadging, but using push clips & tape instead of just tape. Tundra owners remove their side plastic cladding all the time. And some of them put it back on. Same tactics.

Good luck!