reinstalling shadow line trim

[der affe]

how do you re-install the rear quarter trim?
i just finished putting the shadow line trim on the car, unbolted and removed the rear quarter trim, lubed it up with worth rubber care, and no go. i thought i could just pop it back in.
do i need to remove the window, install the trim, then reinstall the whole window/rubber/trim at once?


thanks for the help,
greg

[Maluco]

[mrsleeve]

are you talking about the sail panel right be hind the rear 1/4 glass?

If so you need the new inserts clips that hold it in.

[der affe]

maluco, nope got a smokin deal on real shadowline trim set from a 91 318is. i put the drip rails, front window scraper trim, r&i'ed the sail panel trim and put the trim on that,......then went to instal the newly refirbished shawdowline trim on the rear qtr window itself (it surrounds/frames the whole window) and it wouldn't go in. even when lubed up, no go!

mrsleeve, nope i already reinstalled that.

anyone else?

[mrsleeve]

Oh if it goes on like the it dose on the widow frame on the door, it will need new clips as well. I have never pulled it off the rear 1/4 glass but I have off the door window frames and you must have new clips to put it on.

[der affe]

no clips. 2 studs that you access by removing the coat hanger and a small plug behind the seatbelt on the B-pillar, then carefull pry the trim out of the rubber (and the grove that it resides in on the rubber).

[mrsleeve]

Oh I gothcha now thought you pulled the black trim off the 1/4 glass!

yeah there should be 2 8mm nuts that go on the studs, let me guess you dont have pop outs?

I have never had to put non pop outs back in but I would think a soild thump with the heel of you hand around the edge in a few places would seat it. ALso try large amounts of liquid dish soap (dawn, palm olive etc...) on the seal it makes a much better lube.

[der affe]

no amount of thumping (which i though would do the trick, i even used my mini dead blow hammer, which started to dent the trim) would make it go.

the Wurth "rubber care" is like Astroglide for rubber reassembly, and way thinner than dish soap, it is made for that purpose

[mrsleeve]

OK when you put it like that. I am fresh out of ideas, sorry I could not help

[der affe]

bump for help??????

[xLibelle]

it took me a few times of reading the posts to understand what you were doing.

youre gonna have to remove the window :( which is no easy task.

wish i took pictures of the process, but it goes like this...
getting the window out will bust up your fingers prying at the rubber. You need a long flat edge to get in at the B-pillar, then pry that part of the seal out and work the top next. push the window out with gentle, even thrust. It will not just fly out, youll know when its ready to come out.

once removed, take the window out and clean and prep the car, gasket (with denatured alcohol), and glass for reinstallation.
put glass in gasket and press frame into that. you cant get the frame back into the gasket without removing it from the car. you can spread the gasket openings to help frame insertion.

after that, youre ready to install into car. make sure the interior is glued to the window frames so it doesnt pull out durring glass install. i used 3M super 77 spray glue.
wrap a large string (thin rope), around gasket and insert the rear of the glass first. once you have the majority of the bottom inserted, have a friend push on the outside of the glass while you pull the string out. this will pull the gasket into the car. I found it works best from rear upwards, across the top and the last part to be pulled is the top of the b pillar.
once the string is gone, youll want to further press the gasket into place with hands.
by now, your interior will be completely fogged and you will have cursed up a storm.
cheers!

[Lurker27]

winnar

[M42Technik]

Good luck putting it back on, I tried myself many times with no luck when I had taken it off to do my headliner. Had a BMW place do it for free, the mechanic owed me. :up:

[der affe]

it took me a few times of reading the posts to understand what you were doing.

youre gonna have to remove the window :( which is no easy task.

wish i took pictures of the process, but it goes like this...
getting the window out will bust up your fingers prying at the rubber. You need a long flat edge to get in at the B-pillar, then pry that part of the seal out and work the top next. push the window out with gentle, even thrust. It will not just fly out, youll know when its ready to come out.

once removed, take the window out and clean and prep the car, gasket (with denatured alcohol), and glass for reinstallation.
put glass in gasket and press frame into that. you cant get the frame back into the gasket without removing it from the car. you can spread the gasket openings to help frame insertion.

after that, youre ready to install into car. make sure the interior is glued to the window frames so it doesnt pull out durring glass install. i used 3M super 77 spray glue.
wrap a large string (thin rope), around gasket and insert the rear of the glass first. once you have the majority of the bottom inserted, have a friend push on the outside of the glass while you pull the string out. this will pull the gasket into the car. I found it works best from rear upwards, across the top and the last part to be pulled is the top of the b pillar.
once the string is gone, youll want to further press the gasket into place with hands.
by now, your interior will be completely fogged and you will have cursed up a storm.
cheers!

thanks, i was figuring that was how it is going to have to be done. it is not the end of the world, i have to do stuff like that at work all the time. it is still not fun, but not the end of the world, only a little easier. now i need 2 people that just makes it harder to do after work. stock bug window rubber is the same way if you reuse the chrome trim insert. big fun!

[ak96ss]

Just a note of thanks for these instructions - worked like a charm. And to remove the side window I used a 4" suction cup from Harbor Freight. Make sure the nuts are off the trim piece from inside the B-pillar, stick that puppy in the upper leading outside corner of the glass, and pull hard while pushing the seal away from the B-pillar. Pops right out.