The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support ExtremePSI
Please Support STM Tuned

Door trim pieces: HELP getting it back on!

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

TheBassist

10+ Year Contributor
70
0
Feb 8, 2010
Albany, Oregon
Okay, so I was removing all the exterior trim pieces (side skirts, spoiler, etc) to clean underneath them. I started taking off the trim piece that is on the bottom of the doors. Two pops into removing it, I looked and saw that the things holding them in aren't the typical plastic clips that hold everything else in. They are some kind of rubbery clip that is glued into the door.

How do I get it back on??? Do I need to take it all the way off to somehow get it on again? Or will I forever have a dangling trim piece?? HELP!

Thanks.
 
No, I'm talking about the exterior trim piece that is at the bottom of the door.
I attached a crappy pic detailing what I'm talking about.
 

Attachments

  • eclipse trim piece.jpg
    eclipse trim piece.jpg
    39.2 KB · Views: 187
It's held on by a combination of the plastic trips, and some adhesive trim strip. You can find a 3m adhesive strip, or equivalent at your local advanced/napa/autozone.
 
Okay, I'll try the tape out. Should I try taking the whole thing off and finding out where to put tape? Or something else? Because I don't think it'll go all the way back in now because I think once it is popped out, you can't really just slide it back on the clips that are stuck to the door. I'll take another look at it tonight after work and try to come up with a solution.

Yeah, it's dirty under there because I think the previous owners did in fact have it under a tree. But for the amount of trouble this has already caused, I can't justify cleaning under it.
 
New clips... and new tape.

If something is held on by plastic clips be prepared to buy new clips everytime you decide to remove it.
 
New clips... and new tape.

If something is held on by plastic clips be prepared to buy new clips everytime you decide to remove it.

Well see that's the thing, they seem to be glued into the door itself. They aren't your typical plastic clips like what is holding the door panels on, they are a mass of rubber glued into the door. Almost like a specialized gromet. If that makes sense. I'll see what I can do tonight. Maybe I can pry them out. Thanks for the replies everyone!
 
Just went and yanked one out of my door with a pair of needle nose.

I broke my trim piece on the drivers door taking off because I didnt know about the glue/tape. Still looking for a green one.

They may have changed it in 97 when they did the facelift. Unsure.
 
Okay, I think I figured it out. It's on there via some kind of rubber compound. And it comes off, so I stuck it back on with some of that 3M tape you were talking about. I'll post pics once I find my camera-to-computer cord. Now there was some kind of thin sticky stuff that ran along the top of the trim piece...is it necessary that I put something there? Like I said, I only pulled off the first probably 1/4 of the piece. Thanks everyone!
 
Found my camera cord. So I used 3M double sided tape on the backs of the 'clips' below. Looks like it's still good. Here are the rubber 'clips' that are just stuck on to the door.
 

Attachments

  • SDC17326.jpg
    SDC17326.jpg
    19.7 KB · Views: 134
  • SDC17327.jpg
    SDC17327.jpg
    14.7 KB · Views: 140
Heres a question, Where the hell can you find oem clips for the door and side skirts cause i cant find them ANYWHERE?!?! :ohdamn:
 
There might be a place that sells them, but junkyards. That's what I usually do.
 
Can't really tell much from the pics as their hard to make out (well atleast on this monitor) but looks like the origional clips may have already been replaced. The trim piece should have some tabs molded into them, be very careful pulling the trim off as its very easy to damage these tabs. The tabs mate with a plastic clip, that get pressed into the door (sorta like some of the clips that are on the inside door panel). Then there is a strip of double sided tape along the top & sides. Its best to use a trim removal tool to try & help preventing the tabs from breaking as they are a pain to repair.

Any Mitsu dealer should be able to get the clips or some of the supporting vendors stock them as well.
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top