Removing and attaching e30 plastic sill covers

[bravo 35]

Hi, have removed all my plastic sill covers (the ones that hold the carpet edges neat and go over the door frame trim.)

This is so I could easily lift the carpet to access the wiring channels in the sills to run my new sounds wiring (RCA's, speaker wiring, amp power etc).

The prob is, that the force required to remove them has broken the odd clip and in some cases, the clip remained behind and the plastic channel it sits in broke.

Not too much of an issue as I got most of them out and will be able to put all the sill trims back, but I am thinking I woul like to try a better solution in case I want to remove them again.

I tried modifying the clips with a stanley knife to make them easier to go in and out, but broke as many as I "fixed".

So I am thinking of screwing them in (I don't mind seeing screw heads) but the problem is how. The holes for the clips are quite big and so I can't screw anything into them, but I also cant get a nut inside to bolt into. I am thinking my last resort is to drill new smaller holes in the car and then use some PK's.

Unless anyone has any ideas. Expanding bolt of smoe kind?

Anyone else been through this?

Cheers.

[Gus 5]

new trims and new clips only way....the rail holding them in is weak, and as soon as one goes all it takes is one drunk person getting their foot stuck to rip whole thing off....get em 2nd hand would be the easiest way

[OLLIE 26]

yeah these things are c**ts to deal with

[Surge 1]

I just pulled them lengthwise bending the plastic sill with it (bent as in will pop back into shape, not as in root the plastic) Didn't brake one

[petone 0]

i know exactly what your talking about, just get some new clips from $tealer, might be a dollar each or something.

[MattA 165]

leave your car in the sun for a bit or use a heat gun to warm the plastic sill..then slide the cover bits off you may need to pull the back seat out/up. to get the clips out use a set of nippers (they are things for pulling nails etc any hardware store will have them)

good luck.. as Ollie said they are c***s

cheers Matt

[bravo 35]

Oh I knwo they are - that is why I ask - I've got them all out, but !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Might go the PK route as at least they will be easy to remove in future.

[gmccormack 0]

You may be able to get away with swapping them from one side of the car to the other, that way the white plastic clips end up in a different (undamaged) part of the channel that they fit into. To avoid breaking them again always work outwards from the centre (its harder to crack the channel in the middle than at the ends) of the strip. Once you get a couple of the centre clips free the trim will just slide off the last couple of end clips without any damage. I have some spare clips and I might have some of the trim somewhere too, if your stuck for replacements..........please please please dont drill holes in your car.

[bravo 35]

I haven't yet - why not? not gonna get wet. Too late to swap sides unless I want to rip them off again - clipped back on on one side, and can't swap rear ones anyway (4-door)

These little things are doing my head in - bloody pain in the ares design.

Thanks for advice though - much appreciated.

[petone 0]

what about enlargeing the existing holes already just slightly, would make it easier for the pins to come out?

[bravo 35]

Thats a better idea - and I was thinking of making the pins smaller - duh!