blistering bumper trim

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sparkyjack
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blistering bumper trim

Post by sparkyjack »

Anyone found a way of dealing with the common prob of blistering on the chrome insert on bumpers and side strips on Xantias - other than breakers yard spares?
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Thregwort
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Post by Thregwort »

Not yet!! And I've searched this forum from front to back ;-)
I'd have thought that what man put together man could take apart, but so far no luck. Trying to prise out the plastic to get to the 'chrome' doesn't seem the way forward. I think it's a 'rear entry' job - i.e. remove internal door trim to push off complete black trim, then the fixing method for the combo-strip should be apparent. If the clear plastic could then be separated from the 'chrome', it should be possible to grind off the white deposit and put it back together 'as new'. That's the theory. Anybody tried it??
Dave Burns
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Post by Dave Burns »

Good news and bad news chaps, good news, you can get the chrome door strips out without much trouble, Iv'e done it to replace mine, from what I remember you press one end in and slide the strip towards that end, this reveals the other end where it can be levered out with a screwdriver.
The bad news, if you are taking it out, have one ready to go back in because they are plastic and the chrome affect is only some see throug thin electroplate shyte, if its bubbled up (and they all do) its goosed, whenever I'm at the breakers I clock the xants for good trims but they are like hens teeth now.
Toying with the idea of fetching them out and sticking chrome effect tape on'em, see how long that lasts.
Not had the bumper ones out but would think they would come out easey enough.
Dave
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Thregwort
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Post by Thregwort »

What a man!
What a forum!
So you can get it out and put it back in after some experimental remedial work with BacoFoil and superglue...?
I mean it doesn't self-destruct on removal?
No, of course not, silly me, otherwise you wouldn't be cruising the breakers' yards with screwdriver poised for action.
This looks promising, I am sooo p***ed off with looking at this crud on the side of my otherwise gleaming-polished-within-an-inch-of-it's-life Xant.
Thanks Dave.
Jim Grant
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Post by Jim Grant »

There is an answer. Strip off the oxidisation bubbles and smooth out trim with a scalpel.Clean off any wax or deposits with methylated spirit.Use either black or chrome signwriters self adhesive vinyl, black looks better on light cars. Work it well in to recesses and trim with scalpel. Fill the recesses with a clear mastic to prevent ingress of water, wipe off excess and - Brand new! Not for the faint hearted however.
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Post by Paulxmski »

Hi ,
Great to hear the diy methods. I like that foil they put on fx diamond razors sort of got a holographic rainbow look maybe someone would like to slip some of that into the purple metallic gold dust speckled respray ho ho! Seriously though I also took one of these apart that I got from a scrappy and I think it's Melonex? mirror foil under the clear plastic. Anyway hiding somewhere I have about 30mtrs x 2mtrs roll of that stuff which I picked up on my travels many moons ago. Trouble is it is definitely hiding and wont come out no matter how hard I call the b! I think it is possible to buy small sheets of it from stationers and the ends must be sealed as suggested by Jim as even rubbing it with a duster can damage the surface.
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Post by James.UK »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Thregwort</i>
I think it's a 'rear entry' job - i.e. remove internal door trim to push off complete black trim, then the fixing method for the combo-strip should be apparent. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
On the ZX (prob same on Xantias?) I think the plastic door strips are glued on when hot.. I saw no way of fixing them when I had my door panels off. [V] and I seem to recall reading somewhere that removing them was a risky business because of the heat required to melt the glue.
New set of 'chrome' trims for a ZX Aura cost approx £90 from our local cit agent! [:(!]
The stuff they use for lagging pipework might work ok and looks nice if you're carefull applying it? Its sold in big rolls, about 50mm wide ally foil with a paper backing, and VERY sticky. I used some years ago on a Triumph 2.500 to cover rust along the top edge of the boot. It polished up well with rouge and looked like chrome for over 2 years, it was still in place and looking good when I sold the car.
Doc
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Post by Doc »

This problem seems to be common with Citroens. One method I used was to buy aluminium foil adhesive tape which is sold from most DIY stores and carefully cut strips and stick over the chrome trim. Make sure you clean the area before hand or the tape doesn't stick.
Doc
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PicassoPigeon
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Post by PicassoPigeon »

Iam thinking that the bubbling white stuff is limescale. I have so far used a magic eraser to clean the aluminum strips on the xantia doors and bumpers will now need to try some sort of limescale remover.
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Old-Guy
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Post by Old-Guy »

Iam thinking that the bubbling white stuff is limescale.
I doubt it. You'll notice it looks just like the crud on any corroded aluminium component (foil or plating in this case) attacked by salt water (road salt spray).

I doubt that there is any foil/plating left to restore.
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Post by Peter.N. »

There is a chap on the XM club that supplies stainless steel replcements for the XM, don't know if its the same stuff. Its only for the doors though, I don't think he has found a way of bending it to fit the bumpers.
citronut
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Post by citronut »

look up Brian Primmer at the CCC (citroen car club ) web/mag site, his user name on the web site is techman, as he is the official sole inporter/seller of aftermarket crome door stips, not sure if he dose the bumper ones as well

regards malcolm
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Post by hirsty »

If you search this forum for Mr. Taub, he's a Dutch guy who does replacement inserts in stainless steel. From memory 65 euros for Xantia and 85 for XM. At least these will not corrode!!

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Post by Peter.N. »

Techman is probably the same chap, he is 'techmanagain' on club-xm.
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Post by citronut »

i know Brian was not happy when i mentioned someone elss offering these trims for sale, as he said he has sole sale's wrights in the UK
regards malcolm
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