Why does nobody talk about using a heat gun for old trim removal?

I kept breaking clips on a 2015 Ford Focus bumper near Austin last week, tried everything from pry tools to screwdrivers. Then I hit it with a heat gun for about 45 seconds on low, and the clips popped right off like butter. But I'm wondering if maybe that softens the plastic too much or warps it over time, has anyone dealt with that after a few months?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy92917d ago

You mentioned "clips popped right off like butter" and that's exactly what happened with my old Honda. I hit the trim with a heat gun for like a minute, got the clips loose, thought I was a genius. Then about three months later I noticed the plastic around the clips started looking all wavy and faded, almost like it was melting in slow motion. I don't know if it was the heat gun or just the Texas sun doing its thing, but that trim never sat flush again.

oliver_torres417d ago

You had the same problem? Yeah that heat gun trick is way too easy to screw up. I did the exact same thing on my buddy's Ford truck. Thought I was being smart heating up those old clips. A few months later the plastic around them looked like melted wax. The Texas heat probably finished the job for you. I stick to just a flathead screwdriver and patience now. Never worth the risk of ruining the whole trim piece.