re-fitting sunvisor polished allum. trim

[Sheriff]

Removed the allum trim from sunvisor for painting of visor, now having a bit of trouble getting it back on...Have one side on almost near enough, but other is giving me grief...anyone know of an easy way?   the curve is difficult to get to click back in, ends not so hard,   have sanded edges, sanded in channel,  sprayed WD40 in channel, used rubber mallet, profanity, etc....tried sitting it in sun to warm it up hoping to make it more pliable.  thanks in anticipation, Mike.

[JOX515]

G'day Mike,

I will have a similar problem soon except my trim was wrecked when taken off.  Do you know anywhere I can get replacement trim?

Cheers, Graeme

[Sheriff]

sorry Graeme, no idea where you might pick one up.   might have to go for a whole replacement visor.   they come up on ebay now and then....will keep an eye out for you on my travels...I've got mine almost back on, will leave to sit and settle in place for a while then try again.   cheers, Mike. 

[ardiesse]

Mike,

I removed and refitted the aluminium trim on a sunvisor a few years back - on an HD Premier I had.

After much trial and error I made a tool like a panel lifter.  Essentially it was like a large flat screwdriver with the blade de-tempered and hammered back on itself so as to make a U shape, with a 2-3 mm gap and 3-4 mm return.

I imagine your sunvisor has a groove on the top and a ridge on the bottom, both close to the leading edge of the sunvisor, with the ridge covered by the aluminium trim when in position. (Memory's a little hazy about whether the trim covers the ridge on the bottom, or just butts up against it)

The trick was to start work on the underside of the visor, where the aluminium trim finishes at the side.  I bent up the corner of the trim with a screwdriver just enough to admit the "panel lifter", and then I tapped the panel lifter along the full width of the sunvisor with a hammer.  The aluminium trim could now be removed.

(Rust repairs and paint as appropriate, including polishing and clearcoating the aluminium trim)

Refitting the aluminium trim was not too much hassle.  I covered a flat bench with an old blanket, aligned the trim on the visor, and laid the whole thing upside down on the bench.  Then I got a rubber mallet and a piece of soft wood as a drift, and gently tapped the ridged underside part of the aluminium trim down gently until the trim was firmly in place.

A couple of other things too: I completely filled up the hollow section of the trim with mastic windscreen sealant before re-installing the trim (to exclude dust and moisture from the inside), and it helps to have an assistant when you're working around the curved parts of the sunvisor.

If you're having trouble refitting the trim, then you need to open the gap up more.  Use plywood or tough plastic, starting from the side and tapping along with a hammer.  Don't pry the gap open with a screwdriver for risk of rippling the trim.

Rob

[Sheriff]

Thanks for that Rob will give your suggestions a go.