Tailgate lower plastic moulding removal?

Hi.

RE: MK1 Freelander (facelift 2004 on):

This is probably an unanswered question as unless you want to repaint your tailgate door/trim, no one would do this. On the part of the vehicle (see photo) I'm trying to remove the plastic trim panel, but can't work out how to as...

If you remove the door card and take a peek inside the bowels of the metal door, you'll see some yellow trim studs so I'm guessing it's these that hold the plastic external panel on. Squeezing them has no effect as they're too strong. Squeezing them harder with pliers crushes the plastic but then they're still too stiff to push outwards.

So my question was, do you think it's OK to cut them off with a hacksaw blade? (I don't know if the yellow studs can be replaced),and can't find any photos online to see what the back looks like, as I don't know the part number.

Any idea would be welcome, thank you.

Unless your changing the colour why take it off? I resprayed my boot door but just masked the trim off, unless you look at it very closely you'd never know.

I'm wanting to colour code the plastic panel, and am doing a few little mods that require a re-spray to body colour. Your idea is sensible thank you, but I've spent so long modifiying it, I want to finish the last bits off how I wanted it. I think I'll cut the plastic bits out and hope for the best.

you just need a pair of pliers

The trim should just pull off. The yellow fittings in the door are one part of a two part fixing. The yellow part stays in the door. The trim clips into the yellow part. So a controlled pull is needed to pop the trim retaining "buttons" out of the yellow part.

Nodge68 said:

The trim should just pull off. The yellow fittings in the door are one part of a two part fixing. The yellow part stays in the door. The trim clips into the yellow part. So a controlled pull is needed to pop the trim retaining "buttons" out of the yellow part.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, I won't do it myself as I don't have the strength but I'll find someone I'm sure.

Shouldn't need brute force. Use these.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Trim-...924212?hash=item2813be3474:g:cGIAAOSwAuNW4piw
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-DOOR-...600808?hash=item46409ad9a8:g:BCMAAOSwgQ9V6azC