| Moo |
Hello everyone,
Thanks to Tim 2nd day expressing the first set of silver side mouldings to me, I now have them installed and will share the pictures with you.
(1) First off, the installation is very easy. Took all of 10 minutes to do. The templates supplied with the side mouldings are very useful.
(2) Make sure the top of the template lines up nicely with what they call the character line of the car, which is a raised edge all along the body.
(3) Another thing to watch out for is to make sure the bottom of the two templates for the front and rear door lines up nicely. Otherwise, your side mouldings will look crooked. I used masking tape to secure the templates to the doors.
(4) Also, don't forget to use Isopropyl alcohol on the area where you will be adhering the moudling strips.
(5) Unfortunately, the templates don't tell you exactly where to place the moulding strips as the strips do not cover the entire length of the door. Markings on the templates would have been helpful. After examining my Honda Odyssey and other cars on the road, I concluded that the blunt end of the strips should line up fairly close to the edge of the door. The tapered ends point toward the front and the rear of the car.
(6) Make sure the strip lines up nicely with the template before putting any pressure on it. Once it is sticks on, it is very difficult to pull off again.
(7) Apply pressure evenly all along the strip to make sure it has securely adhered to the car.
I tried taking pictures from different angles to give you a good feel of how it looks. I am very pleased with it. |
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| gokings55 |
| Cool, but the pics are not here. |
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| Moo |
| Please hang on for the pictures. My pictures are too large to attach. They are currently about 370KB each. I will try to get them down. If anybody has an idea how to do this, let me know. Sorry. |
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| genemish |
| are they JPEG?? If so, what resolution are they??? |
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| A2MDXer |
| If you have photo-editing software you can reduce the resolution and/or the size of the image to reduce file size. I put mine is .jpg format. |
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| Moo |
| Picture of car with templates on doors. |
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| Moo |
| Close up view from the front. |
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| Moo |
| Looking at it from the side |
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| Moo |
| View of the entire car with mouldings |
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| VA Tech Hokie |
Moo...
Looks great! Thanks for taking the time to take the pictures and
share them with us.... |
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| gokings55 |
Hey Moo,
Very nice, thanks for the pictures, I'm seriously considering the BSM's
P.S. excellent color choice of MDX.;) |
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| tdnone |
Hi Moo,
Can you help document how far in fractional inch the front piece BSM is to the rear edge of the front door? The same for the rear piece to the forward edge of the rear door.
Thanks,:) |
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| Moo |
Here are the measurements:
* Front door where the strip would go - 40 3/4"
* Strip for front door - 37 1/2"
* Rear door where the strip would go - 29 1/2" (it is actually longer than that, but part of it is not flat close to the rear wheel where it is raised. So 29 1/2" is the flat part)
* strip for rear door - 27"
Notice that the longer strip goes on the front and the shorter strip goes on the rear. Just thought I'd mention it even though it should be apparent.
So you have some room to play with. Most side mouldings I see have the blunt edge come right up to the door, but most side mouldings span the length of the door. I have a 3/4 inch distance from the edge of the front door and a 1/2 inch distance from the edge of the rear door. The reason I have a longer space for the front door is that I thought that spot protects more of the door. It is really up to you what you feel is best. I also noticed that there are many side mouldings on cars have a thinner piece right at the edge of the door. I don't know if that means somehow the moudling might get caught when the door is fully extended. That's another reason why I didn't place the moulding all the way against the edge. Though when I open the door all the way and look at the clearance, there didn't seem to be a problem with the moulding getting in the way.
Oh, here is another IMPORTANT TIP. I feel it is probably best if you have two people working on this. The reason is that the template is kinda flimpsy. I did tape it down pretty well, but to get the edge of the moulding exactly against the edge of the template isn't that easy. You can't exactly tape down the edge of the template where the moulding is going because it will end up sticking on top of the tape, so it might be helpful to have someone press down on the template while you get the moulding lined up just right before putting pressure on it. Better yet, I used a long piece of flexiplastic to set my moulding against. It is easier to have something solid like that to put the mouldings against. Bottom line, if it isn't straight, it won't look right. Hope this is helpful. |
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| tdnone |
| Thanks, Moo, for the detailed description of installation experience. I have a 4 foot fiberglass leveler and will surely use it in the way you describe. |
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| Moo |
| Make sure you don't use anything for the guide that could potentially scratch up your car. |
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| genemish |
Moo,
thanks for the picture, sorry i didn't reply to your message.. i was very busy and read it late..
I also ordered silver ones from Tim.. will get them soon.. My 2002 Touring+Navi is coming soon - I can't wait to get them installed... |
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| John |
I just finished installing the BSM myself. Like Moo said, it's a snap.
Here are some of my pictures... I guess silver seems to be the color of choice. |
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| tdnone |
| John, thanks for the pics. A question: did you butt the blund end at the edge of the door or you leave a small gap. If so, how much. |
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| John |
Tdnone,
I left very little space between the edge of the door and the end of the BSM (maybe 1mm or so). I made sure before I put it this close to the edge that the BSM would not interfere with the opening and closing of the door.
I think it looks the best if the BSM is as close to the door edge as possible. |
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| texrb |
| Here are a couple pics of mine - the closeup pics didn't turn out. Also - tdnone - 1/2" from edge for front & back :) |
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| John |
Here's one major tip for anyone trying to install BSM: remove only 3-4 inches of the backing from the double sided tape at a time!! After you adhere that portion of the BSM then move down and remove another 3-4 inches. Keep doing this until you get to the end.
This will allow you to keep a straight edge as you match it to the template. |
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| tdnone |
| Great tip, John. Thanks, Txrb for mentioning the dimension of your gap. |
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| tdnone |
| Have the BSM installed on Sunday. Thanks to various previous messages, I had it done in 10 minutes, plus the 5 minutes of waxing afterward. I decided to butt the molding right at the edge of the door like John since I have the fender flares. There is only about less than 2 inches not covered by the molding on either front or rear doors. It looks continuous and much better that way. |
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| MANHATTENGAL |
I wanted to get mine put on in 10 minutes like everyone else.
Well..........one side was a little off.
CURE!!!!!!!
FRIEND GOT HIS HAIR DRYER AND HELD IT AT THE EDGE, AND THE HEAT CAUSED THE ADHESIVE TO GIVE WAY, THE STRIP GAVE WAY NICELY.
WE REALIGNED IT. IT WAS A RELIEF!!!!!!!!!! |
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| lester123 |
| With the help of the previous posts, I installed the moldings. Very easy to do, but took me about 25 minutes. Thanks all for the help!! |
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| deltajetfixer |
Nice looking moldings!
Where'd you get'em?
I've been wanting to put some on my 2002 and am having trouble finding some that appear OEM.
Closest so far is from www.sportwing.com but they have no pictures... |
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| hondacuraworld |
Those bodyside mouldings are factory Acura, and come from me! Check them out at www.hondacuraworld.com .
By the way, my name is Tim Poliniak. Welcome to the forum! |
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| Jon Walworth |
| Sorry, missed the begining and just received our MDX . . where did you order the trim again? |
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| hondacuraworld |
Check out my site, www.hondacuraworld.com
The current price is $98.00, but it will be going up in January by a few bucks. |
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| Jon Walworth |
[QUOTE]Originally posted by hondacuraworld
Check out my site, www.hondacuraworld.com
The current price is $98.00, but it will be going up in January by a few bucks. [/Found your site and ordered them yesterday. Now I am searching for crome side steps. Good fortune! |
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| 2Acuras |
Hi guys.
Your side moldings look great. Thanks for all the pcitures.
I just would like to know if they are really effective in protecting the MDX from dents. If not, I am planning to just leave my coming SS MDX clean.
Thanks. |
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| octavian |
2Acuras.....search this site for lotsa threads and comments on BSM and their effectiveness and looks. Some like the clean line, others believe the BSM complements the body shape and gives some texture to a rather plain sheetmetal side.
Some think the width is too narrow and thin and this limits its protective abilities. Others think something is better than nothing.
So it is really your choice.
I personally think they add a bit of character to the side panels and offer some measure of protection, but it really depends on the angle of attack from the offending door. Some hit the BSM dead on, others hit the high bulge (the one level with the door handles).
The best protection remains parking away from everyone....the trouble is, I could park miles away from civilization, but I swear when I come out there always seems to be another car right next to me.
:mad: |
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| 2Acuras |
Octavian.
Thanks for your feedback. You're right, no matter where we park in the mall another car will always find a way to be close.
My TL has almost the same moldings but so far(cross my finger) has no dents. So hopefully the moldings will protect the MDX, too.
Anybody else with their experience on dents to MDX with side moldings. Does it really work?
:) |
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| Annapolis |
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Moo
IMPORTANT TIP. I feel it is probably best if you have two people working on this. The reason is that the template is kinda flimpsy. I did tape it down pretty well, but to get the edge of the moulding exactly against the edge of the template isn't that easy. You can't exactly tape down the edge of the template where the moulding is going because it will end up sticking on top of the tape, so it might be helpful to have someone press down on the template while you get the moulding lined up just right before putting pressure on it. . .
Thanks for the great guidance. If you don't have another person available, two tips: (1) You can fasten the bottom of the template down by making a few loops (sticky side out) of masking tape, placed on the bottom, underside of the template. (2) When applying the moulding, don't remove the backing from the adhesive all at once. Remove about 1 inch, and fold the backing about 45 degrees so you can remove it by pulling downward. Attach the first inch and align the moulding, pulling an inch or so of the backing off as you work toward the opposite end. Best to work from the squared end to the rounded end to assure a "straight start." |
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| bef |
Probably the hardest part is cleaning the doors.
Cleaning the Doors:
1 - Meguiar's Quik Detailer to clean off the doors.
2 - Griot's Speed Shine and clay.
3 - Dawn solution to remove everything else.
4 - Water Rinse.
5 - Towell Dry.
BSM Mounting:
1 - Tape Template to front door.
2 - Position 30x40 foamcore below template.
3 - Align BSM below template.
4 - Position foamcore below template and tape to door. Use shim (I used a 1x6) as needed. If you wanted to ignore the template, you could position the foamcore so that the edge of the BSM is parallel to the door frame.
5 - Expose the adhesive strip on the BSM.
6 - Rest the bottom edge of the BSM on the foamcore.
7 - Position the edge close to the door edge.
8 - Tip the BSM towards the door and press along the length starting from the door edge and going towards the front. |
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| bef |
To install the rear BSM, the steps are pretty much the same.
The only difference is that the BSM is higher so I had to raise the foamcore by about 3/4" (another 1x6 board).
For those that have to do this many times or have a large piece of foamcore, you could use a single piece that went across both doors. My piece was long enough so that once the front BSM was mounted, I used it as a guide for the foamcore for the rear BSM.
The beauty of foamcore is that it is lightweight, it bends to conform to the door, it doesn't scratch the doors, it has a 1/4 inch lip to support the BSM, it's inexpensive, and you can get it at the local office supply store. |
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| 2Acuras |
Thanks for the tip Bef.
I will be doing that soon since I am getting my SS MDX on Friday and Hondaacruaworld told me that I should be getting my BSM soon.
Hod'ya like your BSM. Do yo have any dings yet? |
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| bef |
The BSMs look nice although it would be nicer if they were a little wider and longer.
I'm going to the mall and maybe Home Depot today so we'll see if they work.
I generally try to park in a corner spot or in a remote location.
The greatest danger is at Home Depot when I load 2x2x8's. I once destroyed the lens assembly on my Accord with a 2x4. :eek:
This strategy doesn't always work since someone still managed to swipe the corner of my bumper all the way to the tire on my CL. :mad: |
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| MDXMom |
After reading this thread, I got up the nerve to install the body side moldings (Xmas present!) myself, and it worked out great...
My husband helped tape the templates in place. As suggested here, I used loops of tape underneath the lower part of the templates so they were in contact with the car. I cleaned the area with isopropyl alcohol, then lightly taped the moldings in place just under the templates. (I placed the flat ends of the moldings about a quarter inch from the edge of the door.) I peeled 3-4 inches of the adhesive backing at a time, being sure to line up the molding exactly as I went. I think it took me about 30 minutes, altogether.
I was a little nervous at first - mostly from reading this thread and wondering if I will like the way they look. I think they look great! - they've become a part of the car, and streamline it by breaking up the large plane of the doors. Although they won't stop all dings, they will stop some, and that does give me a level of comfort.
Now what to do about those brake calipers....
:) |
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| mdmdxny |
Tim,
How long of a backorder currently exists for Mahogany mouldings for my 2001 MDX?
I went to your web site and see you are offering them but I wanted to know if there was a delay. I haven't seen any pictures of this color on posted. have you?
MDMDXNY
2001 mahoany tour +++ |
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| MrPrescott |
I installed mine today. I was worried because they got bent out of shape in shipment, but the straighted out and went on really easily. The templates were very helpful, but could be better. The don't fit the door handle's perfectly, so you have to use some judgement. Also, I didn't know how close to put them to the b-pillar door crack - a mark on the template would have helped.
Bottom line, all 4 strips went on straight, aligned, and flat. I agree that they could be a bit wider (taller), but still look good. I like how it added to the look and will rest easy knowing they're there. The good news is that the placement works perfectly for both my Maxima's front and rear doors.
No pix because I figured it was well documented here already.
Thanks, Tim. |
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| MrPrescott |
| Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. I think up close it has some resemblance to the X5 with them. Am I crazy?! |
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| BaldEagle |
quote:
Originally posted by MrPrescott
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. I think up close it has some resemblance to the X5 with them. Am I crazy?!
Yes.
:jester:
(I know it's been a long time since you asked this question but I couldn't let it slide by without a response) |
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| tommyleon |
The best way to put side molding on is to take a piece of masking tape and plum it next to the template or your measurements.This way you get a real straight line as long as you follow the tape line.
Tom:3: |
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| hockeyplayer |
| TOM: What is with the angry face? You haven't even attempted the body side mouldings on your "soon to have" X? Cheer up man. |
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| DNLeeper |
Hey guys..
Finally installed the Side Molding. I was a little dismayed that I could not find the installation instructions on the website and I lost the thread for the correct link, so I went at it by myself. VERY easy.
Make sure you use some really low-tacky masking tape (painters tape for example) and its very easy to install. I am a complete idiot when it comes to these things, and I found it easy to install, even on a relatively windy day.
You guys are right - make sure you leave plenty of room for the doors to open. |
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| DNLeeper |
| Passenger side view. |
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| DaleB |
| The pinstripe does not look bad either, nice and understated. |
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| DNLeeper |
| Yeah, I had forgotten about that one. Stevenson Acura (Wilmington, NC) was nice enough to put that on for "free" and I bought it that way. It has the little Acura logo on the front quarter panels. The vehicle definitely looks better with the molding on the side. |
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| mdxxxx |
| Nice pinstipe! First time i've seen it on an X. |
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| AcuraDoc |
| Another trick making this job easier is to cut the red backing in the middle of each piece of the molding. This way, you can initially lightly press the BSM to the door in three spots and it will hold steady while you remove the backing. I also used a level to make sure that I didn't move the molding while peeling the backing off. |
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