The Nissan Path

i've de-badged most of the truck, plasti-dipped the grille, night shaded the tail lights, and today i semi-gloss blacked the wheels. i need to black out that chrome plastic strip above the release handles on the hatch, and i'll be happy. for a while. i don't want to mask around it, because i like to get solid coverage around the edges. but i can't figure out how to pop those little tabs without demolishing them. has anyone had that thing off? what am i doing wrong? any help getting me closer to the darth vader look is appreciated.

Excellent question, I tried to do mine after I took my grille off an painted it, but like you I couldn't figure out how to get it off w/o tearing the tabs up. Like you I don't wanna mask around it, more b/c I don't want tO accidentally overspray on my back door.

When you took the back badge off was there a hole behind it?
I took the word Pathfinder off the back but was scared to tackle the
badge w/o knowing.

I just plasti-dipped that part last week (along with all the chrome trim on the car. . .had the grill painted by a body shop to color match. I just masked it off with one strip of painter's tape and used a roll of construction paper from Home depot to protect against over spray - still going to clay the car to get anything that might have gotten on it. . . I'll try to post pics in a couple of days (plasti-dipping the wheels tomorrow night).

Hope that helps!!!

Bcraven22 wrote: When you took the back badge off was there a hole behind it?
I took the word Pathfinder off the back but was scared to tackle the
badge w/o knowing.

i didn't pull the big nissan badge. but i will guarantee you there are two alignment holes behind that rascal. i'd bet a paycheck on it.

For the rear Nissan badge. Had mine painted there are two holes behind it. At least on my year. And on my LE the rear chrome strip I believe I would have to take off sum interior panels to get if off. Mine has the rear view camera and the unlock button in it.

I know to change the light bulbs for the license plate you need to go through the back hatch. I am guessing removing that chrome piece requires the same procedure of taking apart the rear hatch to get at it.

Plasti dipped my piece today and it looks good as hell. I will post pics tomorrow after I dip all of my door handles. I think it's gonna look nice

did you pull it, or mask around it?

Just masked around it. That plasti dip is pretty slick, if you over spray you just peel it off. Trying to post pics, but you can't do it from a smart phone so I'll have to wait till I get to a computer.

if you overspray - a claybar will get it off with no sweat. Basically plasti-dipped everything that was chrome on the car - super easy and if you don't like it, it'll peel right off (just finished plati-dipping the bull bar I just installed so everything is flat black - the bull bar was gloss black). . .

nice work. that looks great.

motorkas wrote:super easy and if you don't like it, it'll peel right off

Question for you, are you saying that it will peel right off within a short time of painting, or that it will peel right off at any time?

3 things I've never liked about some cars: the stupid people who drive them, chrome anything & wood/faux wood interiors. Your lack of chrome looks mighty nice. I think I might just have to add this to my list of future car projects.

NVSteve wrote:

motorkas wrote:super easy and if you don't like it, it'll peel right off

Question for you, are you saying that it will peel right off within a short time of painting, or that it will peel right off at any time?

interested as well with this, and another question is will it peel any bits of the chrome, or cleanly. what kind of dip?

Go to www.dipyourcar.com and check out some of their videos.
They show you exactly how to use it and how simple peeling it off
will be. There are so many color choices and different things you can
do with this stuff it would take forever to explain.

nice work. that looks great

Thanks!!!

Question for you, are you saying that it will peel right off within a short time of painting, or that it will peel right off at any time?

3 things I've never liked about some cars: the stupid people who drive them, chrome anything & wood/faux wood interiors. Your lack of chrome looks mighty nice. I think I might just have to add this to my list of future car projects.

yep - it'll peel right off (short being about 15 to 30 mins after painting) and anytime after that - it's basically aerosolized rubber and comes off as a rubber film once it's dry. I literally waited about 10 mins in between coats - shot closer for a smooth finish, further away if you want a "textured" finish (it's what I did to the wheels). I feel ya on the drivers; I go both ways on the chrome and wood interiors - my other car is a modified e55 with burl walnut interior accents and exterior chrome accents as well - complements the car nicely but the faux wood interior on the pathfinder is comical (will be rectified shortly:) and the chrome was just too much for me - I wanted something "rougher" with the pathfinder - I purposely shopped for a truck based SUV and I wanted it to look like a truck (bigger tires are coming in the fall in time for winter and eventually I'll get to plati-dipping the roof rack). It's a super easy DIY project and has many applications: so far, I've done the chrome accents, wheels, running boards, the silver plastic underneath the front bumper and bull-bar (so everything was matte black as the bull bar came in a gloss black).

interested as well with this, and another question is will it peel any bits of the chrome, or cleanly. what kind of dip?

Peels cleanly - doesn't take anything else with it - great thing about it - if you go to sell the car - just peel it off and everything is back to stock!!!

Here's some pics of the bull bar and my other car (where I find chrome and wood acceptable:):