While at a recent training venue, I was shown a technique that had never previously crossed my mind. It is so simple in its implementation that I had to share it.

The Honda Pilot has side moulding clips that frequently break upon removal. These are the mouldings with the plastic-welded clips attached. The clips are double flanged with four levels of bite that must be carefully released by depressing the four bite levels and carefully lifting at the same time. No matter how careful you are in releasing them, one or more of the plastic welds always seems to break. What a hassle.

While at my Auto Glass University a few weeks ago, Jason Horne from Equalizer did something that I have never seen before. He re-welded the clips to the moulding. He did it with the use of a pocket slot screwdriver and a torch. He heated the screwdriver with the torch until it was red hot.

Then he positioned the clip onto the moulding and touched the hot screwdriver to the plastic protrusion of the broken weld. The screwdriver melted the shaft of the protrusion and created a new weld. It worked perfectly.

After he made the repairs, we all came up with other ideas for repairing these types of moulding clips. Some, playing off Jason’s idea, suggested a soldering iron rather than a screwdriver and torch. Others suggested a quick drying adhesive like super glue or epoxy. I have always used super glue myself but this method is far better and easy to do.

Give it a try.