Since I have nothing better to do, I decided to play with my door sills.

Both the driver and passenger front ones, appear to be raised a bit, and the edges started to lift off.
So I removed them from the car, and upon closer inspection, the adhesive at the edges of the illuminated sills has weakened.

Can anyone recommend best way to fix? Looking at the sills, the fiber optic component makes the sill sit up a bit higher.
I am trying to find best way to affix it so that it is in place and wont move later again. Any ideas greatly apprecaited.

For now, used alcohol to clean up the adhesive strips, but that wont keep the sill planted in its place.
Thinking of using clear weather caulking to put into the grooves of door sill, then press the fiber optic part into place, let is sit overhight with some weight on it for pressure.
After drying, I think it may be well in place. Only drawback, is if you try to remove it again later - the caulking will be in the way for sure (not that I am planning to remove later though).

Again, ideas very welcome to keep this thing in place and not sticking out. Thanks.

 

HI Ciaka, do not completely understand what you mean. Feel free to connect tomorrow and I can try to help you by looking at my car. As you are aware, I just had the sills out myself.

 

Sure. I will txt you a pic or two. The sills work fine. Lighting ok. The only thing I saw was the lighted insert (the sill only, which is part of the entire plastic trim piece), started separating from the plastic trim.
So I wanted to do something to put it back together so there is no separation.
The adhesive on back of the sills seems to have worn off a bit and was thick, which was preventing the sill edges from getting into the grooves of the trim.
The fiber optic strip on the sill, although thin, still prevents the sill from settling fully into the trim grooves. So I thought maybe I can remove all adhesive, then use exterior caulking (clear), so to affix the sill into the plastic trim. If I put the trim back in first, then caulk, then put in the sill, and add some weight on top of sill while caulking dries, I thought that will do a good job keeping everything in place. I do not hope to be removing again. Hoping that would be good solution to permanently put sill into place. What do you think? We will touch bases tomorrow. Thanks.

Anyone have other ideas, I am all ears.

 

I wonder if Betalink would be something you'd want to use? Probably permanent in this case, meaning if you needed to separate the pieces you might end up destroying them.

 

I See. That does sound permanent. That is why I was considering the clear caulking. Man. dont know what to do now. Part out and I have no plan.

 

pictures?

 

I will get some pics after all done. Decided to use high temp gasket maker (black), to match the color of sills and trim. IMO turned out really good and no gaps or spaces. Had to remove the rubberized adhesive that was making the sills stick up higher than necessary.

 

Solid...I was going to recommend that or black silicone

 

Here are some images I took of one finished sill - the driver side. The other side turned out likewise. I am surprised how well they are finished off, honestly. The trick is in the application of the silicon.
I purchased the Mega Black gasket maker at Orilley's Auto - Click here.

Preparation:

1. Remove door sills with plastic pry tools. Easy. Just be gentle.
2. Removed the carbon fib inserts (gentle here too since the backing has adhesive strips)
3. Cleaned sills with cleaner then with alcohol remove oils
4. From the underside of carbon fiber light up inserts, I removed the adhesive backing (there were 2 layers), I removed one, to have the door sills be as flat and level with the plastic trim as possible. I am sure removing all adhesive backing would work too, I just left some for additional grip when gasket maker is laid down underneath.
5. Opened the gasket maker nozzle so that I have the smallest hole possible (for precise application)
6. Applied the gasket maker onto the plastic trim, into the grooves, slightly overlapping to inside of trim (silicon in groove and spilling out to inside of grooves). Application was to ensure that once I press the trim and carbon fiber inserts together, it will squeeze some gasket maker out the grooves and be showing on edges of carbon fiber inserts.
7. Use a flat wood board running length of carbon fiber inserts, laid it on top of insert, and used 4 clamps to press the insert against the trim. Make sure you route the optical fiber wire through hole and place the flat ribbon into the inner part of trim, so the wire is in its own little trench. Affixed the wire with duct tape pieces.
8. Let the trim dry for several hours. Then remove the flat wood and clamps
9. Use scraper blade to cut away excess gasket maker that stuck out, placing blade at an angle so that you cut away at the lowest possible point of the gasket as you can. This will create a groove between the trim and the insert. Dont worry, it will be filled in.
10. After the excess gasket material removed, ready for the finish step
11. Put 4 table spoons of dish soap into a very small dish, then add a tiny bit of water, maybe 4 table spoons. This gives you a nice slippery solution that sticks to your finger when you dip in.
12. Prepare many paper towels or napkins (I had 6 napkins ready)
13. Using gasket maker tube squeeze a uniform and sparing amount of gasket into the groove between trim and insert.
14. Dip your finger into soap solution, then place it onto the groove, at place where your new silicon application ended
15. Gently ride the finger on top of groove, the soap solution will prevent the silicon from sticking to your finger and will mold the silicon into the groove
16. Move finger maybe a a couple inches, wipe excess removed silicon onto napkin, dip into soap solution again, then ride the next couple inches, and so on.
17. Once in a while, dip finger into soapy solution and ride the already finished groove, to ensure the fill of silicon inside groove is uniform.
18. Continue on until entire groove around insert is completed, then take clean napkin, and gently wipe down insert and trim, making sure you do not press inside the grooves.
19. Inspect and remove any other excess silicon you can see on trim on on insert.
20. Let dry for few hours before you install back into the car

Turned out really well for me.