Attaching Rocker Panel Molding - Advice Needed

[Guest Anonymous]

My car did not have the 2" x 5' (approx) molding strip the runs under the doors along the top of the rocker panel when it was saved from being parted out eight years ago. The car's rehab is at the stage that I want to replace that molding, but it is not entirely clear to me, or my non-'02 body guy, how exactly these moldings attach to the rockers. We have been working from Delia's attachment rocker photo of her 4-26-08 thread, http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,304954/ I have 14 clips, part #51-13-1-816-019.

1. Are these the correct clips for this molding? They don't seem to fit quite right in the molding.

2. The seven holes on the rockers that the clips went into have long since been sealed by the PO and painted over. Do these clips have to be mounted a specific distance apart or just evenly spaced?

3. I presume the clips, which look like either an upright "H" or a horizontal "H" depending how they are mounted, are in fact mounted horizontally. Is this correct?

4. Once the clips are mounted into the rockers, the moldings then snap on to the clips. Is this correct? I spoke to one fellow '02er who never could get these molding to stay attached and just gave up, and sealed the holes and re-painted the rockers. What's the deal?

The car is well-painted and fooling around with this long piece of sharp-edged molding, without knowing exactly how it fits on the clips is obviously dangerous to the finish. I want to get this right the first time. Is that possible? TIA

______________________________

Roger

'72 Malaga

[saxontaylor]

I am no 02 trim expert either but having recently reinstalled one of my rocker trim pieces I'll chime in.

1. Yes - correct

2. Evenly spaced should be fine

3. Horizontal - an elongated I

4. Correct. I found that when I tried to reuse the old clips that I couldn't get the trim to engage with a couple of them. Using brand new clips I didn't have near the trouble. Your buddy may have expected too much in the perfection department. The trim piece doesn't snug up against the rocker super tight. (I had the other side of my car to compare against - you may want to look at someone else's 02),

I used white painters tape on the body around the area. The white tape is very low adhesion (for masking to wallpaper, etc.), but it is fairly thick and offers some scratch protection.

[mattmcginn]

The best advice I can give is to either try to locate old original (black in color) rocker molding clips and use those. The new parts just dont work. What you can do is either use new clips to donate the center pin or use a sheet metal screw to expand the wings on the back so it will stay in.

New clips=Molding that does not will not fit and will fall off in the center if you look at it cross-eyed

Old clips with new centers=easy fit, never fall off and harmonious existence among all living things.

[BillWilliams]

Matt - you scare me, I put the rocker molding on the touring and P2 with the new clips, I guess I should expect them to fall off somewhere between Baltimore and VatV. Maybe that is where I will use masking tape!

Back to you Roger, working from a tired memory, I think those tanish looking new clips go on the inner most holes, I thought there were metal ones with small bolts and nut that held to most rear one and the most forward one. These forward and rear ones mount into the wheel wells so you can get the nuts on. I need for someone to verify this, really foggy on these.

Now to the inner ones, The clips need to mount to the car first, the clips have a push type holding device. The pin goes into the car and as you push it into the hole on the car, the outer part of the clip expands as you push the clip into the hole. If the holes are not enlarged ( you have a chance to make the holes the right size) the clips should stay.

The molding goes on by hanging the top of the molding on the clips and with a firm rap of the palm of you hand hitting in and down, the molding should go on.

The complicating part are the two end pieces. Still foggy but you will notice a cut out on the back of the molding on the forward and rear ends. This is where those metal pieces fit into then they slide to where they meet the front holes. These metal clips slide onto the molding though those cut outs then into place. I can not remember if the metal clips go onto the car loosly then the molding onto the clips of visa versa.

Someone else will clear this up I am sure.

Better to show you than tell you, wish I was in Albany to help, see my son, and eat Tapas.

As someone else stated, they do not fit snuggly to the car. There is a three piece gray vinyl strip that glues to each side to close the gap between the molding and the car.

[BillWilliams]

These are the new rocker trim clips. The flared section on the left of the clip is what goes in the hole on the car, you put that into the car with the clip flush to the car, then push the pin, on the right, into the clip and it expands the flared part hopefully holding it into the body.

Fuzzy picture of the nut holding the front metal clip on, this picture is taken from the front fender well.

The part numbers for the gray vinyl trim

Vinyl trim showing how it is glued on

[Guest Anonymous]

Excellent assistance. Thank you, thank you. Couple questions for Bill. Do you have a part number for the metal clips at the ends of the molding (I suspected such pieces because of the gaps on the inside ends of the moldings) the and the 3 piece vinyl stripping, which I do not believe appears in any of the parts schematics. Depending on parts availablity and time, I may or may not have the moldings on at V@V. But after 8 years of rehab, what's the rush? Thanks again. (Bill, I guess Frank and I are meeting you at Hagertown the evening of the 22nd - see you then)

_________________________

Roger

1972 2002 VIN 2575613

2002 325xi, daily driver

1992 525i, traded

1982 320i, traded

1973 tii, sadly traded

1971 1600, traded

[BillWilliams]

It may be

FASTENER 51 13 6 440 145

FLAT WASHER 07 11 9 936 412

SPRING WASHER 07 11 9 933 034

I think you can see the part numbers for the gray trim on the picture above.

If you have the parts manual, check section 51/5

See you in Hagerstown on the way to VatV. We will have a good dinner at Berhans Station together.

[wegweiser]

About TEN years ago - Lawrence Charlemaigne (sp?) and I spoke about the dreaded "updated" tan clips. They simply don't work. Lawrence then proceded to fish around in his pocket and produced a small plastic BLACK clip in the palm of his hand, identical to the original ones fitted by BMW back in the 70s. He told me at the time that he had a source for these jewels. try giving him a call. He might still have a line on them.

The owner of this orange car is thinking about reinstalling the rocker trim...I really really hope he changes his mind. I'm not looking forward to sourcing NLA / expensive seal strips and clips.

HTH!

Paul

[dma]

Paul,

If you are still on this list, do you have contact info for Lawrence. This rocker trim is driving me nuts! The new clips suck.

Mark

[jgerock]

Clips aren't shown, but the seal strips and trim pics are in here about 2/3 down.

http://www.my2002tii.com/2006/june2006/index.htm

[dma]

Thanks Jim. I've used these photos for reference and they were helpful, but would really like to find a source for the orig clips. Can't seem to make the new clips work for me.

[Ray_73Turkis_OH]

Has anyone ever put a washer under the white clip to make it stick out a little furhter?

My new trim piece just fell off with the new clips and I am planning my attack.

When I put it on I did not feel or hear any clicking into place like I hear with other similar attachments.

Any other creative solutions to enhancing the new clips?

[sclaverie]

Ray. The part number for the clip that you refer to for the rocker is wrong. This clip is for the middle trim and it wont work for the rocker.

The part number for the rocker clip is 51131829904 according to BMW.

I am in the process of attaching my rocker this weekend and I can tell you, that it is not as easy of an install as the other molding/trim on the car.

[nbcbird]

Other solutions: A FAQ member previously suggested using short allen-head screws (instead of the push pins) to secure the fasteners--it makes future removal much easier. The plastic "washers" are for moisture sealing and from my experience don't really effect installation of the molding. I have found that the lip of the trim has to be straight and not indented from previous use. The ends of the rocker strip use a short (about 1" or so) section of trim also used on the edges of the bumper guards (silver color).

[Ray_73Turkis_OH]

OK,

My clips are correct and new. They are white, not tan.

I think I did a better job installing this time, following Esty's instructions.

I attached the front metal clip with nut and supported the back end with appropriate height of 2x4s. Then I marked the trim so I knew exactly were each clip was.

Starting from the front clip.

I made sure that the top edge of the trim was pushed in and firmly down onto the clip and then pushed the bottom in. I then felt and heard a very nice click into place. I did not hear this the first time I installed it.

I did this for each clip and felt/heard a good click when it snapped in to place. The difference was in how hard I pushed in and down to get the top edge of the trim onto each clip, before popping the bottom in.

I am feeling confident about the permanence of this install and will report back to this thread if I have a failure.