inrealtime
New Member
- First Name
- Chris
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2025
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 4
- Location
- South San Francisco
- Vehicles
- 2022 R1T
- Thread starter
- #1
I got tired of looking at the ugly tailgate topper trim thats all gouged and scratched. Seems all the eBay used ones have broken clips from removal.
I debated on sanding it down and filling in the couches and spraying with textured paint, but it was way too much work.
Now I understand why it probably isn't done with the textured film that is out.
I decided to apply the XPEL film on it. It has a similar texture on the film like a spray in bed coating, not really that rough feeling though. I looked at a few of the pattern software I use and none have the pattern for that part. I applied it with one piece and it's not very tacky, so I don't know how long it's going to last. Also, to stretch it I applied to much heat. You can see the spots on the film where the textured is gone. I did learn that it takes very little heat to stretch, but you don't want to stretch much. Where I stretched to much at the backside it ended up stretching back. Unfortnetly I had cut it already and applied a little heat at all of the edges to finish the job. The good thing is the texture makes butt splices very hard to see. Blends in good. When I re do it I'm going to do a 2 piece, maybe 3.
I thought of getting a portable 3D scanner to make a template to run through the plotter, but in the end it not's really worth the effort. It's relatively easy to do after the first try. I just want to see how long it last first. The trim is too porous for the film to stick I think. May try knifeless tape, but not sure if that will stick either.
Just giving others an option for the tailgate upper trim that is so soft and scratches so easily.
Here is what it looked before and some after pics.
I debated on sanding it down and filling in the couches and spraying with textured paint, but it was way too much work.
Now I understand why it probably isn't done with the textured film that is out.
I decided to apply the XPEL film on it. It has a similar texture on the film like a spray in bed coating, not really that rough feeling though. I looked at a few of the pattern software I use and none have the pattern for that part. I applied it with one piece and it's not very tacky, so I don't know how long it's going to last. Also, to stretch it I applied to much heat. You can see the spots on the film where the textured is gone. I did learn that it takes very little heat to stretch, but you don't want to stretch much. Where I stretched to much at the backside it ended up stretching back. Unfortnetly I had cut it already and applied a little heat at all of the edges to finish the job. The good thing is the texture makes butt splices very hard to see. Blends in good. When I re do it I'm going to do a 2 piece, maybe 3.
I thought of getting a portable 3D scanner to make a template to run through the plotter, but in the end it not's really worth the effort. It's relatively easy to do after the first try. I just want to see how long it last first. The trim is too porous for the film to stick I think. May try knifeless tape, but not sure if that will stick either.
Just giving others an option for the tailgate upper trim that is so soft and scratches so easily.
Here is what it looked before and some after pics.
Sponsored
Last edited by a moderator:
