ECK111

I live in Florida and my 2008 Mustang door panels are both peeling. The extreme heat causes the cheap vinyl backing to dry rot and unloosen. To repair yourself, you must remove ALL the old dry rotted backing from the door and vinyl backing using a small wire brush. Then you must remove all remnants of adhesive from the door panel and vinyl backing using Goof-Off spray (Home Depot, Ace Hardware or Lowes). Spray and remove old glue rubbing using old terry towel. Now it's time to reattach using Weldwood Contact Cement. (Ace or Lowe's) You must apply cement to both the door panel and the vinyl backing using a sponge paddle, evenly. It takes about 20 minutes for the cement to cure before you begin reattaching. Start at the bottom and work your way up applyling gentle pressure with a clean terrycloth towel. The vinyl has memory and should reattach in the same position as originally installed. Be patient and your work will be rewarded. After 24 hours, remove any residual cement using the Goof-Off. Do not waste your time with spray adhesives or tape, it simply will not last. This issue is quite common in Florida and Texas. Ford has NO empathy for you with this problem. They will offer to replace the door panels for $300.00 per door at your expense. This peeling often occurs just around the time your warranty expires. Take time and do it right, if you love your investment as much as I do! This fix has lasted for 2 years now...

ricksGT/CS

,,,,,

05RedGT

My passenger door panel is starting to peel and now the driver's door panel that I fixed a couple of years ago is starting to peel again.

ECK111

Once you have tried a quick repair without proper preparation or substandard adhesive and it failed again, it's back to removing all of the dry rot material and your old adhesive once again. You will need a stronger adhesive remover like, xylenes (Xylol), Acetone or mineral spirits. (Test a small area before, to make sure you don't melt the vinyl.) You must remove ALL of the adhesive or you will have nothing to bond to and fail again. An older experienced Cuban mechanic from Miami once told me, he used carburetor cleaner to remove all the old glue. I think carburetor cleaner sold here in the States, no longer contains xylene or acetone, but you can purchase each item individually at Home Depot or Lowe's. Now your only choice of adhesive is 3M 90 high strength (high temperature) spray adhesive. It must be applied to both sides of each clean panel and vinyl backing to make a permanant heat resistant bond. Tape off all areas before and beware of time and temperature. You must move quickly and press all areas flat with a rubber spatula or old credit card and tuck all the trim into the edges. Once preped and bonded, it will not budge again!

ebfly21

Thanks for the advice. I have an 05 Mustang and my drivers side did the same thing, and I live in CA where its not even that hot. Just tried this today. I had tried like three kinds of glue in the past year and none of them stayed. Hope this one works. I did really scrape the insides to get the dust and dirt out this time. I duct taped it while it's drying.

pmach1jeff

Here is what my panels look like after repair kit installed.

pmach1jeff

I forgot to mention, door panel kit was found in Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords Magazine. Predator mustang has it.

mrkabc

Awwwwww man, count me in the peeling door panel club. My Pony is garaged and isn't usually in the hot weather (CA). Nice. All of the above seems like a lot of work.


I thought after doing my spark plugs I was done for a while?!?


How did that concrete stuff work out? I am thinking of trying that avenue.

Glenn

yep it will be one of my winter projects also ....so sad

Cavero

Have a link? It took 7 years, but mine has finally given in. I tried searching but didn't have any luck

Invective

My leatherette panels bubbled and peeled last summer. Local automotive upholstery shop replaced the material on both panels for $220. Car still hasn't turned 16k miles.

Bamapony

I have gotten up this morning to a devastating development on my baby, Knightmare.
Her door panels are coming apart and seems to flap back and forth when I'm driving. This wouldn't be a sight for panic but I love her and it pains my checkbook after calling the dealership, getting a replacement cost per part and thinking how badly I don't have the $981.17, per side to get them ( that's retarded anyway). Don't mistake that isn't installed!
When these ponies become part of your life, if your an owner and not just a buyer you want to do all you can to keep them nice. What do I do now?

houtex

I'm... reasonably curious enough to wonder if you didn't read this entire thread. Because that's about all it's about... fixing the problem...?

:shrug:

Welcome aboard, anyhow!

mrkabc

Hi Houtex! Long time no see...


Still haven't fixed my door panels, trying to find an adhesive that works. Wondering if that "Power Grab" stuff works? In perusing the Home Depot website it was given some pretty dismal reviews - the consensus seems to be that it doesn't cure very well at all.


Maybe it is a CA only formulation? You know we have wacky environmental restrictions here in the People's Republic of Commiefornia!


Looking to knock this out this weekend. Then on to do my clutch! Ahhhh... the trials and tribulations of an aging Pony...

houtex

If it matters, mrkabc, this is the exact product I used on both doors:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/DAP-3-fl-...0107/100195615

And it was *barely* enough to do the job. I would have rather had two bottles.

It's been holding very well over the years. I'm happy with it. I wouldn't stray, myself.

But yeah, if they don't sell it in CA, then you need to move.

mrkabc

Hahahahah! This is what HD website says:


"Visit or call your local Home Depot store to confirm availability.
Item must be purchased in store."


Guess I will have to wander down there and see if we are allowed to have such products that are sooooooo bad for the environment... here in Commiefornia...


And yes, I wish I could move outta here (I love Atlanta), but the pesky thing known as a "job" doesn't seem to want to cooperate with that wish.



I pulled the door panels, thought it was a great time to swap out the "door/window belt weatherstrips" as well. My el cheapo plastic ones that came with the car had long destroyed my window tint... Goodbye Formula One!


What did you use to scrape the door panels? Did you use Goo Gone?

houtex

I used a three pack of lincoln wire brushes (they sell those at HD too) They have steel, brass, and stiff plastic. Doesn't much matter on the panel, but the less gouging would be better. Think I used the plastic and brass one for the most part, just scrubbing off the fuzzy foam. Just on the panel, not on the pleather insert, that'd kill it.

Then, to follow it all up, I used a few red scotchbrite pieces on the pleather backside and the panel. The scotchbrite will definitely get clogged with that crap.

I used *no* chemicals, because I didn't want to eat anything. Just time, tools, and elbow grease, patience.

---

As to the buyin', I'm betting it's more to prevent huffin' it by the kiddos, so you gotta go in and they can see you buying it, ID, and all that.

But that's a guess. For all I know, that small bottle will cause the end of the Earth over there if you used it, so they want to be sure to have the right guy to accuse for the Apocalypse.

mrkabc

What do you think of instead of reusing the stock pleather but going with these?


http://www.americanmuscle.com/door-i...lack-0509.html


I have the door panels off and on my workbench. I am waiting for my new window moldings (the ones with the felt in them to prevent window tint scratching) and then I will get it all together and ready to go.

houtex

Well, it's just a different piece of material than the original, with a grain instead of the dimples, so... it's up to you!

I never tell people to do this or that with their car.. I might say "I'd do this, or that", but it's your car. If you'd rather have those, then off ya go with it!

But it's gonna be the same process, isn't it?

Also, it doesn't have a guide yet. They'd pay for themselves if you, k'now, wrote one...

mrkabc

Ahhhh the holidays wiped me out... no dinero for this at the moment. Sooooo that means I will be going back with the stock ones.


Houtex, what sort of scrubbing thingees did you use to get the old foam debris off the door panels? I tried goo gone, that didn't work out so well. You mentioned a scrubbing pad?


Stupid things are on the bench and I want to call it a day.


The good news is I got my felt beltline moldings in to replace the crappy stock plastic ones, now for window tint again! This time not scratched! Yeah, baby!