How do you get the exterior door trim off with out breaking those stupid little clips. I just broke 6, and called honda and they want $5 for each clip. If I have to replace all of them that will be $120 in clips This is for a 91 civic rt4wd, but it's probably the same as the regular civic.

 

damn 5$! are you talking about the side moldings?

 

YES! great question, I just took mine off and broke every single one of them.

 

the way i removed some was to take off the 10mm nut that bolts it to the door, then i pull the molding back and forth (try not to bend the molding) and the clips will eventually rotate and the molding will come off. after that just pull the clips out... you might have to rotate 90 degrees.

for the others, same process with the back and forth pulling but many clips will break, so you have to salvage the ones you can.

 

Mine all broke and dropped down into the door, then I had to take off all the door panels to get them out. After the third molding I said **** it and just yanked the rest off

 

broke most of mine...bought new ones on ebay for waaay cheaper than @ Honda.

 

Do you need all of the clips to hold it on? Or can I get by with like 2 clips/molding and the 10mm bolt

 

id use all of the clips. the shop that did the body work and paint on my crx just used a few because the rest broke, and the molding on the driverside door actually came loose and wrapped back while doing a speed run lol. not sure how fast i got it because i ran out of numbers, but i was at 8200 rpm in 5th on a cable gsr trans. i tore it back apart to do it all right, and do a booted gsr in it now.

 

If you take off the nut you should be able to use a putty knife on the bottom and top of each clip. Use 2 putty knife slip them in between the door and molding. I got all of mine off without breaking any.

 

^correct! That's what I did and worked like a charm.

 

home depot sells plastic putty knives too.....really, really cheap.

 

ok do this. take the little plastic nut off the end. then get a flathead or a blunt knife. slide it across the hole molding and get it loose. start from the nut and work one clip at a time use the flat head to pop it off andit should come off with no hassle at the end of the very last clip right where the door creases with the fender rotate the whole molding around 45-90 degrees and it will just slide out. the last clip is made into the molding and the others are just slit in

 

oh and use the flathead/knife on both bottom and end of the molding. i took my donor moldings off my crx that way and it was so easy. as for the clips if you broke them all learn now and go to the junkyard and get em off for free!!!

 

Ahhh wish you guys told me earlier, I checked and have 5 clips unbroken from 4 door moldings

 

lol ya i work at a honda dealer my cost for em was 75 bucks i said hell with that n got out the windshield glue

 

 

wow now that is ghetto

 

what do the clips look like i need to order some there was none on my driver side at all so i had to replace the molding i just dont know what clips i need

 

damn $5 a clip?! i'm looking at a huge bill, i remember busting most/all of them when i was stripping my crx. same with the clips for the rear pieces beside the glass (the part that says SI on it), and i broke all of those ones really good. plus the nut for the molding snapped the threaded part off (it was seized together, it took nothing for it to snap!). damn it, i guess its time to start buying clips/replacing parts!

 

what do the clips look like cuz i need to order some

 

Is it just possible to just take off your door panels and get to them from behind?

 

It is hard to access them from behind because of the intrusion beam in the door. Best bet is to use putty knive on the top and bottom of the clips and work down the door.

 

I couldn't reach them even with the door panel off.

I'll be using the putty knife method from now on