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Why Metal Trim Remover Tools?

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thatryan

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Joined
Mar 5, 2015
Messages
20
Location
Bay Area, CA
Seriously, why are most of them I see metal?

I am getting ready to replace the speakers in my BMW, so I bought a set of the snappy (blue point) trim tools. It did not occur to me until I got them that, hey these will scratch everything wont they?

I also ordered the 5-piece "non marring pry bar" set, not sure if those are for panels as well...
 
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rlitman

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Oct 18, 2010
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Long Island
Most of what I see is plastic. Metal isn't good around hard surfaces where scratches show, but is fine for a button installed through trunk carpeting, or to lift something behind a door skin.
 
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Stooge

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Mar 24, 2013
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3,533
Location
South Shore, MA
any of the trim removal tools I have are all plastic, a half dozen or so piece bojo set (blue)and im guessing a harbor freight set (yellow). the only metal trim tools I have are actually for windshield trim/ weatherstripping and I don't think I would want to use them on any interior plastics that I had to look at.
 
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Kool Coe

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Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
40
I need to do some investigating on a small rattle in my 911 turbo door, and I came on here (it's been awhile!!) to find out what all everyone uses and likes before having a regretful purchase.
I just bought an 4 piece SK set off ebay this morning for $8 w/free shipping. Felt better about it being an SK brand then a HF or no name brand. I'm sure they are all made the same though.
I also have my eyes on a facom set and a wurth set to add to my collection later.
 
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hickfied

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May 21, 2012
Messages
223
Location
W-NC
I have this set from HFT. works great for interior trim. It does not work well for spash guard push pins. I need a metal set for those.
 

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Fedwrench

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Dec 9, 2007
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Valley of the sun
They're metal because, you would be amazed at the effort it takes at times to remove a Christmas tree type retainer after it's seen dirt and weather. :lol:
Not all trim is created equal and you have to use the right tool for the trim retainer. You might need push pin pliers to separate the inner pin from its outer expansion part. You might need one of those pin type tools to push the center pin inward before prying the whole thing out. You might need nylon pry bars in assorted shapes and sizes in an effort to wedge and lift panels with "insert tab a in slot b" type fasteners.
Automotive interior trim and how it is secured, has evolved as much as cars have over the last 20 years. :dunno:
There isn't really a one size fits all tool anymore. I really like the SK two piece trim set with a few of the BOJO nylon tools thrown in with a pair of push pin pliers. :beer:
 
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gungatim

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Jan 8, 2013
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west mich
Fedwrench said:
They're metal because, you would be amazed at the effort it takes at times to remove a Christmas tree type retainer after it's seen dirt and weather. :lol:
Not all trim is created equal and you have to use the right tool for the trim retainer. You might need push pin pliers to separate the inner pin from its outer expansion part. You might need one of those pin type tools to push the center pin inward before prying the whole thing out. You might need nylon pry bars in assorted shapes and sizes in an effort to wedge and lift panels with "insert tab a in slot b" type fasteners.
Automotive interior trim and how it is secured, has evolved as much as cars have over the last 20 years. :dunno:
There isn't really a one size fits all tool anymore. I really like the SK two piece trim set with a few of the BOJO nylon tools thrown in with a pair of push pin pliers. :beer:
Click to expand...

agreed, just did a fender and bumper on car, amazingly difficult to remove. plastic would break easily, even bent one of the metal ones. I have some cast aluminum ones from the 90's I ended up using. those fasteners can be soft when new but after a few years they get super brittle and break the heads before they pull out of the metal...
 
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Brownsfan

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Apr 16, 2012
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Cleveland Ohio
I take apart interiors of vehicles daily and there is a need for the metal and the plastic ones. The softer plastics on dashboards the plastic ones are needed. Door panels, sill plates kick panels etc have really tight clips and not plastic tool is strong enough to break it free.
 
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Hammer1963

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Jan 2, 2011
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2,048
Location
Kentucky
Invest in a set of O-ring removal tools from Snap-on to go along with the plastic and traditional fork style tools. They have proven to be my most used trim removal tools
 
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Brownsfan

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Cleveland Ohio
I have the O-ring tools too. They have never seen an O-ring. They work great for interior stuff. Especially for those little covers on door panels that hide screws behind them.
 
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cgv69

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Jan 11, 2012
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Boone Co., KY
Back in the day when I was an installer (early 90's) I'd never even seen any plastic removal tools. Every installer I knew had this set (or at least a few of the tools from it)...
$_57.JPG

and if you were careful, it was never an issue. Granted modern interiors are much fancier these days so a set of Bojo Tools Nylon Prybars would be a good edition but I bet more interior panels have been removed (scratch free) with a good old Snap On panel tool then all others combined
 
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Brownsfan

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cgv69 said:
Back in the day when I was an installer (early 90's) I'd never even seen any plastic removal tools. Every installer I knew had this set (or at least a few of the tools from it)...
$_57.JPG

and if you were careful, it was never an issue. Granted modern interiors are much fancier these days so a set of Bojo Tools Nylon Prybars would be a good edition but I bet more interior panels have been removed (scratch free) with a good old Snap On panel tool then all others combined
Click to expand...

Got that same set. Still great panel tools. I can use them without scratching most panels. But some are too soft and even the plastic ones can Mar the surface.
 
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dclassical

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Sep 25, 2008
Messages
1,130
thatryan said:
Are SIR Tools any good, have not heard of them...
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I bought their blind hole puller about 5 years ago. Great set but this year when I broke the smallest collet I could not get them to answer me on how to get a replacement. Your mileage may vary of course.
 
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trxrx7

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Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
65
i have tried pretty much all of them(im the remote starter guy at work so i take off interior panels every day) i think best one so far is the easy pry, mac tools sells it too. the reason i like it so much is because of how thick it gets. all you have to do is push it in and the panel will just pop out. the other thin ones just slide in between so you often have to pry up or down and thats how i broke all my other ones. still cost me 20 bucks i believe, next time im gonna look at building supply stores for some wedges probably gonna be a lot cheaper.
 
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trxrx7

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Jan 6, 2014
Messages
65
sooner or later you are gonna break them depending on how much you use them, thats why tool trucks like snap on or mac dont have life time warranty on them at least in my area. this is my second easy pry trim tool but they hold up a lot longer then any of the other ones.
 
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