It was unseasonably warm the other day, so I decided to open the sunroof to make sure it was still working well. This promptly reminded me of the issue with the sun glaring back off the chrome ring around the shifter.

So I grabbed on old Tim Horton's card and starting to pry it off and do something about it. This is a tedious process and I am sure you can snap it very easily if you don't take your time.

I didn't want to sand and paint the thing, so I figured I would try Plasti Dip (which is not easy to find in Canada for some reason, but I did find some)

Overall, I am very happy with the result, and it was very simple to do.

I cleaned the ring with some Alcohol and applied the first coat.


After the 3rd coat was dry, I didn't think I needed a 4th.


Re-installed.

 

looks good.. I did the same, only I just used a thin insurance card to push the tabs forward and pried each one up and worked around it evenly. Then sanded with extra fine sandpaper, bought some rustolium plastic cover flat black and gave it two coats. I got the K17 recall done a few months aback and the tech broke the black one when they pulled the console to get at the bottom actuator so they put a new chrome one back on. So I did it 2x now....

I do not have the sun roof but still, driving under a noon time sun will cause the same glare.

 

I went right over the chrome. Clean chrome, but not sanded. I guess only time will tell how well it holds up. Nice thing with Plasti Dip is I can peal it off and do over any time I want.

 

I've used it on many surfaces from chrome to plastic. I am a devout hater of gray plastic cladding and used it on my Grand Cherokee on every piece of it on the vehicle. Three years now and it's holding up well. I did cut it on one of my rock rails with a pressure washer but just touched it up with the can and it blends right in.

The nicest thing about the product is the prep. Chrome and other bare metals can be a b*tch to paint and require etching or scratching up to make a paint stick, which of course ruins the surface. I've found that there isn't anything necessary with even the slickest surfaces over just cleaning, although I do hit it with a quick spray of an automotive adhesion promoter myself.

I find the product holds up better than spray paint, but not as well as either powdercoating or using a bedliner product, but is MUCH less expensive and requires MUCH less prep work.

A couple of other nice uses I've found for Plasti-Dip is that it makes a great sound isolator for under carpeting or installing sound systems and it completely gets rid of that annoying rattle you get on hitches when they bounce around inside the receiver. Just a couple of coats on those receivers and the excess rubs off when you insert them, leaving a nice, tight, quiet, rubberized coating...

 

I may try that.

Minor annoyance but the little green light that shines down on the console reflects off of the trim ring at night and I always see an illuminated green dot on the pass side window.

The chrome bezels on the AC vents can blind you at certain times when the sun is just right as well - wish they were all matte silver or black..

 

Odd, mine are matte silver, not chrome. Maybe a Sport model thing?

The only chrome I have left is the trim where the shifter moves from Park through Drive and the door handles. I don't remember either of those causing me any grief as they are small and don't reflect enough light to bother me.

 

I think the sport and SL/SLT are painted bezels, Laramies are chrome, nothing screams 'luxury' like getting blinded by chrome reflections from the dash lol.

After three years with one I carry a towel around to throw offer the offending chrome bezel.

 

I have an '09 Sport with the stupid chrome ring. First thing I did is to paste electrical tape on it for the ride home. Engineers just don't get that chrome does not belong anywhere near the driver inside. Maybe if they actually drove the truck they would find stuff like this out.

 

That's because today's engineers grew up with a joystick in their hands and a computer on their lap. Vehicles nowadays are designed by guys who when you ask them to hand you a screwdriver they give you a glass with vodka and orange juice in it...

 

Looks great! Seems to match the rest of the black plastic well. I may have to try this since I always curse the damn reflection in the summer too.

Rob