How do I remove the window frame trim?

[crab]

I just picked up a set of doors with the polished aluminum trim around the outside of the window frame. How do I remove it without damaging it?

 

[coachbarnes]

I just picked up a set of doors with the polished aluminum trim around the outside of the window frame. How do I remove it without damaging it?

That's the $1M question, Crab. It's just darn near impossible to get it off without damaging it. I went over to see our resident EB graveyard/true guru recently (Jim Holy), and asked him the same thing because I wanted to swap some onto my doors. He confirmed that he's never been able to remove it successfully...meaning with zero damage. It's one of those parts that apparently wasn't meant to be removed. And the chrome is so thin, that it bends if you look at it hard. If someone knows something different, I'd love to hear it...

 

[Blue71]

I've removed two sets with minimal damage. Don't get me wrong...I have bent several sets and thrown a few out too. I used a metal putty knife and pryed very easily upward on the underside lip of one edge. Seems like the vertical piece at the back of the door comes off a little easier for some reason as I recall. I just kept prying in little steps till I got all the way down one piece of trim. ThenIstarted again andpryed a second time down the same side till you get it alittle loose. Ithen got under the lipon the oppositeside and worked it off alittle at a time being careful not to bow the whole piece. After hours of hard work..Igot it off both doors with only a few slight bend markson the edge. When putting it back on...it usually kinda snaps back on OK and then I tapped it with a rubber mallot. The mallot even helped to bend the few nicks back into place. Very tedeous work though. Hope Inever have to do another.

Good Luck,

Blue71

 

[Jeff B]

I was getting ready to post this very question today. I've got 3 EB doors with super nice trim on them and want to get the trim off of these as well. Anyone else out there got a "tip" or "trick" to get these things off without damaging them?

 

[brian72]

I think the biggest trick is TIME...TIME...TIME...and MORE TIME. Do it slow and don't get ticked off and just rip it off.