The Driver's door cladding in relation to other doors is noisy due to worn: plastic clips, grommets, hardware and adhesive tape.resulting from 20 years of opening/closing cycles.


Lexus parts diagram depicting 1995-2000 LS400 cladding


The parts are available from Lexus (with the exception of discontinued upper horizontal double-sided adhesive strips which I substituted with upper strips from rear cladding)

The toughest part of this project is carefully cutting through the adhesive tape while the cladding is still adhered to door, with a long cutting blade, without knicking the paint...and then removing the old adhesive from the door skin and cladding with plastic scraper (I used a plastic spoon) and a mild adhesive solvent.)

I applied DEI damping material at the very bottom of the cladding panel under the weatherstrip support triangle. There is inadequate space between the cladding and door panel to apply damping material to upper cladding area.

Since I never removed cladding, to insure I didn't damage anything, I removed the interior door panel to compress or cut lances of plastic clips at bottom of cladding...and cut the middle grommets to ease removal...the supporting structures are thin metal and will bend if not careful.

Front edge of door with cladding removed, depicting vertical adhesive strip of Double-sided tape... Do Not even think of using bulk tape...material thickness is critical to fit..."stick" with OEM.

Image depicting grommet holes.. plastic inserts crumbled upon removal.

Horizontal double-sided adhesive strips are discontinued..so acquire strips from rear door cladding...not as long, so ordered 3.

Plastic clips that plug into door grommets were loose.

4 threaded plastic ***** two front and two rear also hold cladding in place.

Plastic *****..

Removing old adhesive tape with Exacto knife

Clips pip out with inserted knife blade. Forcing will bend support structure.

Application of DEI damping material...there is room here only.

Damping material added to entire span bottom cladding.


Vertical sections of double-sided self-adhesive tape applied to cladding. Used an extra section of tape to fill gap at bottom and provide additional adhesion. Release film tabs pulled when ready to reapply cladding.
Heat adhesive strips to 125 F. I also started car and set heat to Hot to insure best adhesion (Door panel along with access cover removed)

P.N.'s shown with requisite quantities.

 

Nice write-up, thanks for the contribution!

 

I'd love to do this myself. My audio system makes the cladding vibrate like crazy. Can't hear it within the car but if standing outside it is pretty damn noisy.