"Anyone had luck with silicone sealant instead? Seems flexible enough for vibrations without being permanent..."
I've actually used silicone sealant on the trim pieces of my old '78 Chevy pickup. Worked pretty well—just make sure you clean both surfaces thoroughly first (I used rubbing alcohol). Apply a thin bead, press firmly, and let it cure overnight. Held up nicely on a 500-mile road trip, and when I needed to repaint later, it peeled off without damaging anything. Definitely more forgiving than threadlocker for trim stuff...
I've done something similar with silicone sealant on my family wagon's loose door trim. Agree that prep is key—clean surfaces are a must—but I'd also add that temperature matters. Did mine on a chilly day and it took forever to cure properly, stayed tacky way longer than expected. Once it finally set though, it held up great through multiple road trips and weather changes. Definitely prefer it over harsher adhesives for anything cosmetic or trim-related...just gotta be patient with drying times.
"Did mine on a chilly day and it took forever to cure properly, stayed tacky way longer than expected."
Yeah, temperature definitely makes a difference. Learned that the hard way myself when I tried sealing a cracked headlight housing last winter—thought it'd never dry. But you're right, patience pays off. Once it finally cured, it held up surprisingly well through rain and even some snow. Good to know silicone works just as well for trim pieces too...might give that a shot next time something cosmetic comes loose on my car.
Yeah, silicone can be tricky stuff, especially when it's cold. I once tried patching up a windshield seal on my old Volvo in late fall—figured it'd take an afternoon tops. Nope...stayed gummy for days and kept picking up dirt and leaves like some kinda glue trap, lol. Eventually dried solid though, and actually held up pretty decent through winter.
Makes me wonder if there’s a better trick for getting silicone to cure faster in chilly weather. Maybe warming it slightly beforehand or using a heat gun (carefully)? Never tried it, but seems like it could speed things along without messing up the bond. Might experiment next time something cosmetic comes loose—trim pieces always seem to pick the worst possible time to pop free anyway.
You might wanna be careful with the heat gun idea—silicone's pretty sensitive to overheating and can degrade if it gets too hot. A safer bet could be using a fast-curing automotive sealant specifically formulated for colder temperatures. They can be pricier, but if you're planning a long road trip, it's probably worth it to avoid the 'leaf magnet' situation, lol. Has anyone had better luck with those specialty sealants? Curious if they're worth the extra bucks...
