Smooth Finish: How to Wrap the Ford Transit B-Pillars
Welcome back to AVC Chronicles! Today, we’re going to be showing you how to wrap your driver’s side B-Pillar.
Wrapping the B-pillar is essential for a finished look in your van build and is surprisingly simple once you know how to handle the factory plastics.
Let’s jump right in!
Step 1: Prep the Plastics and Mask
To get a clean finish, you need to pull the factory plastic trim away from the metal B-pillar, but you don't need to remove it completely.
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Release the Clips: Use a panel popper tool to insert into the seam between the plastic and the metal. Gently pop the plastic back just enough to create a gap. Look inside the crack to locate the clips and ensure you use the tool to get behind the Christmas tree style plugs for proper release.
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Tip: If a Christmas tree plug accidentally pops out of the plastic, use your tool to pop it out of the metal and reinsert it into the plastic.
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Mask the Area: Use masking tape to protect the surrounding plastic trim from adhesive overspray.
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Clean: Use isopropyl alcohol (ISO) to degrease the exposed metal pillar and prep the surface for adhesive.
Key Strategy: The B-pillar has a vinyl-covered section (the "blob") and a fabric-covered section. We only wrap the fabric section. Make sure your new fabric overlaps the edge of the existing blob for a clean, rolled seam.
Step 2: Apply Adhesive and Fabric
Today, we're using 3M Formula 74 spray adhesive. Be sure to test the spray away from your work area first.
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Prep the Fabric: Start with a piece of fabric approximately 12 inches by 60 inches. Fold the top edge over about one inch and glue it down to create a clean, rolled edge.
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Apply Glue: Spray the adhesive onto the entire exposed metal surface of the B-pillar and the 1-inch folded edge of your fabric.
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Remove Tape: Before applying the fabric, peel away your masking tape.
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Align the Top: Start from the top. Align the fabric's rolled edge with the very top of the pillar plastics where the seam will sit. This gives a nice, clean look.
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Align the Bottom: Pay close attention to the wide, triangular area at the bottom of the pillar. Ensure your fabric extends far enough past this area to completely wrap it.
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Roll the Fabric: Starting from the top, press the fabric down. When you get to the inside corner, pull the fabric back slightly and then roll it into that inside corner. This ensures good adhesion and prevents the fabric from stretching across the corner.
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Work Outward: Once the inside corner is adhered, work your way back away from the corner, pressing the fabric down firmly across the rest of the pillar.
Step 3: Trimming and Tucking
Now you need to trim the excess fabric and tuck the edges behind the factory plastics you pulled away earlier.
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Rough Trim: Trim the fabric to leave about an inch of excess past the metal/plastic seam. It's always better to leave too much fabric than too little, as you can always trim more off.
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Fine Trim: To get a nice, uniform edge, hold your knife away from the blade and use your non-cutting finger as a guide against the rolled edge of the steel pillar. Carefully trim the excess fabric.
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Tuck the Fabric: Use your panel popper tool to stuff the trimmed fabric edge into the seam between the plastics and the metal pillar.
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Relief Cuts:
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When you reach one of the plastic clips (like the Christmas tree plugs), make a relief cut in the fabric so it can wrap around the clip without bunching. You'll need to do this for every clip along the column.
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At the very bottom, cut the fabric away so it does not cover the final Christmas tree plug hole.
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Lock the Plastics: Once the fabric is tucked in all the way around the pillar, press the plastic trim firmly back into place until all the clips lock in.
And with that, your B-pillar wrap is complete! It gives your interior a polished, finished look.
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