MoleculeBond is good stuff for worn leather and plastic

**Croak** · 12-27-2002, 01:42 AM

So, my second hand M3 wheel, which had seen better days in the dye department as well as pretty roughed up, just wasn't good enough to go in my car.

But I hated the thought of like, you know, buying a new one, or taking ANOTHER chance on a used one sight unseen.

After a bit of research (thanks Google), I saw a product mentioned called MolecuBond that was said to work well on plastic, leather, rubber and vinyl.

Just my luck, PepBoys carries it, $9.95 a can, various colors. Picked up a can of black and went to work on my wheel. First things first, I used some paint thinner on the wheel (only solvent I had, might want to use something less harsh) to take off the 15 pounds of Lexol and Meguire's leather treatment I had already applied to the wheel.

After that, I just laid the sucker out on a newspaper, and started spraying (they say shake well for 2 minutes. Do it!). Three coats later (10 minutes between light coats), I had a new steering wheel. No shit. All the fading was gone, it was a nice, shiny black again, and didn't look like it was painted, it just looked like new black leather. There are a couple of bruises in the leather that I'm pretty sure I can just sand out and hit again with the magic spray, that keep it from being perfect. And with careful application, I didn't discolor my tri-color stitching.

Said to myself, "Self, you should try this on that seatbelt scar, you know, the one on the driver's seat that bugs you every time you see it?" So, took myself out to the car, did the 2 minute shake, and hit the fairly deep, fairly white, fairly wide seatbelt scar with the MolecuBond. 20 minutes later, you had to look HARD to tell where it was damaged.

Said to myself "Self, you've got 3/4 of a can left, all afternoon, and a black on black interior. Get busy". So I did. Ended up going back to PepBoys for another can.

Airbag: Like new. Center Console: Like new. Armrest: Like new. Plastic Seatbacks: Like new. All four seats and headrests: Like new. Dash/Glovebox:Like new. Door panels: Like new. Steering Column: Like new. Exterior door handles: Like new

Brain:Seriously damged from intense fumes, be sure to use this stuff outdoors or in a well vented area.

Also be sure to mask off/cover lighter colored things, like the window switches, hazard light, etc, as well as the carpet if you're doing the center console sides.

I didn't initially and had to spend about ten minutes removing the little black speckles from the backlight parts, and another ten minutes with soap and a brush to get the overspray off the carpet. Good news is, it comes right off of paint, as I discovered when doing the exterior door handles.

After the wheel was good and dry, I finally installed it in the car, and it looks great. No sign of the MoleculeBond wearing off on my hands. We'll see how well it holds up to use, they say it's very durable, but as easy as it is to apply, it's not going to be a big hassle doing it again if need be.

-Croak

**toofast4U** · 12-27-2002, 02:24 AM

works on door handles, and molding around windows...hmmm

note to self...get a bottle of magic paint

**Croak** · 12-27-2002, 02:46 AM

I wouldn't recommend it for window molding/trim. When that stuff ages, just making it blacker doesn't make it look better. Trust me, I tried.

An entire exterior molding set (top long metal piece, wing window rubber piece, and door rubber piece) runs $140 from the parts counter. That's both sides.

**EvbimmerUSR** · 12-27-2002, 12:25 PM

God damn you are funny. Nice write up.

Now if only there was a magic spray for my self-destructing door panels....

**NiTE** · 12-27-2002, 02:50 PM

good info! I have a black/black M3 as well... I'll have to get some of that stuff for my driver seat, seat backs, door panels, and steering wheel.

**Croak** · 12-27-2002, 09:42 PM

Little update here.

Took some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper, and attacked the wheel with it, taking off yesterday's coats of MolecuBond and a bit of the leather as well.

The wheel had a lot of raised bumps on the top, where the leather seemed to have bunched up in a few places, and it had a large arcing ridge on it that extended from left to right, on the front of the wheel from what I think was a ring on somebody's finger, as if they did a LOT of turning with an open hand and letting the ring slide across the leather.

Sandpaper and just a bit of elbow grease took out the raised areas and rigdge, and even did a good job on a little cut into the leather that I did when I dropped the damn thing on concrete before installing it.

It looked like total ass when I was done, actually got into the white part of the leather. But it was smooth.

Cleaned it up real good with foaming glass cleaner and a lint-free shop rag, let it dry, and went at it again with the MolecuBond.

Man! It truly does look and feel like a new steering wheel now, no bumps, ridges, just smooth as a baby's bottom, and shiny black.

Another note. Wal-Mart sells the stuff nationwide, (in black only)for $6.50 a can, vs. Pep Boys selling it for $10.

**Croak** · 03-25-2003, 03:59 PM

Little 90 day update, the MolecuBond shows NO sign of wearing off any surface I treated last Christmas. It's good shit.

**Jed** · 03-25-2003, 04:47 PM

Awesome Croak! Thanks for the info and thanks for the update on the product after 3 months!

**eightyseven** · 03-25-2003, 05:54 PM

Hmm so maybe I should give my worn driver's seat bolster a shot of this stuff eh?

Nice post.

BTW you wouldn't happen to have P/N for the window surrounds? Mine are shot to the point of flaking.

**NiTE** · 03-25-2003, 06:08 PM

Can you spray this stuff on while you're in the car? Does it get everywhere? I'd like to do the center/airbag portion of my steering wheel but I dont want to take the thing out. Also, it works on leather seats? That might be useful for my drivers seat leg bolster.

**toddman35** · 03-25-2003, 08:00 PM

I would also like to know if you can use it on seats. My drivers side bolster is cracked pretty badly.

:

**Croak** · 03-25-2003, 10:15 PM

I sprayed a great deal of it while the parts were in the car. Just be sure to mask/cover anything you don't want sprayed. It comes in tan as well, for those of you with non-black interiors.

Keep in mind, this does NOT repair cracks...it just puts color back on the leather and plastic. 800 or 600 grit sandpaper worked well for me, you sand until the damaged/worn area is smooth and flush with the surrounding areas.

It'll look like hell until you recolor it, and I would suggest getting something like Leatherique for major repairs.

**Leemos** · 03-26-2003, 02:32 AM

Originally posted by Croak

Just my luck, PepBoys carries it, $9.95 a can, various colors. Picked up a can of black and went to work on my wheel. First things first, I used some paint thinner on the wheel (only solvent I had, might want to use something less harsh) to take off the 15 pounds of Lexol and Meguire's leather treatment I had already applied to the wheel.

After that, I just laid the sucker out on a newspaper, -Croak

You removed your steering wheel to do this?
Should you mask all glass?
Im curoius, I have white specs of paint all over my wheel, but I dont want to sand or use paint thinner. Any suggestion on what less agressive remover to use first. Maybe mineral spirits or Goof off?
I am going to molecubond my interior this weekend. Good write up.

**cleoent** · 03-26-2003, 02:39 AM

pics?

**RRdawho?** · 03-23-2004, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by cleoent

pics?

:

**zeit00** · 03-23-2004, 03:45 PM

Can this dye existing parts. I have tan/brown/puke interior. I want to go all black.. Do you think this will work.

Thanks,
Karl

**cleoent** · 03-23-2004, 05:19 PM

croak where you at?

**x2nervisx** · 03-23-2004, 05:59 PM

yes this does work on seats... when I was on the 3000gt forums a few members colored their seats so that it was a two tone color and it worked really well.. I was actually considering painting my lux leather door panels from tan to black... I would do my seats but I wanna see how the door panels turn out first.. And i'd also like to see some pics of your steering wheel

**DK325IS** · 03-23-2004, 09:03 PM

Good product. I used it and took pics!

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=151701

**Jed** · 03-23-2004, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Mafia D

Good product. I used it and took pics!

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=151701

MafiaD-

I checked the link for the company that you had on your post. It was for "Colorbond" I assume that is the same company as Molecubond?

**x2nervisx** · 03-23-2004, 10:27 PM

yea i think colorbond is the new name for molecubond.. but yes they are in fact the same thing

**DK325IS** · 03-24-2004, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jed

MafiaD-

I checked the link for the company that you had on your post. It was for "Colorbond" I assume that is the same company as Molecubond?

Yes same company just new modified name.

**old skool** · 03-24-2004, 10:26 AM

So the question is...after doing this do you use normal leather cleaning and treating products with no issues?

Any pictures of these two tone interiors created by masking and painting the leather?

please?

**DK325IS** · 03-24-2004, 05:09 PM

[QUOTE=old skool]So the question is...after doing this do you use normal leather cleaning and treating products with no issues?

QUOTE]

Good question. I will call the company to find out.

**Loud_TIGER** · 03-24-2004, 05:16 PM

so is it possible to redye seats with this thing?

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