mooch said:
There is a special tool used to remove the fasteners. It is like a fork, it has two flat prongs with a large gap in-between them. If you don't have this tool you can use one or two flat head screw drivers. It might be difficult with the screw drivers and you will probably ruin the fastener clips. The fasteners get damaged pretty good even with the special tool, you might need to replace some or all of them. Ask the parts department if they have them in stock just in case you need some. Most likely they won't my dealership said I had to order them in. Please let me know how it worked out for you because I want to take mine off this spring to clean all the salt and sand out form under there. I want to spray some under coating under there to protect from all the salt for next winter.
door panel tool will not even come close to fitting from above, might from below, but if bottom pulled outward the top of rocker cover can rub bottom of steel part...even from below I'm pretty sure door panel tool would almost certainly scratch the paint under there (I fear rust).
I was afraid of scratching paint up- was able to pull top outward enough to get a screwdriver tip onto one end of clip, and it popped right out- maybe if from below, just tape underside of steel part to prevent marring paint? It was fairly cold outin the garage, I think if a bit warmer they all woulda just popped right out by pulling outward and shaking front to rear to rock one end free- most did anyway- all but three of the 16 or so...
If you find the tool ford has, please share! I might pull mine in the summer again to swap for semigloss black.