How to Blackout the 6th Gen Bronco Horse Badge on the Tailgate – Step-by-Step Guide and Installation Overview

One way to quickly add a bit of customization to your Bronco is to black out the chrome badge on the tailgate. The factory chrome badge is cool for sure, but everything (in my personal opinion) looks better when it’s blacked out rather than chrome.

Unlike the Toyota icon and letter emblems, the bronco horse emblem does not come in a press-on cover cap. Instead, the horse emblem is an emblem itself.

That means the installation is a little more involved than just pressing on blackout caps. For this installation/application, we have to remove the factory chrome horse and then stick on the new blacked-out horse. If you’ve never removed emblems before, just know it’s very simple and can be done in under 30 minutes as long as you have the tools used below.

For removing the adhesive on emblems, I’ve found that brake cleaner and/or carb cleaner are the quickest and easiest. You have to be quick though because you don’t want brake cleaner sitting on your paint for any longer than a few seconds. This is a detailer trick that I was taught a few years ago at a buddy’s shop. It’s the go-to quick detailer resource for stubborn tar and strong adhesives.

Without any more, let’s jump in and get those black emblems installed.

Find it online: 

• Blackout Horse Emblem: Check Price

Step 1. Clean Area around Horse Emblem

Use your detailer of choice and clean the area around your horse.

Step 2. Outline Emblem with Tape Lines

Outline the horse emblem with some masking tape.

I positioned the bottom piece of tape at an angle that was parallel to the bottom foot of the horse.

The right piece of tape is about 1/8″ away from the horse’s tail. The top piece of tape is also 1/8″ away from the horse’s tail.

The tape on the left follows the horse’s mane and meets both pieces of tape at an angle.

Step 3. Apply Heat with Heat Gun or Hair Dryer

I use a heat gun but you can use a hair dryer if that’s all you have. Work the emblem from the top down in 1-2″ sections at a time.

Step 4. Fishing Line to Remove Emblem

Once the emblem is slightly pulling off the Bronco, grab some fishing line and pull the emblem off.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the emblem has been fully removed.

Step 5. Reheat to Remove Bulk Residue

Once the emblem is off you need to remove the adhesive residue. To do this, I heat the thickest points for about 10-15 seconds and then push/fold/roll the adhesive over itself with my bare thumb. It can get hot so be careful. You can use latex gloves if you want as well. Try to avoid mechanic gloves as they have a tendency to scratch the paint.

Step 6. Apply Brake Cleaner to Remove Residue

Brake Cleaner, Carb Cleaner, or Automotive Goo Gone will get the job done.

Do not use Goo Gone or Goof Off not designed for automotive paint. This is how you destroy factory paint.

If you’re using the carb cleaner, just spray some onto your microfiber towel first and then quickly apply it to the adhesive residue in a very fast circular motion. Work the stuck residue back and forth, in a circular motion, and up and down until the brake/carb cleaner is gone. Do not spray the carb/brake cleaner directly on the paint and do not let it sit on there for long.

Repeat this step and work the adhesive back and forth until it’s gone. Then finally, dry the surface with the dry side of the microfiber towel.

Step 7. Wipe Dry with Microfiber Towel

After cleaning the sticky adhesive, wipe the surface area dry.

Step 8. Prep The Horse Emblem

Peel back the tape about 50% so that you can position the emblem without fully committing to pressing it down.

Step 9. Align Emblem

Position the horse’s leg, mane, and tail back to the original position.

Step 10. Press on Emblem

Once you find the original placement, press in on all areas of the emblem.

Final Thoughts

This is an incredibly simple mod that greatly improves the look of the Bronco. Very happy with the outcome and how the matte black horse looks on the Oxford white paint spec.