The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Door seals

Where is the best place to get rubber door seals that really flexible? I just put the ones I got from LMC on the passenger side of the 70' GMC I'm restoring. I hung the door and got everything lined up perfectly and closing with light pressure. Then I installed the rubber and as usual I have to slam the door hard to get it to latch all the way in now.

Thanks

I just went through this same thing on my 53. So I am trying these from the filling station and it promises to be the cure.
https://www.fillingstation.com/detail/25060/Chevrolet_194755_TRUCK_DOOR_EDGE_SEAL_THIN_12.html

Steele Rubber Products. Period!!!!!!!

You don't want "really" flexible. Steele is the best rubber, however what you are experiencing is normal. Sometimes rubber takes awhile to set and conform to being squeezed. [Sometimes it may help to adjust again. Latches, strikers, hinges....or Leave doors tightly closed for a few hot days. It will get better with time
.
If LMC is a less quality rubber compound than Steele and/or LMC is made in China and Steele is made in USA..........I would think the LMC rubber would be softer, not stiffer.

Me thinks you squeak too soon. The good news is that doors close flush, right?

Some weatherstrip, on some truck models, can be put on "backwards"/wrong. I don't think I've had an old truck, with new rubber, that doors would close with light pressure.

I'm familiar with the door seal issue with the AD trucks. There are two different thickness seals and they can be installed backwards if not careful. I went through that with my 49' It's been 3 years and I still have to slam the crap out of the doors. I don't want to go through that with my 70' I installed one seal yesterday and left the door latched overnight and it conformed some. I know it's not an alignment or latch adjustment issue. They were lined up and latching perfectly before I installed the seal just the same as my 49 was. I've ordered a set from Steele. I'll try it with the other door for comparison. If it's better the other seal is getting replaced. I'll post back when it's done.

Thanks

FYI..... many may not like it but I have used 'soft-seal" with good success on several vehicles and I actually like it. Steele is considered the best but sometimes I can't see enough difference to...pay the difference. I'm sure others are getting some of the same stuff Steele has but we just don't know who!! (Sorry, we've had this discussion before)!

As Alvin says, there may be nothing wrong with other rubber suppliers. The issues don't seem to be if they seal. The issue, over the years, seems to be good fit/installation in some areas, in some years. I'm sure that the actual rubber compound used by Steele is the best. However, Steele now imports some of their products. They built their reputation on USA made. I guess competition and profit have prevailed. Possibly just wanting to provide more SKUs without creating tooling. Too bad. Maybe our new America will change that.

The crush durometer that bztguy is testing will be interesting. It would also be very interesting if bztguy could do us all a big favor. That is: to carefully compare the cross section of 1. an original, 2. an LMC and 3. a Steele door rubber. To see that not only the durometer is different, but the cross section is a little different also.

I didn't know about SoffSeal. I'm a bit skeptical of the 'peel and stick' process. SoffSeal has door weatherstripping for AD trucks.

I'd be glad to a do a comparison test and post results. I can't against the original as I don't have any of it left.

I was also looking at the weather stripping from the Filling Station. They offer it in two sizes depending on the gap you have to work with:

Thicker Profile

Thinner Profile

Here's the video from the Filling Station on installing weather stripping:

(CLICK)

The thinner profile available from the Filling Station, I believe is made by Steele. At least the Filling Station part number resembles the Steel number and it is very expensive, over $4 a foot and you need 28 feet to do both doors,