The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors Need Weatherstripping Advice - Who makes the best?

Not long ago, I asked for advice about the orientation of the door weatherstrip. I got it glued on, and attempted to put the door back on yesterday. No luck. Something is jamming up big time, and the door won't close. not even close. I have to lean on it just to get the latch to catch at all, and there's over a one inch gap at the back of the door. It's gotta be the weatherstripping, because the door closed fine without it.

I hate to say it, but I'll probably have to take off the weatherstripping and buy nes stuff. I got this stuff years ago, and although it looks fine, it just won't do the job.

I'm guessing Steele is the place to get it from. Has anyone gotten it from there, and were there any problems with it?

Also, got any tips on getting the old stuff off without messing up the paint job?

Tom,

Most people say that you can't go wrong with Steele; however, the price is high.

I have had excellent fit on two restorations with the door weatherstrip from Classic Parts of America (Chevy Duty), and not so good luck with Jim Carter's weatherstrip.

Tim

I agree with Tim , I have had NP's with my weather strip from Classic Parts of America.
Im currently adjusting my doors and have had no issue with the weather strip holding open the doors like you have stated, being new and not seated they will hold mine open a bit but with just a little pressure they close right up.
Are you sure you have the strips installed correctly ?.. Only reason I am asking is I actually twisted onna mine when makin the corner on my first attempt and didnt realise it till i went to mate up the ends ...it was EASY to do !
I would love to see a pic of your door with the strips installed.
as far as a new set, I found after I already purchased and installed mine that My Uncle PO ....had a new set from precision products in onna the boxes of STUFF that came with the truck , I AM COMPARING THEM right now ...they are nice and may be just a bit softer but match the Classic parts profile exactly.
If you would like a good deal on the set, send me a e-mail Ill make ya a good deal , the set i have are licenced by GM.
Can send ya a pic.

I havent removed a fresh set after install, so I dont want to give ya any advise on how to remove em without messin up your paint.

A word to the wise... sacrifice a weatherstripping when you test fit your doors. As Tom discovered the hard way, it exerts an incredible amount of force on the door and jamb.

PATRICK'S advertises their door weatherstripping as being a thinner cross section more closely resembling, and fitting like the original. $25 for both doors is cheap compared to what you'll have to go through if you don't fit your doors with w/s in place.

I believe mineral spirits will dissolve w/s adhesive.

It took me 3 attempts to get mine right ... and, like the others above, Classic Parts (Chevy Duty) is the best ... and at a great price, too!

Here's my photo-journal on it:
http://alanhorvath.com/54chevy/doorubber.php

And another worthy read is my photo journal on door latches and strikers:
http://alanhorvath.com/54chevy/doorlatch.php

Here are several pictures of the weatherstripping. Does it look like it's on the right way, and is the correct size?

http://picasaweb.google.com/stovebolt48/TruckWeatherstripping

That doesn't look like the same shape as what I installed, Tom ... who did you buy it from?

Anyway ... it looks like it's on the right way.

I'm not sure where I got it. I bought a lot of parts around 1991 or 1992, and I got stuff from several vendors. Jim Carter was one, American Classic another...even a guy named Roberts from Massachussetts. He only sells MOPAR items now.

Tom,
That is definately the wrong weather strip for your door for sure !...shape does not come close to what you should have .
the dimensions you should have are 3/4 X 5/8,
I added a few pics of the correct profile to my photobucket account ...check them out for what you SHOULD HAVE.
I would say that your problem is in teh weatherstrip itself for sure.
Tim


http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/SW_Radial/

Tom,
I went out to the shop an snapped a few pics of the strip properly installed along with the bottem retaining strip ..i went the S.S. version from classic parts .
Hope this helps
Tim

I just ordered new weatherstripping from Classic Parts. I've had good luck with them in the past. I'm in the process of trying to remove the rubber from the driver's door. Dammit, I put that stuff on really well!! I'm using a single edge razor blade to cut off the rubber, followed by 3M general weatherstrip glue remover. It's gonna be a long, slow process.

The new weatherstripping has arrived from Classic Parts, and it's pretty much identical to the stuff I just ripped off. It's less dense, and therefore more "squishable", and now I'm more confused than ever about which way it glues on.

The way I had it was with the one long side facing the outside edge of the door. My father insist that the long edge should be glued to the door edge, resulting in the concave portion facing out, and therefore having the short side in mid air. I may have to post some picture to make this more clear. Can anyone tell me for sure which way it goes?

Okay, here are the four possibilities I came up with for gluing on the weatherstrip. Please advise on the way it should go. Thanks in advance, and I apologize for the picture quality.

http://picasaweb.google.com/stovebolt48/Weatherstrip48Chevy

#2 is the right way, the shorter flange is against the door skin, the longer flange and the inner curve fit against the opening when the door closes

Bill

I have a reference picture of the correct position here:
http://alanhorvath.com/54chevy/doorubber.php

Like Bill said, #2 (in your pics) is right.

Red, I assume you and Alan are referring to Picture "B", correct? (The second picture from the left. Hold your cursor over the picture and the caption appears.)

Alan, I know I have a problem with spatial relations, but I can't figure anything out from the Steele reference pictures. I look at it, think I know what it says, go down to the basement, put the rubber the way I think they show it. Get confused. Come back upstairs, stair at the picture again. Repeat process, repeat process, etc.

I can't see how I could possibly get the bottom retaining strip on with "C" in the rubber facing out from the door, like in reference pictures B, C, or D. Do you just not glue the one edge and jam it all down until the screws align with the screw holes?

Guys, I know I'm being a big pain in the butt, and dense as well, but I do not want to do this a third time, so I need to be sure I'm doing it right this time.

Am I correct that the "C" in the rubber faces the body when the door is closing, and the long "ear" is toward the center of the door. In other words, the longest side of the weatherstripping is not glued. The concave side is not glued. The shortest "ear" rests on the door skin, and is glued to it, and the remaining edge - the straight one, is glued to the door panel. This is represented by my picture "B."

I sincerely apologize for being so dumb about this.

The 2nd pic from the left - picture "B" is the correct one, Tom. The glue (make sure you have the BLACK adhesive) is applied to the corner and both flat surfaces as well ... you are gluing an "L" area of the door.

The bottom retainer is something I haven't bothered with..

Thanks, Alan. You've been a big help to me and a lot of other 'bolters.

It's a real pleasure, Tom. That's just what we all come together for.

It's great to know that others understand our difficulties ... and it's *really* cool when we can make any project more of an enjoyment for the next guy who can benefit from our own experience.

Have fun!

Tom,

Alan's instruction are quite helpful. Still, it sometimes helps to get a "face-to-face" look. If you want to look at a door with the seal on it, I live in Castleton-on-Hudson. Feel free to send me an email message and set up a visit to see my doors (they are in a cold garage). I have the lower retaining strips installed on the doors.

Good luck,
Tim

lederman@siena.edu

Tom,
I uploaded a few pics of my door with the lower reatiner on ..
I also beat my brains out on HOW it should be ...after some research and experimenting ...I believe the lower retainer is not desighned to actually sandwich the seal to the door ..if you look at its desighn it only lays on the door skin one way .
After the strip had fully cured I applied the retainer against the seal and pulled it down against the seal as tight as possible then started to drill the screw holes and worked my way across , as you go you will see how the retainer will grab into the seal without distorting it in any way and allows the seal to function as it should without any binding.
Tim

Tim, I'll take you up on that offer. I'm going to be in Florida for a week (Whoopee! A week away from winter!), so when I get back, I'll give you a call. I think I still have your number from a previous e-mail.

SW, I still have the holes in the door from the original retainers, which I'm re-using. To do so, I'd really have to squash down the weatherstripping. Maybe I'll drill new holes to avoid that. Thanks for the idea!