has anyone purchased this weather stripping for the 84-96 rear hatch -

Metro Moulded SUPERsoft Replacement Weatherstripping Seal ISTK8496

comments....

I'm looking for a quality replacement for my 90. my other choice would be Corvette Rubber. original GM might be cost prohibitive.

 

Is your only issue the front left/right lower corners?

 

no, just looking for a replacement.

 

did a search on this softseal stuff - got mixed reviews. I think i'll just stick with CRC from willcox.

 

I got mine from Willcox but it came in a Corvette Central box. It fit like a glove though.

 

I purchased the rear window weather striping from Corvette America for $80.99 (Part #X2172). It was a good quality piece and I had no trouble installing in my 94. It all snapped in and stayed in place. No glue was needed. Look on YouTube, they have a few examples of how to do it properly. I just have to slam the rear window a little harder for now.

 

I also replaced the rear hatch seal on my '95. I really wetted it down with armour-all after installation, as the instructions recommended. However, after a few months, the front lower corners split on the joining seam, where they go from horizontal to vertical.
To repair the splits, I applied Black Weatherstrip Super Adhesive by 3M. I then used fairly heavy suture cord and stitched the edges back together. Seems to be holding (only been a month). I believe I got the seal from Corvette America.
The design of the seal/hatch closure causes the hatch to push the vertical portion of the seal forward upon closing, putting a lot of pressure on those lower corner joints. I suppose if I could have closed the hatch after installation, and left it set in the sun for a few weeks, the seal would have taken it's newer shape, and I might not have had to do this repair. But that is conjecture.
Kelly

 

I don't believe "CRC" makes the rear hatch weatherstripping.

Big problem is the corners splitting.

But one of the big Corvette parts companies sells a hatch weatherstripping piece that the corners are hot melted together, vs. glued together. So they say the corners shouldn't split on the hot melted one.

 

interesting - I did not know that.


...and who would that be???

 

The one I purchase from Corvette America was identified as an import part (#X2172). The instruction sheet said it was made larger than the original General Motors piece to relieve the stress in the two seamed areas where the halo section is hot spliced to the lower surround section.

 

I took advantage of the willcox, weekend free shipping thing, and ordered the rear hatch weatherstripping. I understand that a lot of willcox items come from Corvette America, so it will be interesting to see what arrives next week. I remember, about 10-12 years ago, I bought a hatch seal at Carlisle - unknown vendor/manufacturer, but as I remember, it was around $50, and came in a plain, clear plastic bag w/o any identification. needless to say, its still on my old 85 and still holding up quite well. hope to have the same luck with willcox part. on my old steel blue 90, I re-glued the corners of the original hatch seal with black, super-glue gel, and it held fast for the two years until I sold the car. i'll follow up with what arrives in the mail in the next couple days.

 

If it were, what would you recommend, sir?

I've considered the 3M weather strip adhesive, AND keep threatening to try the stuff scuba divers have used on wetsuits for decades. Any thoughts??

 

don't know what WVZR-1 would recommend, but on my old steel blue 90, I re-glued the corners of the original hatch seal with black, super-glue gel. it held fast for the two years until I sold the car.

 

I'm quite sure Marc H offered the weather-strip repair as an 'in shop service' years ago. I haven't seen it included with his offerings for a very long time. It was 'in shop only' with no offering for sale of the product.

I've never had an issue with mine but there are RTV solutions mentioned as well as JoeC's thoughts. The Super Glue Gel I believe comes in a 'black container' but dries clear. Loctite may have changed the product through the years - don't know.

Loctite also has this offering:

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/cnt...Conditions.htm

 

follow up - the rear hatch weather stripping arrived yesterday. it came pretty much in a plain clear plastic bag without any commercial or vendor identification, only some sort of generic 5-digit part number sticker. no bar code or anything that would give a country of origin. the piece looks OK, and corners seem to be well secured. i'll be installing it within the next couple of days, and follow up with some installation info and maybe a few pics.

 

I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem after they installed their new rear hatch weather stripping? I noticed my interior hatch light will not shut off after the hatch is closed.