Weather stripping replacement
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 250
Likes: 5
From: Winchester VA
Do a search for the subject and try to locate past threads....I know I've written this same TIP several times but here goes anyway.....
Clean the tracks. Sterilize. Use a dremmel with a small wire wheel to get inside the rails.
ALWAYS dry-fit each piece of rubber. start with the 'ends' tucked in and work to the middle. That way you never end up with something left over....can't cut it off.
Locate the screw holes. Few but important. Clean them and get new screws or tabs.
AFTER you do a dry fit...note the loose spots and that is the ONLY place you will use adhesive. Use glue sparingly around curved sections, about 1-2" thin beads. DO NOT use glue on the whole piece ! Some sections will not require a single drop of glue. Use REAL 3M weather strip adhesive. Black is preferred...yellow will do fine.
Use a plastic spatula or a bondo spreader to tuck the rubber down into the track grooves. this is IMKPORTANT that you KNOW exactly where and how much tucks down there and when its correct.; BECAUSE....if you used glue, you are SCREWED if you failed to get even a small edge tucked in properly and it is not always easy to see....
I like a 4 and 6" plastic spreader. Never use metal that could cut the skin on the rubber.
Key to success is cleanliness. next is PATIENCE. and NEVER skip the dry fitment for ANY piece. That is you ONLY chance to see and correct mistakes before they become screw-ups (permanent with glue).
The top will be a b!tch to secure after the new rubber is installed....you will have to get the neighbors fat wife to climb up there and stand on the roof panel so you can get bolts started....(I was fortunate in that I didn't have to bother my neighbor....)
It takes some time for the new rubber to settle in and seat itself. It MAY leak a bit for a few days. In cold weather this 'settling-in' process may take longer...
After its done, find some silicone gel or grease to coat the new rubber. Armour-All makes a gel that works well and Harbor Freight sells tubes of silicone grease for $10 that I use on ALL my rubber parts to keep them fresh and new. ANY rubber seal will benefit from silicone grease or lube. The HF product is called "super-lube" in a grey/silver tube...4oz.
Pool supply stores also sell some seal lube that's 100% silicone. I hear its way cheap too.
Clean the tracks. Sterilize. Use a dremmel with a small wire wheel to get inside the rails.
ALWAYS dry-fit each piece of rubber. start with the 'ends' tucked in and work to the middle. That way you never end up with something left over....can't cut it off.
Locate the screw holes. Few but important. Clean them and get new screws or tabs.
AFTER you do a dry fit...note the loose spots and that is the ONLY place you will use adhesive. Use glue sparingly around curved sections, about 1-2" thin beads. DO NOT use glue on the whole piece ! Some sections will not require a single drop of glue. Use REAL 3M weather strip adhesive. Black is preferred...yellow will do fine.
Use a plastic spatula or a bondo spreader to tuck the rubber down into the track grooves. this is IMKPORTANT that you KNOW exactly where and how much tucks down there and when its correct.; BECAUSE....if you used glue, you are SCREWED if you failed to get even a small edge tucked in properly and it is not always easy to see....
I like a 4 and 6" plastic spreader. Never use metal that could cut the skin on the rubber.
Key to success is cleanliness. next is PATIENCE. and NEVER skip the dry fitment for ANY piece. That is you ONLY chance to see and correct mistakes before they become screw-ups (permanent with glue).
The top will be a b!tch to secure after the new rubber is installed....you will have to get the neighbors fat wife to climb up there and stand on the roof panel so you can get bolts started....(I was fortunate in that I didn't have to bother my neighbor....)
It takes some time for the new rubber to settle in and seat itself. It MAY leak a bit for a few days. In cold weather this 'settling-in' process may take longer...
After its done, find some silicone gel or grease to coat the new rubber. Armour-All makes a gel that works well and Harbor Freight sells tubes of silicone grease for $10 that I use on ALL my rubber parts to keep them fresh and new. ANY rubber seal will benefit from silicone grease or lube. The HF product is called "super-lube" in a grey/silver tube...4oz.
Pool supply stores also sell some seal lube that's 100% silicone. I hear its way cheap too.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 250
Likes: 5
From: Winchester VA
You are the first person to mention 'rivet' removal.
I am curious if it is possible that your rivets could have been installed by a previous owner?
Has anyone else encountered rivets? They tend to be a pain and do require more time.
kce
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 768
Likes: 22
From: California
FL Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor'13
No mine were not a kit. Go under C4/weatherstrip/body weatherstrip and look for individual strips. They are marked latex and mine cost $179.00 each for the front and rear. I do not know about the kits but I do not think they are the latex ones. The latex ones are identical to the OEM rubber and in my opinion are worth the extra cost. The buttons are also available in the same section for five bucks and I recommend you get them also. I believe this discussion is exactly what K.C.E. was after when he posted.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 16,478
Likes: 24
From: USA. Northern Virginia
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 768
Likes: 22
From: California
FL Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor'13
And definitely go with high quality as it will cost you even more a year from now when you have to replace it again. Trust me I am probably gonna have to do the same thing or repair mine until it does not leak.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 671
Likes: 10
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
what I found
If you're doing this on a coupe be very careful dealing with the rear hatch. I made a wood support out a piece of 1x3 with a small T on top and snug fitted it in behind the latch "eye" on the glass. Then I zap strapped it to the eye.
Believe me you do not want that rear hatch falling when you have your body parts in there. It will come down like a guillotine!
Another you may find is that as you work the rear hatch rubber by the time you get it in place the corner seam in the forward lower corners will probably tear. This is a "relatively" easy fix. Put some Loctite Super Glue on it and it should be okay.
RESIST the urge to star taking screws out of the A pillar and top bar to "clean things up a bit better" man you can really open a can of worms on that one!
Cleaning takes a LOT of time. The old WS adhesive can be a real buggar to get off. New glue will NOT stick to old glue.
Believe me you do not want that rear hatch falling when you have your body parts in there. It will come down like a guillotine!
Another you may find is that as you work the rear hatch rubber by the time you get it in place the corner seam in the forward lower corners will probably tear. This is a "relatively" easy fix. Put some Loctite Super Glue on it and it should be okay.
RESIST the urge to star taking screws out of the A pillar and top bar to "clean things up a bit better" man you can really open a can of worms on that one!
Cleaning takes a LOT of time. The old WS adhesive can be a real buggar to get off. New glue will NOT stick to old glue.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 16,478
Likes: 24
From: USA. Northern Virginia
When you're working on this weather stripping adventure its best to break it up in to smaller projects. Remember to take some images as you progress-this will help alot!
-Rear hatch
-Windshield surround
-Right door
-Left door
-Rear halo
Have a beer or two and smile at each mile stone....you'll have it completed before you know it.
-Rear hatch
-Windshield surround
-Right door
-Left door
-Rear halo
Have a beer or two and smile at each mile stone....you'll have it completed before you know it.
Instructor
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 207
Likes: 3
From: Biloxi MS
Ordered some "high end" stuff for my 1995 coupe from ecklers but just returned it. Hatch corners already splitting and didn't care for the look/texture of the rear window/roof latex. Ordered complete set (front, rear, hatch, doors and roof) from Willcox with a 20% Christmas discount. Willcox has high end stuff is made by CRC (corvette rubber co). Will post pics as I go....Thanks for all the great tips!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 768
Likes: 22
From: California
FL Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor'13
Ordered some "high end" stuff for my 1995 coupe from ecklers but just returned it. Hatch corners already splitting and didn't care for the look/texture of the rear window/roof latex. Ordered complete set (front, rear, hatch, doors and roof) from Willcox with a 20% Christmas discount. Willcox has high end stuff is made by CRC (corvette rubber co). Will post pics as I go....Thanks for all the great tips!
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
You'll want to re-adjust your top as it will probably fit tighter with the new weatherstripping.
Anyone find a good rear hatch weatherstripping? Two of the Willcox's I've tried split in the corners. The 2nd time I went ahead and split them before install, then reglued them as I had read of some doing. But that ended up not working as they split later on. Don't know why they don't redesign that so there isn't a seam there that has to be glued together.
Anyone find a good rear hatch weatherstripping? Two of the Willcox's I've tried split in the corners. The 2nd time I went ahead and split them before install, then reglued them as I had read of some doing. But that ended up not working as they split later on. Don't know why they don't redesign that so there isn't a seam there that has to be glued together.
Last edited by samsonb; Dec 18, 2013 at 03:50 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 16,478
Likes: 24
From: USA. Northern Virginia
You'll want to re-adjust your top as it will probably fit tighter with the new weatherstripping.
Anyone find a good rear hatch weatherstripping? Two of the Willcox's I've tried split in the corners. The 2nd time I went ahead and split them before install, then reglued them as I had read of some doing. But that ended up not working as they split later on. Don't know why they don't redesign that so there isn't a seam there that has to be glued together.
Anyone find a good rear hatch weatherstripping? Two of the Willcox's I've tried split in the corners. The 2nd time I went ahead and split them before install, then reglued them as I had read of some doing. But that ended up not working as they split later on. Don't know why they don't redesign that so there isn't a seam there that has to be glued together.
