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So this was my first run at putting on the door weatherstripping last year, didn't turn out at all so wanted to get some tips and any advice for my reboot. I am going to take it off, since the bolts are the only thing holding it on, and get all the 3M cleaned up off the door panel. One thing I noticed when I was trying to tape it down is the tape will not hold at all while the 3M dried, maybe I need shorter pieces of tape, the tape just did a 45 degree angle over the top of it. Are you guys using something different to hold the weatherstripping down while it dries? Also on this run I am going to break it up into sections, I think that will help a lot, will take a few days waiting for a section to dry but better than the parking lot rush job I put on it last time. I read I am supposed to put the 3M on both sides door and weatherstripping, let it dry, and then glue again, which i didn't do on the first run so will try it with hopefully better results. When Looking at the weatherstripping on the glued side it does not even look like the 3M bonded to it at all. Anything else I should be doing?
When I did this first run it was right after I bought my vette and before I had my garage cleaned out with a place to work, was on a blacktop parking lot in my complex in the middle of summer. It was miserable, and it shows.
Yes you absolutely have to put some on both parts for it to work at all.
I did my doors in sections , BUT I did them on my kitchen table so there is a difference ,but I think how I did mine will work for on the car fitting ..
First thing I did was just start to screw one end on ,dry , no glue yet, then run the strip around the shape of the door and screw the other end on .Now its on with no twists ! Next was to lay it evenly so there's no part that's stretched out or no section that's bunched up . Then I got tape and a sharpie and did this , marked a spot on the door and the corresponding part of the seal , so now I knew where it had to lay as I worked around the door .
Then it was a case of removing one end and adding a small amount of glue to the rubber, also a smear to the painted door, leave it to tack off and then carefully put the two pieces together and leave it for about 30 min at a minimum and then lift the next section clear and add glue etc. Just make sure the rubber doesn't touch anything until your ready to join both together. You would probably have to tape it down to the door in multiple places to take care of gravity. I did one door in about 6 or seven sections , It might be easier to do a vertical door in more or smaller parts. But one door took a while , I would do a bit , go out to the shed and do something , come back in , do some more , you get the idea.
Clean both surfaces... clean the weatherstrip with some de-greaser or thinner.
Do a test fit of the weatherstrip by installing both door ends allowing the portion of the weatherstrip that goes around the door to hang free.
Then fit the weatherstripping lower section in place securing it with some painters tape.
Once you do this use a grease pencil and place a center line mark on the portion that runs around the door at the bottom and on the actual door. (you can make multiple marks if needed).
What you are creating is a witness mark so that when you glue the weatherstrip on you'll know you have not pulled to one side or the other... Like I said you can make as many marks as you feel easy with to know your on the right path..... But know in advance that you can over pull it and then you'll end up with a weatherstrip you'll swear is too long... if it's CRC... it's never too long. CRC weatherstripping is the only rubber we will install in our shop... to me all others are inferior! While we have the imported and other brands on our site... the USA CRC brand is top notch... I'd never install anything else.
Apply a thin coat of 3m weatherstrip glue do the weatherstrip, apply a thin coat to the door... allow both to dry. Then apply a thin coat back on the door and install the weatherstrip.
If we are doing a NCRS car we use weldwood glue because of the color, (and we can be sloppy), but if you are going after a great look use the 3m Black super, any goof's hide easy.
I have a video view of how this is installed properly below, this video but it's not finished... but I posted it anyway so you could see.
This may give you some insight as to how it should look when completed.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 06-27-2018 at 09:59 AM.
Having installed countless door main w/strips I have a method that I have found prevents the issue I see in your photo you posted.
LOOK at post #5.
Yes I know this is for a 1963-1967 but the same procedure is used when I install w/strip on a 1968-1982.
IF you apply the glue on the CLEANED w/strip (which can be wiped off with denatured alcohol)...and also apply it tor the two flat surfaces of the door and allow it to TACK up when you put the w/strip on it. It will stick! Keep in mind you do not put a super thick amount of the glue on due to it will not work as well as a somewhat thin layer.
If the above thread does not aid you...let me know. The reason why your door w/strip pulled away in your photo is described in the above thread and was due to it not being pulled an stretched while gluing the bottom horizontal section from end to end. Yes..it night still have had some mold release on it..but I can see that it is just not hanging there....which is telling me it was under tension while being glued.
This process will go rather fast and not take hours and hours if you allow the glue to tack up.
WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO and it shows you as like how I mentioned about allowing the glue to tack up.
I did another section today on both the passenger and drivers side. Both the vertical sides of the door have been done now and going to move to the horizontal bottom of the door tomorrow once I get it up on jack stands for something else. Working in sections, cleaning the mold release, letting it tack up, and marking it made all the difference. One thing this car has taught me over the last year is to take my time, it has made working on it a lot more enjoyable. She has been coming along nicely, still a long way to go but the work is becoming more cosmetic now versus fixing broken parts and safety items.
I know there is more than one way of doing something.. But as I wrote in POST#5 and put a link to a thread about how to glue on the door w/strips. IF you do the bottom horizontal first and pull it...the rear vertical will not need all that tape due to it being relaxed when installed ....if you also followed the video on how to use the glue.
Hopefully the rear verticals do not pull off again if they were glued in under tension. Only commenting from experience in this.
Working on the bottom section, getting better with each section I do. I accounted for the tension on bottom when I did the sides, just held the tension with tape. I have to finish the drivers side and move to the T-Tops.
In my weatherstrip set it came with another piece, I am guessing for the hood, but I don't think there was one there originally unless I am looking in the wrong spot. Is it for to make a U under the hood up by the windshield? The set came with 2x doors, 2x t-tops, 2x a-piller 2x b-piller and the mystery piece.
The CRITICAL items for getting this done well and in a timely manner are:
1. CLEAN the door surfaces and the weatherstrip (W/S) surfaces WELL. Remove all oil, dirt, Armor-All , mold release, etc. or it WILL NOT stick.
2. Test fit the W/S; loosely tape it in place before you glue it and MARK center of curves and other important features so that you can place it properly once you have adhesive on the door and W/S.
3. Put light coat of 3M adhesive on W/S surface and mating door surface and allow time for it to "tack-up" as mentioned above by DUB. Then when you put the parts together, they WILL stick. Use a good grade of painter's tape to actually hold the final position of stuff. ONLY GLUE THE AMOUNT OF W/S THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN MANAGE at a time.
4. Allow finished stripping to set up as long as recommended by the adhesive instructions. If you need to leave the doors open for a long time, pull a battery cable.
YES...the long piece of hollow w/strip is for the back edge of the hood where it seals to the top of the cowl/plenum.
AS I wrote...you do not need to use all that tape on the back of the door if you are doing it correctly. Did you read what I wrote in the link I posted???
SIMPLY ...because if you stretch the bottom portion of the door w/strip and glue it...and do that where you know how much stretch to do in that long straight section of the bottom portion of the door. The w/strip will be RELAXED and fall right into place when you do the back of the door....thus not needing all that tape.
IF done correctly...and the rear vertical area of the back of the doors w/strip was checked and is correct. When the glue is used and allowed to tack up. The instant you touch it...it will stick and really need no tape at all due to the w/strips is not under tension of any type.
06-26-2018, 10:53 PM
Door Weatherstripping - Part Deux
, mold release, etc. or it WILL NOT stick.
