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How to attach the upper door panel inner felt strips?
I took the door panels off last week so that I could fix a problem with the door handle. While I had them off, I figured it would be a good time to replace some of the old weatherstripping. I know that the inner felt strips attach to the tops of the door panels with staples - anyone care to share what type of staple to use and any other "lessons learned"? Thanks!
The window seal you describe is riveted in place. I think replacing that would be a real PITA. If that 'fuzzy' material is not badly damaged, I would recommend leaving it alone. The [bolt-on/removable] anti-rattle items at the front and rear of the window should be replaced while you are working on the door.
The window seal you describe is riveted in place. I think replacing that would be a real PITA. If that 'fuzzy' material is not badly damaged, I would recommend leaving it alone. The [bolt-on/removable] anti-rattle items at the front and rear of the window should be replaced while you are working on the door.
My door panels are missing the felts/brushes on the inner side - I thought it would be good to replace them since I had everything apart. 10-4 on the anti - rattle bumpers.
Hi G,
You're right the original inner seals were stapled through the top of the door trim panel.
I would figure out a way to mark the existing locations of the staple holes in the metal strip at the top of the door panel on the new felt seal. Then drill holes in the new felt seal to match the existing holes. Use some music wire to make some staples, and a needle nose pliers to push them through the holes and then bend the staple legs over.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Hi G,
You're right the original inner seals were stapled through the top of the door trim panel.
I would figure out a way to mark the existing locations of the staple holes in the metal strip at the top of the door panel on the new felt seal. Then drill holes in the new felt seal to match the existing holes. Use some music wire to make some staples, and a needle nose pliers to push them through the holes and then bend the staple legs over.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
A good substitute wire would be the type ironworkers use in their "reel" to hand tie rebar. Very close in dia.
Available at all serious lumber yards and have also seen it galvanized, why I don't know it would come this way for concrete.
The originals were randomly hand stapled on a pedestal Bostitch wire stapler using reeled black wire.
You could just ignore the original holes and use Alan71 method to simulate.
Hi G,
You're right the original inner seals were stapled through the top of the door trim panel.
I would figure out a way to mark the existing locations of the staple holes in the metal strip at the top of the door panel on the new felt seal. Then drill holes in the new felt seal to match the existing holes. Use some music wire to make some staples, and a needle nose pliers to push them through the holes and then bend the staple legs over.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Just in case anyone else needs this thread in the future I figured I'd share my method. I have no real advise for removing the old staples except determination... those things are tricky. I worked smaller flat heads under the staple legs and worked them loose and then moved to bigger flatheads. Once they were loose enough I worked a flathead under the staple crown. Most of the time the staple broke, but if it didn't I used pliers to pull them out. Of note, my 69 door panels had 13 staples on each side...
As far as attaching the new felts, I looked into all of the previously mentioned techniques but ultimately decided to go the screw route. I wound up using about 6 "
The 82 deg flat head screws worked well in sinking themselves into the felt rubber for a nice flat blended look. I used blue loctite for peace of mind.
Those staples wear a bear to remove, and I found no way to replace them with a similar gauge staple. I believe it was a heavy-duty wire staple machine that was used at the factory... I drilled pilot holes and went with pop-rivets. Yes they are visible, but they're clean looking, and only another OCD person like me would notice. And I choose function over form on my '80.
I'm glad this was still available for viewing! I was wondering how to do this. I'm going to check out some heavy staples that I have for a staple gun and see if I can use those.
How to attach the upper door panel inner felt strips?
