Weatherstripping - 06/19/2005

Weatherstripping is a nice feature on cars. One of those things you don't even notice. Until you don't have any. Then your car rattles, squeaks, leaks, blows, and sucks all kinds of fun loving outside things inside. And you can't wash your car without getting it wet inside. I decided to fix this.



Weatherstripping look like this?



Weatherstripping look like this?



Like this?



Or even like the lack of weatherstripping?



60 or so of these clips have to come out.



Old weatherstripping channel.



More of the old weatherstripping channel. You can see the factory didn't use too much glue, yet someone decided to use a ton of rubber cement here. The passenger door was fine. All that brown stuff isn't rust, but glue. Appears the car has been repainted white at one time (or maybe the factory didn't paint underneath the weatherstrip?). The driver's door apparently has been missing the rubber for a long time as it was painted completely black to match the door. The paint in the jams is VERY thin and scratches off easily. I don't think whoever painted it even prepped it. No matter, the car is getting repainted one of these days anyway. The factory paint held up VERY well underneath all the crap and white flecks of overspray everywhere (even on the glass). I think the car was painted when another white car was getting painted nearby. Gotta love that cheapness, right?



New weatherstripping by Metro!



New plastic screws. These are thicker than the originals, but they are flimsier and tend to break easier, so get extras or reuse the good originals.



It goes on!



And on!



And on...



and on...



yet on...



And it ends!

Hardly perfect. But it is very functional. Driving the car around is bit more of a pleasure since I can hear myself think inside of it. No more loudness or door rattles going over bumps. I highly recommend replacing it. Quite easy to do with very little tools involved. Cleanup with a chisel is good too if the factory was overzealous with their sealer application.

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Last updated June 20th, 2005