New Door Weatherstrip - Have to SLAM doors

[NC_John]

I put on a pair of new (Made in the USA) door weatherstrips on the weekend (purchased from a forum supporting vendor). I'm talking about the ones that mount on the cab door openings to seal the perimeter of the door.... Not anything on the door itself.

I have to give the doors holy hell now to close them. How long is THIS going to last? Its ridiculous how hard I have to slam the doors to close them. I don't believe they are out of adjustment, they closed pretty good with the old weatherstrip.

BTW- the set I removed was glued on. I'd like the strangle the m.f'r that installed them. It was insane how much glue he used and it was a PITA to get off. Literally hours and hours of scraping and cleaning.. The set I just installed are the better clip-on type.

[leddzepp]

They all do it. They will break in over time.

[cdowns]

the guy in the factory assembling the trucks 40years ago was just doin his job when he glued each and every one in place


can you imagine doin a job like that 8hours a day forever

sometimes carefully heating them with a heat gun can speed the breakin process

[slow-1]

Also, spray some of your favorite lube (Silikroil is my fave) on door hinges and the star wheel on the latch...it will amaze you how much less you have to slam it.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by cdowns

the guy in the factory assembling the trucks 40years ago was just doin his job when he glued each and every one in place


can you imagine doin a job like that 8hours a day forever

sometimes carefully heating them with a heat gun can speed the breakin process

Judging by the mess of glue that I had to clean off, that was NOT factory!
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[NC_John]

Originally Posted by slow-1

Also, spray some of your favorite lube (Silikroil is my fave) on door hinges and the star wheel on the latch...it will amaze you how much less you have to slam it.

I'll give that a try, thanks..
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[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

They all do it. They will break in over time.

I agree. They all do this and it takes time. Is there enough of a gap at the meeting point (under the sill plate) to let air escape? If the seal is butted together and the meeting point, you may need to trim it a little.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

I agree. They all do this and it takes time. Is there enough of a gap at the meeting point (under the sill plate) to let air escape? If the seal is butted together and the meeting point, you may need to trim it a little.

Ah nuts- I put the joint up by the dash/door jam.... I forgot that the door sill would hide it. Guess I'm pulling and re-planting it.

Gap is not an issue though- it does it with the opposite door open.

Thanks...
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[In The Ten Ring]

Just an idea, if you had vent window thingies (it attaches to the top of your door to allow you to keep the windows rolled down a bit just to let the air move yet not get rained on) you could roll the windows down just a bit and that would let air escape as you shut the door.

I am printing out this string as I will soon face this same issue.

[stevencvn72]

Same problem on mine when I first put on new seals. If you've got the foot vent thingies, keep 'em open. That's what I did until the seals broke in.

[Steve Hafner]

. . . .



THREE years later . . . and we're STILL slamming the doors !!!

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Just an idea, if you had vent window thingies (it attaches to the top of your door to allow you to keep the windows rolled down a bit just to let the air move yet not get rained on) you could roll the windows down just a bit and that would let air escape as you shut the door.

I am printing out this string as I will soon face this same issue.

Originally Posted by stevencvn72

Same problem on mine when I first put on new seals. If you've got the foot vent thingies, keep 'em open. That's what I did until the seals broke in.

Yeah but I still have to slam it even when the other door is wide open..... I can see that perhaps being an issue later but not yet. Especially with the holes in the cab corners!

Originally Posted by Steve Hafner

. . . .

THREE years later . . . and we're STILL slamming the doors !!!

On your truck or is this a rerun on the forum? (My bad for not doing a search)
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[volksworld]

leaving the air gap at the bottom is to let air escape from the seal itself as it compresses,not from the cab....know how you feel...went through 3 brands of seals before I found ones that worked....softseal were wound so tight in the package that when you straightened them out they looked like a piecrust...steele rubbers were too thick and the doors wouldn't close....the final set were cheap ones from year one...they work fine, but I spent so much time removing that glue and painting the door jambs I haven't been able to bring myself to gluing them in yet and was considering push-on ones instead but from what I've read here the push on ones are harder to close...

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by volksworld

leaving the air gap at the bottom is to let air escape from the seal itself as it compresses,not from the cab....know how you feel...went through 3 brands of seals before I found ones that worked....softseal were wound so tight in the package that when you straightened them out they looked like a piecrust...steele rubbers were too thick and the doors wouldn't close....the final set were cheap ones from year one...they work fine, but I spent so much time removing that glue and painting the door jambs I haven't been able to bring myself to gluing them in yet and was considering push-on ones instead but from what I've read here the push on ones are harder to close...

that makes more sense as far as the gap goes. when I redo mine to put the gap on the bottom, I will give them a little more breathing room.

thanks.

[68gmsee]

I used the push on type from GMCPaul some years back and had to do the same. It did finally settle in after a few Texas summers.

Right after I installed them, I adjusted the striker plate on the cab out slightly to make it easier to shut and still keep a tight fit. Also found out that if I closed the door to within 6 inches of closing before I shut it forcefully, it was easier to close.

[71sierragrande]

Count your blessings. I wish i had to slam my doors. A 2 mph breeze could latch em

[gmillion1]

a few things i did to help after installing my new seals:
-i noticed the point where the a-pillar met the roofline, the seals were really thick, so i cut out a small bit in that spot.
-cut some slits on the interior side of the seals to let air out when shutting the door
-used Meguiars interior protectant (not armor all, i hate armor all) ,
to lubricate the seals.

my doors went from requiring a slam, to closing with a gentle push.

[Steve Hafner]

Originally Posted by Steve Hafner

. . . .



THREE years later . . . and we're STILL slamming the doors !!!

. . . .

They were installed three years ago and I still have to slam the doors WITH or without the windows being rolled down.

. . . .

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by Steve Hafner

. . . .

They were installed three years ago and I still have to slam the doors WITH or without the windows being rolled down.

. . . .

ahhhhh.... I'm going to let them break in a bit and try some of the ideas shared here but seriously- if I am still having to slam them the way I am now, after they have had a chance to break in, I am getting different seals. This is embarrassing how hard they have to be closed. The truck looks like a POS to everyone else (non-enthusiasts!) right now and that makes it sounds like one too! I'm going to lose my mirrors if I have to keep doing what I'm doing.

At least these are clip on so I don't have to go through that glue removal disaster again!

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

I agree. They all do this and it takes time. Is there enough of a gap at the meeting point (under the sill plate) to let air escape? If the seal is butted together and the meeting point, you may need to trim it a little.

Ha! I knew I put the seam in the front section of the door jamb (up by the dash) for a reason. Though I didn't know it at the time, the factory wants it installed this way too. They also say to cut a 45 degree "V" at the joint to let air escape.

I am flipping through the service manual looking for some guidance on all the door/side window seals and came across it....

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by NC_John

ahhhhh.... I'm going to let them break in a bit and try some of the ideas shared here but seriously- if I am still having to slam them the way I am now, after they have had a chance to break in, I am getting different seals..............At least these are clip on so I don't have to go through that glue removal disaster again!

As I mentioned on my post above, try moving the striker plates out slightly to see if that helps -at least until they break in.

First pic shows the push on type seals from GMCPauls and the second the plate you can adjust.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

As I mentioned on my post above, try moving the striker plates out slightly to see if that helps -at least until they break in.

First pic shows the push on type seals from GMCPauls and the second the plate you can adjust.

I actually adjusted the door IN this afternoon- when closed the door still stuck out (even with the old seals) nearly half an inch. I cut an air gap in the weatherstrip. Seems to maybe be a bit better. I spent a lot of time with an old school bodyman when I was a kid so I am pretty good with adjusting doors and body panels.

The seals I got that are giving me all this grief are the ones from GMCPauls.

thanks.