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Put new seals in, can't shut doors.

OP
OP
deltabronco

deltabronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Messages
1,100
Interesting. I guess I'll try Cutting the inner flap out of the jbg seals and see if it helps. If not, i might just do weather strip foam to stop the rattling. I'm permanently topless, so no need to seal out cold air for me.

My thoughts exactly
 

Bardahl1

New Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Messages
2
The striker is adjustable. New seals = move the striker all the way out. Open and shut, gradually adjust the striker in over time (I did it about once a month). Doors shut good.

Took a year to get the doors most of the way back in.
 

half cab

Contributor
Guru Bronco
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
16,306
Yeah, and by now most of them are all split and falling apart. Glad yours are still usable at least.
And anyone installing a new set would be well advised to just trial fit them before going to all the trouble gluing them in only to find out they fit like crap.
The door gaps are just too tight in some areas and the new stuff just won't compress enough. But if you can gently close the door until it meets resistance and it's nowhere near the latch, it's likely your leading edge block up near the windshield frame. That gap is super tight, and the molded rubber has a metal or heavy plastic (depending on the manufacturer) inside it for support. Big problems in this area.

The door gap along the floor and up the back is tight as well. However if you can get it to easily close until the point it hits the large rear block near the top you're doing much better than most! If so, you should be able to move or trim that piece a little easier than you can the rest of the seal.

We do have a pretty hassle-free return guarantee on ours for all these reasons. We have a good distributor, but even they're not 100% perfect all the time. Much better than the ones we used in the past, but either they use multiple sources or the consistency of these things is just hard to keep.

All the main manufacturers of this stuff get it wrong at least some of the time, so it's apparently an inexact science to this day.

Good luck to everyone tackling this, now and in the future.
In the meantime we'll keep working on it. It's one of the big pet-peeves of the time right now.
Be good to fix it once and for all.

Paul

And the ign.tumblers.
 

half cab

Contributor
Guru Bronco
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
16,306
Interesting. I guess I'll try Cutting the inner flap out of the jbg seals and see if it helps. If not, i might just do weather strip foam to stop the rattling. I'm permanently topless, so no need to seal out cold air for me.

Took 5 yrs for the JBG seals I got to finely soften up:mad:

Not to mention along the way slamming the door caused the cheap azz Scott Drake glass to fall out of my mirror!
 

Lawndart

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
836
Loc.
66030
I am in process since I just put the top back on.
I was going to replace the bottom seals, but after inspection, they are ok and just need repositioning. I did so. The bottom seal (right side) is causing the most resistance from the big block in the front. I will trim.
I test fitted the top the top seal (right side) and no way without a serious slam; just too thick at the top. Left side is fine. I have an idea for the right side top seal. Testing this weekend.
 

1971lubr

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
534
Loc.
Cape Coral, FL
My thoughts exactly

Delta, I found this auto and marine rubber weather seal. Its not as clean looking as factory seals, but its not bad and fits really well. Adjusting for years and still not getting a flush fit doesn't work for me.
 

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half cab

Contributor
Guru Bronco
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
16,306
I remember reading on here several years ago that someone had gone to a salvage yard and retrieved the rubber door seals from a late model auto and used them. Said it was not formed no certain way and was so soft it bent what ever way you installed it.

Seems like they said it was from a caprice classic or something as such.
 

markatherton

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2004
Messages
1,868
seals

you might try a company called sofseal. i have not tried them but i hear good things.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Hey Mark. I'd have to say to forget them, at least for now.
Very nice company, people and (generally) good product. But when we ordered some from them, and they were even nice enough to send us a free sample to check out, they were BY FAR the hardest seals we'd ever seen!
I still think they make a good product, but for EB's I'd have to say pass on them for now.

Maybe they have the same issue others have, where one batch is beautiful and soft, then the next batch is hard as a rock. Not sure what the science is in the material, but the one we got from them was not even worth the time it would take to test it.

Paul
 

Lawndart

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
836
Loc.
66030
As I mentioned above - my right top seal was just too thick at the top and the rear vertical portion was fairly hard. This made for more of a slamming scenario. Since I have just put the top back on, I have been messing with all the seals. I highly recommend, for the rear seal, Wild Horses' LiftGate & TailGate Seal (#9031 UPGRADE) with friction fit. It works wonderfully, looks good and no need for the dreaded goo. These are very soft and rather thin...
I ordered another.
Yes I had to cut 3 sections, but that seal works wonderfully for my right door upper seal! I made 45 degree cuts and thought about bonding them however it came out so well, I won't bother for now.
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
7,796
Is it possible to sand the seals thinner with an orbital sander say 60 grit to get fit then 240 to smith it out?
 

BluebroncoNC

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
1,717
Loc.
Asheville, NC
I ended up going through 3 sets before finding a set that pseudo worked. Cheap made in China stuff. Killed me but they sorta worked best.
 

Swangarten

New Member
Joined
May 19, 2015
Messages
27
Loc.
Ladera Ranch, Ca
So I put new door seals in and now I can't shut the doors. I'm running a soft top so Imuch not concerned with semi air tight environment. Is there a generic seal that is smaller?

I put in the Toms and had the same issue. I trimmed the seals to about 1/2 thickness along the sill at the bottom and it worked perfect. I was able to keep full thickness and a good seal along the top and verticals on the door to keep water out and I don't have slam my doors
 
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