I purchased new rubber seals for the 53 back in January 2012 and installed them in the truck late Feb or early March.
(9 months in the weather) and the rubber is all cracked and deteriorating. I kinda pinched the area on the inside of the seal area near the latch and the rubber is still soft but crumbles off in little pieces.


I don't recall if the packaging had a manufacturers name on it but I intend to find out. I don't want to use any more of their product if that's what I can expect out of it!

What have you all used for rubber and how is it holding up? please share your experience.

I am getting ready to do the wing vents on the 52 right now and have some rubbers from I think Macs that I got with a parts truck (new in package) but they are at least 4 or more years old. hoping they are good rubber.


sorry no pictures yet.

here is the thread that I started about the wing vents and painting them back in February.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...sh-with-2.html

 

That is appalling! I've got Dennis C and they look new after 5 - 6 years, not always in the garage. Lots of ozone and UV here too. Simply no excuse for the kind of decay you describe.

 

I bought a suspension package from CPP and was disappointed to discover the parts were not made in the U.S. The rubber on the ball joints look like they are 10 years old and my panel hasn't left the shop.

 

My wing vents seals started to deterioriate in under two years of pampered life. So did my gas tank filler neck grommet. I'm pretty sure who I bought them from, but not 100% certain so I won't make a potentially false statement against a vendor.

 

That sucks Josh. I got mine from LMC......they didn't fit very well, but are still soft after 2-3 years.

 

Probably only a few manufacturers for most of the rubber parts. My vent seals didn't fit perfect either, and that is (or was) a common problem.

 

That's what happened to the rubber bits on my TCI chassis.

 

Jon's truch hasn't even hit the road yet and both of the ball joint boots have split in half. It has a TCI mustang II kit under it but they don't stock boots so I will have to hit the local auto supply and get new ones.

 

Yeah I would be knockin on someones door! Not to mention the time it takes to do it even...thats BS...

 

I bought all my rubber stuff from Dennis Carpenter 20 some years ago because he said he made it himself. It has all lasted and looks and feels good yet. My truck is always garaged too. 1950 Ford F-3 with a grain bed that stands tall, a real truck not a road sled. Sorry, I just seen a message from someone that wants to lower his truck way down.

 

I found some that kind of work. The only TCI rubber bit I have left on the whole front end is one of the steering rack bellows. Mine hadn't hit the road either before they turned to dust.

 

Im not going to mention any one vendor but ive used several of them as sources for rubber over the last 8 years, all with the same results, poor quality, dries and cracks. Needless to say the next time I will try Dennis Carpenter, or LMC. So far there the only ones with good reviews on this thread, anyway. I think its sad that U.S. job's go overseas, and faulty products come back.

 

That is why both versions of the heater boots are made with American products here in the U.S.A. & why the e-brake cable boots will be the same .

 

I have been selling and using Dennis Carpenter rubber parts for over 25 years, and I have never had a problem.
Chuck

 

i purchased a bunch of parts from the carandtruckshop.com in California.
most of the packages of rubber stuff is dennis carpenter. and a couple of Vintique auto. I still need to call and find out what brand of wing vent rubber i used. ( I assume its not from DC????
I wish i had saved the packaging or remembered.

Ill post updates when i find out more. and get some pictures.