Replacment Door Seals & Rust Problem
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Joined: Sep 2001
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Replacment Door Seals & Rust Problem
Hey Everyone,
I am about to replace the door seals on my 95 F150 regular cab.
I have had a leak where I noticed that the floor board on the driver side near the emergency brake and all along the side by the side of the seat and door is. I have another post about that. Here is the link to that.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...cab-leaks.html
On to the point of this post. I got new replacement door seals from NPD made by Precision Replacement Parts. I hope I made a good choice. I just figured that they were cheaper than the Ford ones and are new so they are probably going to stay soft longer. Anyway, has anyone done this before? If so, please give your input on this.
My truck also has a small rust problem underneath the lower part of the door gasket. This is primarily on the driver side but the passenger side needs help as well. Does anyone know what I should do about this before replacing the gaskets / seals? I have some stuff from Kleanstrip, but should I use Rust Bullet instead? Does anyone have any thoughts?
I am about to replace the door seals on my 95 F150 regular cab.
I have had a leak where I noticed that the floor board on the driver side near the emergency brake and all along the side by the side of the seat and door is. I have another post about that. Here is the link to that.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...cab-leaks.html
On to the point of this post. I got new replacement door seals from NPD made by Precision Replacement Parts. I hope I made a good choice. I just figured that they were cheaper than the Ford ones and are new so they are probably going to stay soft longer. Anyway, has anyone done this before? If so, please give your input on this.
My truck also has a small rust problem underneath the lower part of the door gasket. This is primarily on the driver side but the passenger side needs help as well. Does anyone know what I should do about this before replacing the gaskets / seals? I have some stuff from Kleanstrip, but should I use Rust Bullet instead? Does anyone have any thoughts?
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Owensboro, KY
Tex, I think it would depend on how severe the rust problem is. I mean, are we talking about metal that is gone, or just surface rust? If it's just surface rust, perhaps you could take a wire brush to it, shoot some primer and then paint it before installing the seal. Probably not the best method, I guess, but it's what I would do if the problem was not too severe.
In my case, my seals were in great shape -- still are -- but the metal along the door sill was pretty much gone, a victim of 21 years of rust. So I called a friend of mine, who has a '95 F-250 in better shape, and he brought it over so I could get an idea of where and how I needed to rebuild. I ended up using a couple of old license plates, bent strategically, to rebuild that little lip. I was surprised how well it actually worked.
In my case, my seals were in great shape -- still are -- but the metal along the door sill was pretty much gone, a victim of 21 years of rust. So I called a friend of mine, who has a '95 F-250 in better shape, and he brought it over so I could get an idea of where and how I needed to rebuild. I ended up using a couple of old license plates, bent strategically, to rebuild that little lip. I was surprised how well it actually worked.
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Thanks for the input. The passenger side is just surface rust, but the driver side is bad for about 2 inches in the middle. When I lifted the gasket up to look at it, that section broke off. Once I start working with it though, I might discover different.
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Owensboro, KY
Do you have access to any old Texas license plates? Until recently, they were made of galvanized steel, and among the toughest, longest lasting plates you could find. (I ought to know, I've been collecting old plates since I was six years old.)
Anyway, if you can even cut off just a section of one and bend it to go over that area, I think it'll help. Reinforcement is good!
(EDIT: You may need to flatten the plate out a bit. Just take a hammer to it. No one but you will see it anyway if you do it carefully.)
Anyway, if you can even cut off just a section of one and bend it to go over that area, I think it'll help. Reinforcement is good!
(EDIT: You may need to flatten the plate out a bit. Just take a hammer to it. No one but you will see it anyway if you do it carefully.)
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
Texasguy,
I have replaced the door seals and had the same flange problem as you.
It's a poor design IMO. Snow, salt, water, whatever... from your shoes, runs down the floor and just sits there. I believe this is why my drivers side was much worse than the pass side.
This is right where I step to get into the truck and I find that it adds a lot of stiffness to the rocker. If you can, I would recommend a structural repair.
When I welded new sills in I used some stainless and left drain holes through the bottom of the lip into that 'pocket'. Hopefully that will forever solve the problem for me.
I've unsubbed the other thread and wonder if you've found your leak? If not it seems wise to address that first, unless you think it IS the door gasket leaking.
One other place I've found to seal (on my truck) is the caulk seam IN the rain gutter above the door.
Don't know if this would apply to your truck's body style.
I use a product called Ospho, for rust, and paint over that.
I have replaced the door seals and had the same flange problem as you.
It's a poor design IMO. Snow, salt, water, whatever... from your shoes, runs down the floor and just sits there. I believe this is why my drivers side was much worse than the pass side.
This is right where I step to get into the truck and I find that it adds a lot of stiffness to the rocker. If you can, I would recommend a structural repair.
When I welded new sills in I used some stainless and left drain holes through the bottom of the lip into that 'pocket'. Hopefully that will forever solve the problem for me.
I've unsubbed the other thread and wonder if you've found your leak? If not it seems wise to address that first, unless you think it IS the door gasket leaking.
One other place I've found to seal (on my truck) is the caulk seam IN the rain gutter above the door.
Don't know if this would apply to your truck's body style.
I use a product called Ospho, for rust, and paint over that.
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I never found the leak, but after inspecting my door seals, I think thay they are the culprit. My truck has the gutters. That's interesting. So you think it could be leaking at the body metal seam at the front of the gutter. I did at one time fix a small rust spot on each side of the truck on that exact area because the pain chipped off. When I say small I mean about the size of the diameter of a pencil. I never thought about that though. It very well could be leaking there. I'll take a look at that. Its a small thing and maybe I'll just go ahead and reseal that. What should I use to reseal that little body seam at the top of the A piller in front of the gutter?
Can someone tell by looking at this link to LMC which part I need to replace the door sill or rocker panel where the door seal goes? Is it number 16 or 18?
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fd/full.asp?page=23
Can someone tell by looking at this link to LMC which part I need to replace the door sill or rocker panel where the door seal goes? Is it number 16 or 18?
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fd/full.asp?page=23
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[QUOTE=TexasGuy001]
Can someone tell by looking at this link to LMC which part I need to replace the door sill or rocker panel where the door seal goes? Is it number 16 or 18?
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fd/full.asp?page=23[/QUOTE]
It looks like it would be number 18. 16 looks to be just the rocker panel, 18 looks like it's the whole lower door sill.
Can someone tell by looking at this link to LMC which part I need to replace the door sill or rocker panel where the door seal goes? Is it number 16 or 18?
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fd/full.asp?page=23[/QUOTE]
It looks like it would be number 18. 16 looks to be just the rocker panel, 18 looks like it's the whole lower door sill.
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pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
Originally Posted by TexasGuy001
That's interesting. So you think it could be leaking at the body metal seam at the front of the gutter. I did at one time fix a small rust spot on each side of the truck on that exact area because the pain chipped off. What should I use to reseal that little body seam at the top of the A piller in front of the gutter?
I was looking for a windshield leak at the time and just used some of the self leveling ureathane I had to seal it up again.
# 16 appears to be the area inside the flange (where the water sits)
And # 18 appears to be the outside, coming up almost to the hinge, and slips in behind the front fender.
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Thanks all,
I thought that 18 was what I needed. I was also wondering if both shouldn't be replaced at the same time. Part 16 has some minor surface rust on the inside under the black plastic cosmetic door sill plate behind the door seal. From under the truck that panel looks to be solid and there are no signs of damage from rust. So, I was thinking of just cleaning it up and leaving it, but maybe it would be smarter to just replace both on each side and be done with it. Thoughts?
I thought that 18 was what I needed. I was also wondering if both shouldn't be replaced at the same time. Part 16 has some minor surface rust on the inside under the black plastic cosmetic door sill plate behind the door seal. From under the truck that panel looks to be solid and there are no signs of damage from rust. So, I was thinking of just cleaning it up and leaving it, but maybe it would be smarter to just replace both on each side and be done with it. Thoughts?
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
Texasguy,
As I said in an earlier post, you might want to check the area that is hidden from below adjacent to the front corner of the door, right where the floor starts to turn up. I hadn't considered that my floor was bad there, but I found it during 'surgery'.
This may be due to the road salt we see up here.
I wouldn't cut into anything that is solid except if needed to square up a patch. If yours is good just prep it and paint it when you're done fixing the rot.
If you do replace #16 remember to check door alignment as you tack it in.
As I said in an earlier post, you might want to check the area that is hidden from below adjacent to the front corner of the door, right where the floor starts to turn up. I hadn't considered that my floor was bad there, but I found it during 'surgery'.
This may be due to the road salt we see up here.
I wouldn't cut into anything that is solid except if needed to square up a patch. If yours is good just prep it and paint it when you're done fixing the rot.
If you do replace #16 remember to check door alignment as you tack it in.
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Thanks ArdWrknTrk,
I looked at the and it appears to be fine. I ordered the replacement sills number 18 for each side from LMC. I wend ahead and got both since the passenger side isn't looking too good either.
I looked at the and it appears to be fine. I ordered the replacement sills number 18 for each side from LMC. I wend ahead and got both since the passenger side isn't looking too good either.
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Hey all,
I found my leak tonight! Its inside the cowel. This is relevant to my other post.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...cab-leaks.html
I found my leak tonight! Its inside the cowel. This is relevant to my other post.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...cab-leaks.html
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Owensboro, KY
Awesome! Glad you were able to finally track it down. I know where mine are -- all four of them -- and am just waiting for warm, dry weather to seal 'em up before proceeding with the new paint job.