When I installed the new rubber seals for my doors they looked great but they seem to keep the doors from closing all the way. Is this an after market seal problem ? Are there some after market seals that fit better than others? I thought I remember someone saying that they had to cut some of the back of the new seals to get them to fit, is this a common problem? A little help would be appreciated. I hate to cut the new seal but if I have to I will. Pops.

 

A lot of people have had the same complaint about this. Some have modified them,some have ripped them off and tried a different brand seal.I just slammed the door,drove it around,and in a week or two the seals had"settled down" and are now perfect.Steve

 

I can't say about the Effies but the Bonus Builts have a very hard rubber seal. I'm very unsatisfied with them. I left my doors shut all last winter but that didn't help at all. I'm going to be looking for a hollow rubber replacement for mine next spring.

 

When Ford sold door weatherstrips, they (once) came with special installation instructions.

After gluing the weatherstrips on, use masking tape liberally to hold the w/strips in place, especially at the corners.

Close the door till the latch just touches the striker plate. Use tape to keep the door in this position.

Remove dome lamp bulb (if applicable) so the battery doesn't go dead.

After the adhesive hardens, gently remove the masking tape.
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Over the years, the old weatherstripping flattens out, the hinges loosen up.

New weatherstrips are thicker, so when installed, the doors may not close without being slammed.

IMO...doors should not be removed to install new weatherstripping.

Anyone that has tried to re-hang doors...knows what a PITA this is.

Some peeps make the critical error of removing doors when the vehicle is parked on a slant, on soft ground, or on jack stands.

Only remove doors if the vehicle is parked on level hard ground.

Otherwise you might spend TWO *** **** WEEKS trying to get the *** **** doors to fit correctly.

This happened to me with a 1955 T-Bird. I ended up having to repaint those ****** doors, because the edges were all marked up from the fitting process.

I repainted the doors once they were back on the car, finally fitting correctly. There was no way = none that I was ever gonna remove those doors again.

 

Here is a quote from a page I found somewhere on Mid-Fifty's web site that might shed a little light on the subject.
Richard


DOOR WEATHERSTRIPS AND WINDOW RUBBERS on the market today. Best choice is HOLLOW CORE DOOR WEATHERSTRIP #3109, for the 56, still working on them for the 53-55, should be ready soon. Or, for exact of original trucks, best choice is weatherstrip made to original Ford specs by Carpenter, our number (3105). Other cheaper weatherstrips on the market made in China are: The “smaller” style (3106) which is too hard and does not “squash” properly, and one being marketed as exact of original (3110-ECON) but has the wrong rubber “recipe”, which causes an odor (which dissipates after a few months) and it sometimes does not adhere well with weatherstrip adhesive. We have all the above in stock and are happy to supply what you want. But, Please, ask before you pay, and get what is right for your needs. Same thing is happening with windshield and rear window rubbers, although some “off brands” are not as difficult to use, if you live in a sunny climate however, do not use China rubber as it breaks down faster in high ultraviolet ray areas. Here in AZ the sun will destroy bad rubber in no time. Rubber compounds change from run to run so always check with us for the best buy at any given time.

 

Similar and additional info is listed in Mid Fifty's Catalog. See pages 73 thru 75.

midfifty.com / 800-252-1956.

In case y'all don't know...Mid Fifty is now an FTE sponsor.

 

Same problem when I installed new weatherstrip on my 55. Ended up using a rotary file and box cutter to thin the strips at the tight areas until the doors closed good.
Use a strip of paper and close the door on it to find the tight spots and work your way around the door. Took me several hours per door but they fit and close great now.

 

This is why I like comming here to ask whats up with this. If you guy's don't have the answer [which is rare] you know where to find it. much thanks, Pops.