weather stripping for doors,

mtwilsonboy · 2015-04-19 08:02

I know this has been brought up before but Im going to bring it up again. I spent eight to ten hours on trying to get my one door to fit and close yesterday after I put the weather stripping on. With the door closed it had a quarter inch gap where it seemed to be open and seemed to bind making it hard to close the door. I know you guys had this problem so Im hoping you can give me some helpful needed advice.

RICH MUISE · 2015-04-19 08:20

A little more specific info please. Did you have your door aligned and closing before you put the weatherstrip on, and now it's not closing, or are you trying to align the door with weatherstripping for the first time?

Ford Blue blood · 2015-04-19 08:21

Time and constant pressure......

mtwilsonboy · 2015-04-19 08:54

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2015-04-19 08:20
A little more specific info please. Did you have your door aligned and closing before you put the weatherstrip on, and now it's not closing, or are you trying to align the door with weatherstripping for the first time?

The door was fit and aligned before paint and now with the weather stripping on when closed it stands away from the body about a quarter inch. It fit fine before disassembly for paint. I about drove me nuts yesterday.

RICH MUISE · 2015-04-19 09:24

That sounds normal...not the way it should be, but normal. It would be nice if we could get Carpenter to listen, but I don't think we're a big enough market to warrant any changes.
I'm of the opinion, after reading all the posts about this, is the rubber is too dense...needs to be softer. On mine and others....The dogleg door jamb area below the windshield seems to be where most of the interference comes in. The oposite problem is above the wing window where the seal doesn't close the gap.
My situation....I put the driver's door on with the seal installed several years ago, and still requires slamming. It took me forever to get it close to correct alighnment. In light of that I installed the passenger door without the seal and got it alighned pretty close. I never have gone back and put the seal on..need to do it pretty soon. I am thinking about freezing the seal and trying to grind some rubber off the backside in the dogleg area. Also add some material to the backside at the top over the wingwindow area.

57chero · 2015-04-19 10:26

What I had to do is shave a little off the dog leg area with a razor blade, then you take off your door jam latches . With your door panels off use a ratchet strap between the two doors and suck the doors shut just a little more than they need to be and let it sit for about a week. Then reinstall the body jam latches and adjust to fit. Over time it will shut easier mine does anyway.

mtwilsonboy · 2015-04-19 12:29

Quote from: 57chero on 2015-04-19 10:26
What I had to do is shave a little off the dog leg area with a razor blade, then you take off your door jam latches . With your door panels off use a ratchet strap between the two doors and suck the doors shut just a little more than they need to be and let it sit for about a week. Then reinstall the body jam latches and adjust to fit. Over time it will shut easier mine does anyway.
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I think I might give your way try. Thanks,

RICH MUISE · 2015-04-19 13:30

That's what I did on my first door...was a week before I could even slam it shut. BTW, when you adjust your latch plate, the latch should actually lift the door into place about the final 1/16". The little ss plate that is bolted to the striker plate casting is there for the roller behind the starwheel to ride up on.
That keeps excess pressure from the door weight being put on the starwheel. Make sure on final adjustment that the starwheel engages both teeth on the pawl. That's the safety feature. If you can catch the first tooth to hold the door, but not totally shut tight, then it's good. If you can't do that, then you're only catching the first tooth.

akronterr · 2015-04-19 16:31

I had trouble on my drivers door. My problem turned out to be the bottom of the front door was hitting my new sill plate and carpet. I had to remove the padding under my carpet so the sill plate was lower.

pepfalcon · 2015-04-19 19:22

now you guys are really scaring me. i have my seals installed on my doors, but have not hung the doors yet. i, too noticed how much harder and more dense the se putting my doorsal was around the dogleg. i am dreading putting my doors on now.

RICH MUISE · 2015-04-19 21:21

You've heard the term misery loves company.....just be assured you are joining a large group.

Ecode70D · 2015-04-19 22:34

I have been putting this job off for a long time and it looks like this is the year that it has to be done and I don't look forward to it. My doors fit so nice without the seals and I dread how it is going to look with the seals on them. Last year I installed the trunk seal and I still have to slam it to shut it. The trunk fit with the seal is crummy. I think that the rubber that is used today is too hard/dense.

Ford Blue blood · 2015-04-20 07:28

Both my Edsel and 65 Bird have new seals. Both had the same problem with "shutting" when new. Both were Carpenter supplied seals. I just pulled both doors to the closed position (no latches yet) with a ratchet strap on both cars and left them set for a while. The Edsel is now closing and latching with a slightly firm push, the Bird is a little easier. It will now latch (sometimes) just swinging it shut. So be patient, they will play nice after a while....

Ecode70D · 2015-04-20 10:58

I kinda remember Gassman 826 Gary stating one time that his solution was to apply some vaseline to the edge of the seal after it is glued into place. Evidently that allowed the seal to relax a little and squish down with less resistance. Does anyone remember that thread?
Whatever happened to Gary ? We don't seem to hear from him much these days. I hope that all is well with him.

hiball3985 · 2015-04-20 12:46

Mine aren't original so somebody replaced them in the past. Passenger side closes alright but the drivers side takes a pretty hard hand to shut and I've adjusted many times and still can't get it perfect but can live with it. They look in good condition but I get bad wind noise between the front top of the door and the A pillar AHRGGGGGG! I have to hold the windlace against the gap to get it to stop, is that what windlace is really for? I've had thoughts of getting new seals and giving that a try but from what I've been told Carpenter is now having them made in China. Has anyone purchased any recently that can confirm that?

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