Hi guys;
I put a new Datsport seal onto my driver's door last fall and have been pretty pleased with how it fits and works. However, I'm just starting to install the other 3 seals... and having just finished the first rear door, I realize that I'm not sure I've got them pointed the right way around. For some reason, the fit against the body seems worse on this rear door than on the front that I did earlier.
On the first door (a front), the seal is oriented this way (pictures below). Call this Option One or "angled" placement. As you can see, the lip is somewhat angled toward the body of the car, not 45 degrees exactly but that sort of idea. I can't remember anymore why I thought this was the right way to do it, but I think it must have been from something I found here someplace. Anyway, like I said, it seems to work okay.
Here though is the other option, the seal oriented like this (below). Call this Option Two or "vertical" placement. If I do it this way, the lip is more vertical, not straight up and down but certainly with a much less aggressive approach angle toward the body. Today, this looks like the better way to do it-- but again, this seems so obvious that I don't know why I didn't do the first one like this!
Is this maybe why? When I put the seal in more "vertically" (Option Two), the Datsport-prepared corner doesn't seem to "sit" quite right in the frame. It bulges out of the channel as you can see here. However, as noted above, this does seem like it might be the right way, for other reasons.
Advice?
Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
- SteveEdmonton
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- Location: Edmonton, AB
Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
'71 4-door
'74 MGB-GT
'04 Miata
'74 MGB-GT
'04 Miata
-
- Supporter
- Posts: 780
- Joined: 12 Sep 2004 19:42
- Location: Abbotsford B.C.
Re: Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
Option two is the correct figment.
-
- Supporter
- Posts: 780
- Joined: 12 Sep 2004 19:42
- Location: Abbotsford B.C.
Re: Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
Option two is the correct fitment.Damn spellcheck!
Re: Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
two_68_510s wrote:I guess our donkeys are quicker then your sled dogs!
Re: Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
I just installed the door seals on my 2-door and intentionally decided to go with option one despite knowing it was the "wrong way". The difference in angle between the two options isn't huge, and I liked the idea of having a little more spring from the seal to close the gap, as well as to fight back against the door when closing it. I used that 303 Protectant to lube up the seals and they slip really nicely on the paint. With the doors now being closed and the seals trained for a week, they open and close amazingly nice now. But I can understand why there would be too much rubber to fight against when closing the rear doors on a 4 door with option one.
Jason
- SteveEdmonton
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- Joined: 27 Aug 2010 13:20
- Location: Edmonton, AB
Re: Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
Thanks for the replies, you guys. It pains me to know that I need to remove the seal and flip it around-- at least the rear-door one-- but if the door closes better, that'll be great! Despite liberal use of the seal lubricant, and an intensive "seal training program" , it just keeps binding all along the forward vertical edge. A flatter angle of approach should make quite a difference.
Steve
Steve
'71 4-door
'74 MGB-GT
'04 Miata
'74 MGB-GT
'04 Miata
Re: Door rubber seals-- fitment issue
I made the same mistake... from the channeling on the door it seems that option 1 is the right way... but in every other spot it's wrong. So when I finally get to the other three doors hopefully I'll do it right so they close properly. Sigh.SteveEdmonton wrote: ↑09 Jun 2020 13:06 Thanks for the replies, you guys. It pains me to know that I need to remove the seal and flip it around-- at least the rear-door one-- but if the door closes better, that'll be great! Despite liberal use of the seal lubricant, and an intensive "seal training program" , it just keeps binding all along the forward vertical edge. A flatter angle of approach should make quite a difference.
Steve