W123 door seals
 

I was installing new door seals on the car. I have hit a problem on the areas that need to have adhesive used on them. I can't get the 3M super adhesive to bond to the door rubber seals. It bonds to the door ok. I have tried cleaning the rubber seals with brake cleaner, laquer thinner, & I even tried to abrade the areas a bit with sanding. The adhesive just don't adhere to the rubber. I have always used the yellow 3M, but was told this was the preferred kind to use. I have heard they use a release agent in the process of making the rubber seals to keep them from adhering to the mold, and that is the reason for the bonding issue trying to install them? Anyone have an ideas on getting past this?

It sounds like you've done all that can be expected! What the heck?!

Try a different adhesive.

I can not tell by some of your wording what you are using which you are having trouble with...
Is it 'super trim adhesive' by 3m? what used to be ' yellow death' in the vernacular of body shop workers ?

It sounds like you are not using the yellow death...
can you be more specific as to what you are having a problem with ?

If you changed from yellow death.... who advised you to use the other one.. ?

I originally went to an O'Riley's auto parts house to get some weather strip adhesive to install the rubber seals with. I have always used the yellow colored 3m super weatherstrip and gasket adhesive. Well, the counter person went and picked up the 3m super weatherstrip and gasket sealer that is the black variety. That is the adhesive I had the issues with. This morning I went back to another O'Riley's store with the old and new seals, and showed and experienced counter helper the issue. He told me I need to try the yellow. I mentioned that the black I purchased came in a smaller least expensive tube, and I wondered if the yellow did, as well. We went and checked and it didn't. So, he took the yellow box of 3m adhesive back to the counter, and told me I will refund your monies on the back tube. I got the yellow adhesive and some 4+ dollars back to boot. I took it back home and tried it on the old seal and the new seal. Viola it bonded like glue to the old seal. Low and behold it bonded like glue to the new seal too! Even though several people at the previous store told me that they were the exact same thing except for the color?? Go figure!! Stretch I am glad I took your advise on dropping the original ashesive.

You took some young counter person's advice over my long time advice in the archives... had problems with it sticking.... then give Stretch credit for the suggestion you go back to the yellow death ?
Like Stretch has said before ..... it is about ' the points score '.....

I had read some posts about having to slam the doors after installing the new door seals! What I am unsure about is how the makers with the same seals get the soft smooth closures on display in the showroom??

If you were to fit a new door (with new seals) you'd adjust it accordingly (!).

If I were you I'd leave everything to settle for a bit and see if it gets better - otherwise =>

Do you need the FSM chapter for door fitment / adjustment?

Once the seals are installed you can tug at it in places to get it to seat nicely and flush. If you yank it too much in one direction, that other end will bunch up and will prevent the door from closing smoothly. It has to be adjusted to evenly spread around the door.

Remember the door mechanisms (hinges, latch and check straps) also were new back then, which led to factory spec door alignment. All these factors contributed to easier door closures.

If the weatherstrip isn't all the way inside the channels they will protrude out and hit the body, leading to awkward door closures (you'll need to slam the door shut).

Don't leave it like this!

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7060/...81d57024_c.jpg

I've been known to miss things that seemed fairly obvious, but I do seem to think Stretch was the next sequential post after the op... Hmmmm.

Manny , you will do better sticking to trying to answer the OP's questions.. than to try sniping...
That ' next sequential ' answer ' change adhesives' was not correct..

The answer was to go back to what had , by his own admission , worked in the past....and is the standard recommendation here on the forum for attaching weather seals.
Letting a counter person change one's choices without some good indicator that something has changed from the past.. new technology can do that..... but absent that.... a salesperson will seldom admit they do not know the answer to your questions.... they will give their best Guess.... and you will then be dealing with trying to fix that situation.

Awww shucks. See, I knew there must be a number between "1" and "2". The op was post 1 and Stretch was post 2.

BTW, I've been next in line behind someone who treated a ln Auto zone parts guy like he knew nothing and only wanted to sell him stuff. I spoke up in such a way the guy turned around like deer in headlights and walked out the door speechless and red from embarrassment. I don't appreciate when people poo-poo others who legitimately try to help.

Stretch DID answer the op's question BTW. "Change Adhesives" was what ultimately solved the problem, was it not? Changing from the one that didn't work was what the op needed to do.

Just saying... ;)

There is no ' points score' ..... that was a reference to a joke Stretch made in a former thread... and I am going to stay with what I think is my point... Stay with what one knows works ...unless forced to change.... the OP had used yellow death in the past...lots and lots of posts in the archives support it.... and knew it worked then... but a counter person just trying to please will make up an answer if they do not have facts to offer up.
People hate to say ' I don't know'.. when they are there and being paid to sell stuff...
and they have no skin in the game.... will not have to redo or fix what does not work...
I am very nice to counter people... I just do my research before I get to the store.

I bailed out of finishing the door seals final driver's side door. I wasn't wanting to use it as a primer for this undertaking anyways! Also, the cold spell stopped me dead on it. I wanted to add, that I did adjust the passenger side door out a little to compensate for the new seal. I did a check this morning in the garage before leaving in my other vehicle. I opened the door and then closed it. It was totally shocking how much it had changed. It isn't quite like it was originally to close it but very close. I thought I would go ahead and leave it this way for a few months, and then decide if I want to re-adjust it back to the factory setting.

Of course the final test will be whether they will pass the water spraying high and dry!! If not I will replace the door boots, and then do a re-test.

Some of that aerospace 303 protectant might help the new seal settle down