I've been reading threads all evening about t top weatherstripping, I need to buy some new stuff. I've seen people say GM stuff didnt work, SoffSeal didnt work, and OER didnt work. I've also seen people say GM worked like a charm, Soffseal worked like a charm, and OER worked like a charm. (There was also some talk about Metro but I did not look into them).

I've come to the conclusion that Soffseal and OER is half the price, however a gamble. GM stuff is much more, but am I safe to assume it will work right and last for many years? Am I SAFE if I go with GM?!

If you havent figured it out, I need somebody to help make me feel better before I spend $$$ on this crap.

I recently installed t-top seals manufactured by Metro and sold by 1A Auto on Ebay. I wrote about my install experience here:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/afte...top-seals.html

My wife took the car on a trip this past weekend during which it rained. She reported that she did not get a drop in the cabin...the car used to leak steadily in heavy rain.

Well worth the money, IMO, and much less than GM.

Good luck. Replacing the seals was a crappy job because of all the time it took to remove the old nasty tar-like adhesive. Be prepared to smell a lot of solvents and go through a lot of rags/cotton *****/Q-tips in your prep work to get those new seals in. It is worth it in the end, though.

you'll hear and read alot of crap, its upto what you want to believe because most of it will be hearsay and monkey spank

anything can leak... you find out where its coming from.. you make it stop. My car had a leak when I bought it.. my headliner and visors would get soaked in heavy rain.. I finally spent a few minutes investigating and some time with a tube of silicone and it has never leaked since. I did the headliner right after that, and my car lives outside, in the often massive downpours, and my headliner has never even gotten damp. The ONLY SPOT that can not be sealed perfectly, and the reason they later redesigned the seals is where it meets your window. However if the drip rail peice is there, and the rest of the seal meets up well, the only time your ever going to see a drip there is if your spraying a hose at it..
buy whichever one you want, if you put it in wrong its going to leak regardless, then its simply a matter of figuring out where and sealing it off

how do u seal it off?

Black silicone...I found the Permatex brand to be excellent stuff, much better than the factory tar-gunk GM used.

That leads me to believe that the installation quality is a far bigger variable than the weatherstrip quality.

I tend to agree with you here. I can see how people might rush the job and end up with leaks that are a function of the install method rather than the weatherstrip quality. Although, as I mentioned in my write-up about the Metro seals, there are variations from the original GM design that might help contribute to installation difficulties if one isn't careful.

I also agree, I used original GM T-top weatherstripping to replace the original, which leaked by the driver side window, where it meets the cowl. I believe if you are very careful to remove ALL the old stuff with the glue, the new weatherstripping should not leak. It took several hours to do each side, but I got it all off, then make sure you clean it well before putting any adhesive on. I used (adhesive and wax remover) to clean it. The installation is actually easy and quick. The removal was the hard part.

Lucky me my stock ones dont leak

This is where I believe the main issue is, Frank. I, too, spent hours cleaning out all the old nasty sealant/adhesive, until the channels were spotless. I can see how people would say "to heck with this, good enough" and do the job only partially.

It is also important to remove the t-top bar, clean its underside and the area where it mounts, and then reattach it, with new sealant where it contacts the roof fore and aft. I understand that if not done, this can be a source of leaks, which may perhaps be blamed on the seals themselves.

Another important thing to do especially if you are concern with the seals lasting is to periodically apply some kind of lubricant on them, there are some specifically made for weatherstripping, but you can use Armor All etc. This will help keep it from drying out and getting brittle again. I have a 1994 Trans Am that I purchased new, the weatherstripping on it, is as the day I bought it because of periodically treating it. Also it helps if the car is kept out of the sun when not in use.

Dave, it was such a pain (the taking off & cleaning part), I did one side first, and waited several weeks before I finished & did the other side. I was fortunate that the center bar was clean and didn't require that I remove it.

Wait, you wana use armor all to help something from drying out and cracking? Thats all armor all does!!

I'd like to see some long-term test data on this. I, too have heard that AA causes damage, and so I use other products. But, I have also heard people say they have used the stuff for years with no ill effects.

Well good luck on getting that reasearch. The exp i have is when i used the leather care prod from AA on my lincoln, and it worked great... until i stoped useing it.. then it cracked like no other.

GM recommends dilectric grease of all things.

No kidding? Where did you see this? That'd take a while to apply since it's so thick.

I just scored a complete brand new 8 piece GM T Top weatherstripping kit off eBay for $255. GM quality, aftermarket price.

As soon as it comes in I'm going to do it RIGHT. So you're saying make sure it's ALL off, lightly sand the surface to score it so the glue grabs, use "Black Silicone" to apply it? I'm confused on what I should coat it with to keep it in good shape, if anything...

Congrats on the deal.

Yes, make sure you clean the heck out of the channels, no matter how long it takes or how bad it sucks. I used gasoline, Goo Gone, and paint thinner trying to see what worked best, and it did start lifting the paint in a couple spots, but I had no choice! You might as well remove your t-top center bar to re-seal under it, as well.

I didn't sand the channels, just cleaned them for hours. Have a toothbrush, paintbrush, cotton *****, q-tips, and rags ready to apply the solvent remove the old glue/sealant.

And yes, definitely use the Permatex black silicone adhesive sealant. It is much, much better to work with than the 3M stuff, and if you ever have to do the job again in the future, it'll be easier to remove as well.

Keep us posted, and good luck.

I took a look at the tech write-up on the main page. The part about rolling up your windows to seal them as they dry, how vital is that? Because my driver window is way off track and will do no good to seal anything. I will probably be getting a new door soon anyway. Should I do the weatherstripping before or after my new door?

I hadn't even seen that part of the write-up.

Once installed, I did close my door with the windows up, but this was to make sure that the end of the seal closest to the hood was held in place while the sealant dried...there is nothing else keeping it in position, but closing the door pinches it nice and tight against the body.

I wouldn't waooy about your window too much, if it is misadjusted a bit. Except for that piece I mentioned above, the seal is held in place all the way around by a little groove in the channel that you press the seal into. Install seal, close door to pich seal end in place, put to-top on the apply some downward pressure, and you should be ok.

When installing, using something blunt, like a paintbrush handle or toothbrush handle, to press all the way around the the seal so that it fits under the little retaining lip that a part of it has to be in in order to be secure. You'll see what I mean once you start taking the old stuff out.