Da91Bird

I just bought the t-top weatherstripping kit from Sunroof Doctor. It's a complete kit with all of the seals needed to repair both sides. It comes with directions and it seems pretty straightforward, but, I'd like to know if anybody has any advice before I start. Is there anything I should pay particular attention to, or anything I should avoid doing?

I've already done a search and there were no threads that offered any advice.

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KlayBuRn

heres what i did when i did mine...

i just ripped my old stripping off, got my drill, put a wire brush on it, and got everything just went mad whack and brushed it all of(like resident glue and stripping and stuff), then i used rubbing alcohol to get it all clean, just fed the one half of the weatherstripping into the lip, and got it all in, then i siliconed the other side, let it dry...good to go...


[This message has been edited by KlayBuRn (edited March 29, 2001).]

Apone

I agree with Klayburn, but you NEED TO LISTEN TO THIS AND LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES!!!!

I have a 91 t-top GTA and I changed my weatherstripping. I started by removing the stock stuff and then did my best to remove all the old glue and little bits of old weatherstrip.

Then I removed the t-top spacer (the black thing that sits inbetween your tops) and removed the old sealant under and around it.

Then I replaced the spacer and put the new stripping on, with the special glue and sealer.

Well, the first time it rained my interior got soaked and I wrecked my leather seats. Luckily I had not yet re-installed my headliner!

What I did wrong was I did not replace the sealant. This is the most critical step to doing it right. I thought that the rubber of the new stripping would make a water tight seal, but it really dosen't.

So, I re-ordered another weatherstripping kit, and removed whatever I had on there and again I sanded, removed all remnants of old stripping. Spend lots of time on this step. It is very inportant to have a clean base to work with.

Then remove the t-top spacer and clean underneath it. Again, spend some time on this one too.

Now, with just the ugly bare metal showing, use some of the bathroom style silicon sealant and apply a liberal amount to the metal around where your t-top spacer sits. You should use a whole tube of it here, I did. You really cant put too much on.

Now put the t-top spacer on top of that sealant. If some squishes out from the weight of the spacer, that is perfect. You have put the right amount on.

Now, aply more sealant. This time, apply some on top of the t-top spacer where the weatherstripping will run, and apply some along the "troughs" where the other parts of the weatherstripping will sit. Again, use more than you think. I used a second large tube here. You can also add some of the black weatherstrip adhesive too. Just make sure you leave enough room to accomodate the adhesive and the sealant. I think the sealant is WAY more important than the adhesive though.

Now just let it dry. Be sure to take a screwdriver and work the weatherstripping underneath the lips that are on either side of the "troughs". I found if you are really thorough with the screwdriver you will find sections that need a little coaxing in order to sit right.

That should work for you, it worked VERY well for me. My car is bone dry now!

By the way, if you read this entire post, go get yourself a cookie, you deserve it!

vortech305

Is there a difference with the T-top weatherstrips from 87' to 92'. If so does anyone have any pics of restored weatherstrips.

Anth's Iroc

my only advise is to have someone who knows what there do install them.Its a very tedoius process if you screw up a little you will be rained on......

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1987 BLUE IROC
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Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

I did the same thing as Apone the first time and mine still leak . I got porked for $300 from Soff Seal, so I'm going to try to carefully remove the gaskets without damaging them. Since I only used silicone and no other adhesive, I'm hoping that they'll come off without tearing.

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Da91Bird

Well, I'm desperate to get it done. I don't have a labor guide handy, what would a body shop charge to install them? I definitely don't want them to still leak after spending buku dollars on the parts. I'm a mechanic, not a body guy, so that just might happen.

Da91Bird

I'm half way done and it sucks. I'll be sure to tell everybody how badly I F****d it up when I'm done.

Da91Bird

Well, it's all installed. It's raining right now, and the interior is totally dry. Plus, the wind noise is gone when I go down the road. All in all I'd say the installation was a success. The hardest part was removing the old weatherstripping adhesive. Once that was done everything else just went into place.

Apone

Congrats on your weatherstipping install! For me the true test was the first really haevy rain. Let your car sit outside in it and then get in and drive away. If you dont have a little niagra falls inside your car, then you must have done it right!

Kurt88IROC

I am considering the Sunroof Doctor kit. Anyone have any experience with this kit? I see a couple going in right now. How is the quality?

Thanks

85firechicken

How much time/aggravation was it? I am trying to decide if I want to do it myself, or to pony up the $200 for a local shop to change all the seals for me (with me providing the seals of course).

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"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let'em go, because, man, they're gone." - Jack Handey

Apone

It took me a complete Saturday to do mine correctly. Look at my above post to see how I did mine, or email me and I will be glad to help you out.

I am not a very mechanicaly inclined person, I can't even change my birds spark plugs correctly, but I was able to do the weatherstripping (on the second try)

Da91Bird

The Sunroof Doctor kit is very good. I wish it had included the retainers that go on the doors. Otherwise, it was perfect. I definitely reccomend it.

It took me an entire day also. Most of that time was spent cleaning off all of the other adhesive and weather stripping. The adhesive gunk is very messy and got everywhere. I had a whole lot of it to clean off.

I had to buy $50 worth of adhesive and silicon to install these things. I think I would actually pay the $200 to have it professionally done next time. You can do it yourself, but, if it leaks, you have no one to blame but yourself. When you consider the other materials you have to buy, you're only paying about $150 to get the job done. It's messy, it's tedious and there's always the chance you'll mess it up.

85firechicken

With me it's a given... I just made the appointment. Thanks for the honest (sans macho) advice.

Da91Bird

LOL!
I know when I'm licked!

Holland

Does anyone sell the T-top kit cheaper than the sunroof doctor company.

Da91Bird

I had looked around a while before I bought the Sunroof Doctor kit, and I didn't find anybody close to that price. It's a good kit and it comes with directions and everything.