After almost a year since I purchased a pair of new quarter window seals from iRoll Motors, I finally worked up the guts to tackle this project. I've been spending lots of time researching a) how to remove the old dried-up rubber seal without breaking the windows, and b) how to install the new seals. Turns out, it wasn't that difficult at all! The first challenge of removing the old rubber seal was simple. Mine were so weathered and brittle, they just broke off when peeled by hand. Anyone attempting this should take note that the rubber seal is the only thing holding the quarter window glass in place, so make sure you hold on to the glass!
The second challenge was even easier ... I paid the local auto glass shop $40 to install the new ones. After reading countless articles and forum posts on using the "rope technique", and perfecting the manuever in my mind, I decided to have the professionals do it for me. Here are the before and after shots:
Before:
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Before:
| After:
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Before:
| After:
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While I had the glass off, I took the opportunity to have the quarter window trim pieces re-chromed. Notice, the "before" photos show the black residue left from the old dried-up rubber seals. I got these off using what else? ... but another tool from the kitchen - a bamboo skewer. Yes, the same kind used for shish-kebab and barbeques. They're hard enough to scrape the dried rubber off, but more importantly, they won't scratch the surface of the trim.
Quarter Window Trim - Before:
| Quarter Window Trim - After:
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The "rope technique" of installing the window and the new seal obviously requires some finess ... a word that is not in my vocabulary. The way it works is as follows: The rubber seal goes arond the glass first. A length of rope is then inserted between the glass and the lip of the seal. The whole thing (rope, glass, and seal) then goes into the window opening. Rope is then pulled, thereby pulling the lip of the rubber seal outwards to form a seal against the body of the car.
My advice: pay the local auto glass shop the small amount of cash, sit back, and have them perform the rope trick for you! They'll even seal the windows with that black waterproof stuff as part of the install. Here are more before-and-after photos of the trim pieces after I had them re-chromed and reinstalled:
Quarter Window Trim - Before:
| Quarter Window Trim - After:
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Here's a photo of the bamboo skewer used to scrape the old dried rubber from the quarter window glass. Bamboo skewer + Windex (or some other glass cleaner) = no dried rubber + no scratches! As for this last photo of the truck ... the place that I go to, to have my stuff rechromed is in some back alley in a dodgy part of town. This place doesn't even have proper business signage. Every time I have to make an appearance, I feel like I'm either going to get mugged or made into some transient's bitch. Anyway, the owner of this five-star plating establishment is always in a foul mood. He's this old timer who looks like a salty old sailor or Captain Ahab, has a permanent scowl on his face, never speaks unless spoken to, and when he does, it's alway gruff and in short sentences. I've always tried to be warm and friendly to the guy, even tried breaking the ice a couple of time ... but nothing ... no love ... you could hear crickets chirping in the background. I'm now pretty certain that he doesn't just wear his "grump on" just for me. On my last visit I took this picture of his truck. Click on the photo to view it enlarged and take note of his license plate.
Bamboo skewer to remove dried rubber:
| Mr. Grumper's Truck:
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