A Simple Guide To Weatherstripping Terms

In the world of weatherstripping, there are many different terms that may be unfamiliar to most people. If you&#;ve ever been confused when researching weatherstripping or rubber parts for your project, you aren&#;t alone!

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Some of our part names like Trunk Weatherstrip or Windshield Gasket make it easy to know what that part is for. However, there are other parts that can contain terms or phrases that if unfamiliar to you, can make it difficult to understand if it&#;s what you need.

So, we&#;re diving deep into the terms we often use with our parts to ensure you feel confident when choosing replacement weatherstripping.

Basic Weatherstripping Terms

Dense Extrusion&#; A solid, durable rubber that is flexible enough to bend around a curve but does not compress much. Some of our parts made of dense rubber include: glass gaskets, rub rail inserts, window edging, insert trim, most RV slide out wiper blade seals and some rubber edge trim.

Dense Rubber Extrusion

Sponge Extrusion&#; A closed-cell sponge rubber, meaning it does not absorb and hold moisture. These seals are soft and squishy, yet durable enough to withstand compression for long periods of time without losing their shape. Some of our parts made of sponge rubber include: trunk seals, auto, RV, and marine door seals, RV and marine compartment seals, RV slide out bulb seals, hood to cowl seals,

Sponge Rubber Extrusion

Clinch Seal&#; Also referred to as a &#;C-clip&#; seal or &#;push-on type&#; seal, these seals are designed to easily install by pushing onto a lip. They have a metal core that is fully encased in rubber to prevent rust and rubber teeth/flanges to create a durable grip. Most of these seals will feature a side, top, or double bulb attached, making for an excellent choice for automotive door and trunk seals, RV and marine door and compartment seals, as well as many universal applications.

Clinch Seal

Vulcanized&#; When we use this term it means that two or more pieces of rubber are molded together. For instance, when we make a windshield gasket it&#;s a complete circle of rubber made from an extrusion. The two ends of rubber are put into a mold with some additional rubber, heated up and vulcanized, or molded together, making them one unit that won&#;t separate. We do not glue or join our rubber ends together any other way.

Flocked&#; Parts that are flocked have a fuzzy, velvety coating. Flocked weatherstripping is ideal for sealing areas that experience moving surfaces because it&#;s smooth material eliminates friction. Most commonly, you&#;ll see this term with glass seals like glass run channel, window felts, and beltline weatherstrips.

Flocked Glass Run Channel

Individual Part Names

Beltline Weatherstripping&#; This part has many different nicknames like window fuzzies, anti-rattle, window felts, cat whiskers, window scrapers, window sweeps, etc. There is an inner beltline, sealing between the door panel and the inside of the window, and an outer beltline, sealing between the door and the outside of the window.

These parts mount on both sides of the opening at the top of the door panel where the window goes into. The beltline weatherstrips &#;sweep&#; the window as it rolls up and down. They prevent window rattles while preventing water and debris from getting inside your door.

Roof rail weatherstrip&#; This important weatherstrip comes on all hard tops and convertibles. There are two types- the hardtop roof rail and the convertible roof rail.

The hardtop roof rail weatherstrip is mounted along the roofline of the vehicle and seals between the body and the top of the window when the door is shut and window rolled up all the way. This is super important to eliminate leaks, rattles and wind noise while driving down the road.

Hardtop Roof Rail

The convertible roof rail weatherstrip is a series of molded parts that mount to each section of the convertible top and seal between the convertible top and the top of the window when the door of the vehicle is shut and the window is rolled all the way up. If you&#;ve ever owned one, you know how important weatherstripping for a convertible top can be.

Convertible Roof Rail

With the Convertible roof rail weatherstrip often comes the header bow (or front header bow). The Header Bow runs across the top of the windshield and seals between the convertible top and the windshield frame when the top is closed.

Header Bow

Run channel&#; Run channel is a metal or rubber U-shaped weatherstrip. There are 2 types of run channel- flexible and rigid.

Flexible run channel runs up and over the window in the window frame and seals the window when it&#;s rolled all the way up. It&#;s called flexible because it has a metal spine but it&#;s made to bend around the curve of the window. Flexible run channel is normally held in by tension but you can use a clip or two to attach it if needed.

Flexible Run Channel

Rigid run channel runs vertically in the door and guides the window as it goes up and down. Typically, only found on the channel opposite a vent window. There are sometimes two pieces of rigid run channel in a door- one that&#;s above the beltline and one that&#;s down inside the door below the beltline. Rigid run channel just pushes into the metal channel already on the vehicle- no clips or adhesive required.

Additionally, mohair liner is sometimes glued into a metal channel for use as run channel. Mohair liner is a soft, thin fabric with a thin rubber backing and is used to prevent glass from sliding against metal

Mohair Liner

In the &#;s auto manufacturers started using rubber run channel in place of the metal, felt lined channels. These can take many different shapes for different applications and typically just push into the channel already on your vehicle- no adhesive or clips required.

Rubber Run Channel

Sash channel- A metal U shaped channel that&#;s installed horizontally inside the door and supports the window glass from underneath. This is the channel that&#;s attached to the window regulator.

Sash Channel

A Sash channel filler is a piece of rubber that&#;s mounted to the bottom of the glass to protect it from the metal sash channel and to prevent rattles. This can be a molded part, specific to a certain vehicle or just a thin strip of rubber cut to length and pushed into the channel.

Sash Channel Filler

Lock pillar filler&#; This part seals the gap at the bottom of the rear side (quarter) window. Usually only found on hardtop and convertible models where there is no B-pillar. Sometimes referred to as &#;U-jambs&#; they&#;re often shaped like a &#;U&#;. Without this part water and debris could collect inside the body leading to rust. Ain&#;t nobody got time for that.

Lock Pillar Filler

Hood to cowl&#; This weatherstrip seals between the top of the firewall and the back edge of the hood. This weatherstrip seals snugly to prevent fumes from entering the cab of the vehicle. This piece typically runs the width of the car, and many vehicles require special clips for installation.

Hood to Cowl

Division post seal- Everyone has heard of vent window weatherstrips but the division post seal doesn&#;t always get called out by name. For those vent windows that have a two-piece seal, the division post is the straight piece that mounts to the vertical post on the vent window. The main vent window weatherstrip installs into the frame, sealing the other sides of the triangle. A division post seal often has attaching tabs that correspond to holes in the vent window frame. If yours doesn&#;t have holes, you&#;d simply glue it in.

Division Post Seal

Divider bar seal&#; The piece of rubber that divides two pieces of glass in a two or three-piece windshield or rear window gasket. Here at Steele it comes molded into the gasket or sold as a separate piece (depending on the individual application and how it was originally made).

Divider Bar Seal

Hinge pillar&#; Attaches to the body and seals between the A-pillar post and the front section of the door or vent window frame when the door is closed. Typically, only found on convertible models. This is like the A-post section of a hardtop roof rail but then ends due to, you know, no roof.

Hinge Pillar

Side window leading edge&#; This part is specifically for hard tops and convertibles. It is a strip of rubber that attaches to the vertical edge of the rear side windows and seals between the front and rear windows when both windows are fully raised and the door is shut.

Side Window Leading Edge

Splash apron seals&#; Pieces of masticated rubber attached inside a fender well to prevent debris from entering the engine compartments. Splash shields are usually partial cover pieces and as such, a vehicle may be fitted with only one splash shield, or multiple ones that cover different sections of the wheel well. These are attached to the vehicle using screws, bolts or clips.

A-arm dust shields function the same as splash apron seals but are custom-shaped to wrap over &#;A&#; shaped control arms without posing an impediment to their motion.

Locking strip&#; A rubber or mylar strip that accompanies many windshield and read window gaskets. It&#;s designed to fit into a receiving slot in the gasket to tighten it up and create a seal. The gasket is placed on the vehicle first, then the glass is placed in the gasket. Then you can install the locking strip into the slot in the rubber and it expands the rubber creating a seal all the way around the glass.

Bumper bullets&#; Conical shaped bumper guards on the front bumper/grille assemblies of some post war American cars in the &#;s.

Bumper Bullets

Bumper guard&#; A rubber piece mounted to the bumper to protect it from minor dents and scratches.

Gravel shield/stone deflector&#; Molded rubber piece or extrusion mounted onto the vehicle to prevent damage to the vehicle from stones deflected by the front wheels of the car.

Stone Deflector

Body mounting pads&#; Thick, heavy-duty pieces of rubber between the chassis and body of a vehicle. They prevent metal on metal rubbing and make it easier on the frame that supports the vehicle. Also often called biscuits.

Bumper grommet&#; A rubber grommet is made specifically for cars where the arms that hold the bumper go through the fender. The grommet fills the hole preventing road debris from entering the fender and gives it a decorative look.

Bumper Grommets

Miscellaneous Terms

Revulcanization&#; Here at Steele revulcanization is the process of stripping the old, dried out and/or damaged rubber off a metal core and molding new rubber onto it, making it like a brand-new piece. We offer revulcanization services for parts like motor mounts, transmission mounts, harmonic balancers, accelerator pedal pads, vibration dampers, etc. on specific vehicles. See our website for more details.

Masticated rubber&#; Strong rubber sheet containing random milled cotton cord reinforcement for making splash aprons, etc.

Steele not only offers high-quality products, but also the knowledge to help you complete your projects. If you have questions regarding weatherstripping for your classic vehicle, street rod, RV, or boat, don&#;t hesitate to contact us! Call us at 800-447-, send us an , or chat with us on our website.

*For more help check out our How To series on YouTube! 

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Car weather stripping or extrusion rubber profiles are integral components of every vehicle. Like other vehicle parts, car weather stripping also requires replacement and maintenance. However, the replacement period is less frequent than that of other vehicle components. Usually, the standard time for car weather stripping replacement is approximately after every 20 years.

There are so many types of car weather stripping. Knowing all these stripping types and their respective places is necessary for every vehicle owner. Therefore, we came up with this article that includes types of car weather stripping and their respective positions on the vehicle, typical car weather stripping defects, and DIY replacement procedures.

Automotive weatherstripping positions

Automotive weather stripping or car rubber seal strips protect drivers and passengers from unfavorable weather. Car weather stripping fills the gap between vehicle components, preventing air, water, and dust particles from entering. These strips make the car&#;s inside environment comfortable. Car weather stripping also helps in fuel economy.

The importance of car weather stripping in the automotive industry is enormous. There is no vehicle created on this planet that has no stripping seals. On the other hand, the automotive weather stripping design and size varies based on different types of cars, such as SUVs, sedans, crossovers, convertibles, coupes, and minivans. Each seal strip gets a unique name and shape based on its respective installation place. Moreover, the vehicle parts&#; positions also divide the types of car weather stripping.

Car door rubber seal

There are four doors in typical private cars. Each entry has these seal strips with the vehicle&#;s door and the body. In this case, some vehicles may have two layers of sealing. These car weather strippings help prevent dirt and moisture from entering the cabin. Various fastening types of car door rubber seals include clips and adhesive tapes.

Car window seal strips

A typical private car has four windows: door, vent, and front and rear. Each of the windows requires a specific type of seal strip. Specifically, all these windows need six different car window seal strips: roof rail seal strips, vent window seals, beltline window sweeps, window channel seals, and front and rear window seals. &#;Car Window Seal Strips: A Basic Guide&#;  from the seashore rubber blog describes car window seals&#; fundamentals.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit I-ECO.

Hood and trunk seals

Hood seals fill the space between the car&#;s front hood and the engine compartment. On the other hand, truck seals fill the gap between the car&#;s back trunk hood and the trunk space. The importance of these seals is enormous. They keep the engine compartment safe from the external environment.

Cowl seals

Cowl Seals fill the space between the vehicle&#;s firewall and the rear part of the front hood. The primary function of these car weather stripping is to prevent fumes, dirt, and other contaminants from entering the vehicle&#;s cabin.

Others

In some of the vehicles, there is a window on top of the roof. To seal this window, sunroof seals are the most common. Besides, there are other car weather stripping seals: SUV bedside seals, inner and outer header seals, etc.

Car Weather Stripping Defects Symptoms

Let&#;s say your car is not 20 years old or more. But still, you do not feel comfortable while driving your vehicle. In this case, you will feel uncomfortable going if your car has weatherstripping issues. Let&#;s say you don&#;t know precisely where the problems are.

However, we have prepared some typical defect symptoms below to make it easy for you to understand the respective defects. If you face these symptoms, you can ensure that there&#;s a problem with the weather stripping in your vehicle.

Noise

While you were driving, did you hear excessive noise from the road? On the other hand, did you hear the whirring sound of the wind? If yes, there&#;s an obvious problem with the car weather stripping. If that noise suddenly becomes louder, you should immediately replace the automotive weather stripping.

You might hear other types of sounds: rattling and whistling. Rattling sound is the common cause of window channel seal defects. On the other hand, the whistling sound is the common cause of window trim channel defects. Replacing the car weather stripping can resolve these noise problems.

Water leaks

Have you felt about wetness around the windows and doors in your car? It is the most common symptom of car weather stripping defects. The water may come inside while driving in the rain due to defective weather stripping. These water droplets might make a damp area, leaving a smell over time. Moreover, you may also find moist water inside the trunk.

If you find these water damps or wetness problems, you should replace the seal strip as soon as possible. If you fail to replace them, the water damps might form mold and cause many health issues for you and the passengers.

Temperature Issue

It is also one of the most commonly defective car weather stripping symptoms. The primary role of car weatherstripping is to air-tighten the gap between the vehicle&#;s body parts so that the inside temperature remains constant. If you still feel hot or cold even if the AC is on, there&#;s an obvious issue with the automotive weather stripping.

This type of situation creates pressure on the vehicle&#;s air conditioner. If you fail to replace the seal strip, the air conditioner might stop working due to overload. Besides, the car battery may also lose its lifelong stability.

Others

Cracks or holes on the seal and stiffy seal are the other symptoms you might face. Usually, the new car rubber seal strips have no cracks or holes. If the car window seal has holes and gaps visible to the eyes, you should replace the seal strip as soon as possible.

On the other hand, if the car weather strip is not soft or doesn&#;t bounce back if you poke it, it is evident that this weatherstrip is old or faulty.

DIY Car Weather Stripping Replacement Process

Replacing rubber seals on a vehicle is easy and quick if you know these steps. If you face any of the above defective seal strip symptoms, immediately change the car weather stripping. By the way, we have prepared a DIY replacement procedure below.

1.       Remove the defective automotive weather stripping

Remove the defective seal strip from the specified place using a flathead screwdriver. Before removing the strip, ensure you have enough space. Otherwise, you might make some scratches on the car. However, gently remove all the pieces of the defective seal. Finally, ensure none of the rubber pieces is left.

2.       Clean the glued portion

Use good-quality adhesive removers to clean the glued portion. In this case, the adhesive removers you will use should specialize in cleaning surfaces and protecting them from moisture. After that, rub the surface using a rag. Continue rubbing until the metal surface is clean. Finally, use a paper towel to wipe off the place.

3.       Sand the metal frame

Sand the metal frame after washing it to provide a smooth, clean surface for the new automotive weather stripping. This step is crucial to installing or replacing new weather stripping. The same weather stripping problem will appear if the surface needs smoother and cleaner. In this case, fine-grit sandpaper is a must.

4.       Add adhesives

Seal adhesive is a glue-like substance that binds the metal frame and the car weather stripping. Before adding the adhesive, it&#;s better to check the rubber seal size. After ensuring the rubber seal fits nicely, add the adhesives to the metal surface. In addition, also add a thin layer of adhesive on the seal strip surface.

5.       Install the new automotive weather stripping

Please wait for 5 to 6 minutes after applying the adhesive to allow it to harden slightly. Next, start laying the seal strip from the corner and work your way around to the opposite side. Ensuring there are no gaps between the strip and frame is essential. To ensure the seal strip is sufficiently linked with the metal frame, press down on the rubber seal one last time.

6.       Add a layer of protection

It is essential to ensure the rubber seal won&#;t corrode further once mounted on the metal frame. To do that, use a silicone lubricant capable of withstanding temperatures between -35 and 200 degrees Celsius and shielding the rubber from moisture and dust.

How much does it cost to replace weather stripping on a car?

A typical private car costs $150 &#; $800 to replace the car weather stripping. This price range depends on the type of car rubber seal strips you are changing and the type of replacement method. If you can change the seal strip on your own, the price will be lower.

On the other hand, if you need more confidence to do DIY replacing, you want to take your to a qualified repair service station, and then the price will change accordingly. Moreover, The car weather stripping replacement cost depends on the vehicle model and age.

Summary

Car weather stripping is an integral part of every vehicle. This seal strip protects the vehicle&#;s functional components and protects the driver and passenger from a harsh environment. Therefore, proper maintenance is necessary to maintain the quality of the weather stripping.

Noise, water leaks, temperature, and quality issues are the common symptoms of a defective car weather stripping. If you face these symptoms, we recommend changing the seal strip immediately. The DIY replacement process is simple and easy. If you need more confidence, you can also look for an expert.

Above all, whether you are a retail or wholesale seller, you can talk to our seal strip experts to know more about the types and sizes of car weather stripping.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Automotive Weatherstrips. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.