neeed help with door weather striping on 69 chevy truck.

[Street Fighter]

For some reason I can't seem to get the doors to close without some force. When they install weather striping on these tv shows they make it look so easy and the doors shut just like new. what is it that I am not doing that I have to force my doors to close? I have the same problem with my 77 Camaro after installing weather striping in the doors. what am I not doing right?

[sjgreen6]

The original weatherstripping was much softer than most of the aftermarket stuff. In the '70s it was a soft foam covered with a latex that molded very easily to the curves of a door. Unfortunately it also didn't last very long before it started cracking and splitting. The aftermarket stuff from some vendors may look exactly right but it is made of much denser foam that does not compress as easily which causes the fitmet problems you are experiencing. The worst areas are usually around the door opening and along the windows if you have the frameless type windows like on a hardtop GTO or Chevelle. You may have to do some careful trimming of the new weatherstripping to make sure it is not binding. If you try to force the doors to close you can end up causing problems with your hinges or latch. I suggest you have an assistant to slowly close the door to the point of resistance while you use a flashlight and maybe a mirror to see where the weatherstrip is binding or just too thick. You may have to look from the inside of the door to see where the weatherstrip contacts at the front edge if that is where you are having problems. A good indicator is to look at the original weatherstrip and see where it was really compressed and where it was not. Good luck!

[SMWS6TA]

Also need to install it in a warm climate. Below 50* and that stuff starts stiffing up. You could use a heat gun to warm it up in the spots you need just be careful.

[cammed goat]

Have you noticed if the weatherstripping is pulling away from the body anywhere? Are there pinholes in the original weatherstripping and in the new weatherstripping? If the original weatherstripping has holes, but the new weatherstripping doesn't, it won't be able to collapse upon closure of the doors.