Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Workman
Yes, the OEM glue IS a pain! But, it never hardens, allowing the seal position to be adjusted (I suppose).
Anywayz... I used 3M Weather Seal Adhesive (contact cement) on mine. I Pre-installed my seal and put index temporary marks on the seal and the hatch so that after I applied the glue I could be sure that the seal was indexed correctly before pressing it down on the 3M (contact) adhesive. I hasn't leaked in 5 or so years now, and it has sat outside and been driven in several frog stranglers! So far so good.
I might add...
By the time I got the adhesive spread on the hatch and the seal, it had already dried too much - especially where I first started to apply the (glue). But, according to the directions on another application of contact cement (the head liner, in fact) it said to reapply a third thin layer to one of the contact surfaces and (get this!) proceed to apply the two surfaces together before the fresh adhesive dries to the point of being tacky.
Boy, does that work! It gives you some time to adjust the fit after the two surfaces make initial contact. And, once it sets (in 5-10 min or so, depending on how much adhesive was used over all, the surfaces are very secure. (I have also found that third layer technique is especially useful when installing carpet. The carpet can be "squirmed" around to optimize the fit before the (glue) is fully set.
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Hi Paul! It's been a long time, glad to see you chiming in. I haven't used contact cement in years, doesn't it harden? It would mean that I will never be able to remove that seal again without breaking it + damaging the paint? 3 layers... I'm confident it would be sealed, but I'm a bit skeptical about it... Looks overkill, but for sure I will talk about that with him!
OEM glue is a pain - that's EXACTLY what the body shop said!
He was planning on using dum-dum rubber tape.
Thanks for your tips!!