Lifting window rubbers

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Talking Hoarse
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:46 am
Location: Winchcombe, Glos, UK

Lifting window rubbers

#1 Post by Talking Hoarse » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:01 am

Hello there. I am now installed with a nice, spacious double garage near Cheltenham (and very near Prescott hillclimb). So I have started attacking the paint lifting on my old Datsun Bluebird 910 estate - which some of you spotted when I was in Newcastle.
There is one spot that is perplexing me - a blister on the tailgate that extends beneath the window rubber. Despite removing the chromed spreader strip I am unable to keep the window rubber out of the way for cleaning up the rust and then treating & repainting. Are there any clips or trick tapes that body shops use for lifting rubbers ie without removing the window glass?
Many thanks in anticipation.
Ed

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JPB
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Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Lifting window rubbers

#2 Post by JPB » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:25 am

Hi Ed, To do the job properly and ensure that you have been able to get at every last wee spot of the rust, the only way is to remove the screen to do the job. Even if you have someone to help you hold back the outer part of the rubber, the rust might extend to the edge of the window aperture right inside the tightest part [of the rubber] and possibly over the top of the lip to the inner skin of the tailgate. In that case, you might be lucky and remove the tip of the proverbial iceberg but equally, you may find that the rust soon reappears and if that were to happen, you can be sure that it would be less easily dealt with by the time it has had a chance to advance unchallenged.

Yours is surely one of the best remaining examples of the model and must be worth the small increase in time taken to make sure it stays that way. Also, once you have the screen and its rubber seal out of the tailgate, you may find other tiny areas of rust around the edge. Treating any such corrosion now will put you in charge of the rust rather than the other way around.
8-)
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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TerryG
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Location: East Midlands

Re: Lifting window rubbers

#3 Post by TerryG » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:29 am

The issue you will come across is the rust will almost certainly extend around the edge of the metal so unless you remove the window and treat the metal properly, the rust will come back quickly. If you really want to wedge the rubber out of the way you can try putting a thin piece of plastic (like the ones you get in tubs of filler) under the rubber and levering it back slightly then using tape around the top of your tailgate to hold it in that position.
Removing window glass is surprisingly easy unless the rubbers are starting to crack and putting it back isn't much harder. As you have inside working space that's definitely the way I would go.
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.

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Luxobarge
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Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Re: Lifting window rubbers

#4 Post by Luxobarge » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:50 am

As above, the rust WILL have gone right up to the edge and beyond, so unless you take out the glass the rust will come back before long I'm afraid.
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

Talking Hoarse
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:46 am
Location: Winchcombe, Glos, UK

Re: Lifting window rubbers

#5 Post by Talking Hoarse » Fri Jun 26, 2015 6:19 am

Thanks for the responses (even if they are not what I want to hear). Thanks too for the kind words & encouragement John - mine may be the only 910 estate on the road in the UK. There one other in UK that changed hands recently, a red one now in North East I believe, but SORN'd. Makes my car rarer than just about any other "once common" car in UK - but still not special or exciting.
Ed

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JPB
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Re: Lifting window rubbers

#6 Post by JPB » Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:29 am

Special and exciting can be over rated qualities, not to mention highly subjective.. ;)

Keep up the good work. :thumbs:
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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Re: Lifting window rubbers

#7 Post by History » Sat Jun 27, 2015 7:26 pm

If the rubber is stiff cracked or perished and a new rubber is needed.

Then using a sharp craft knife cut the rubber.

Rust scabs are always bigger than whats on show.

Old screen rubbers have a tendency not to seal properly.

Bob

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JPB
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Re: Lifting window rubbers

#8 Post by JPB » Sat Jun 27, 2015 7:56 pm

Old screen rubbers can be revived with glycerine. I've saved folk fortunes that way on pinch rollers and idler tyres.
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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