0Willcox Corvette

84-96 Rear hatch weatherstrip installation.

0Willcox Corvette

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colter

It's easier to press the corners in first. Then work your way to the center on both sides.

0Willcox Corvette

Nope.. you don't want to do it that way...

We do about 5 to 10 of these a year and we always try to center it first. The reason I say this.... There are variances between manufacturers in the weatherstrips from corner to corner so getting it as close to center first is best. If you get close to center the movement needed to obtain a perfect fit is minimal.

0Willcox Corvette

ttt

colter

I had problems installing it your way. The weatherstrip was so twisted up that every time I measured, I would find a different "center". It could be off by an inch or more.

Other problem with starting in the middle, was that the corners wouldn't fully seat into the channel. You would press in the corners, and they would pull back out some.

Though the last one I installed didn't have any grease inside it like the ones from before. But the last one I installed, I first pressed the corners in and worked towards the center. It was a breeze. Also I found the corners were still pressed all the way in afterwards.

0Willcox Corvette

I value your opinion but I humbly have to disagree. I guessing you have never installed a GM weatherstrip where putting it in the corner first would not even be an option. If you installed the GM that way you'd run out of weatherstrip because the GM was about 65.5" from corner to corner.

I've never had a problem measuring it to get it "close" and you can slip the halo section left to right to make slight adjustments once you see where it's at. Instead of using a tape measurer fold the weatherstrip in 1/2 to find the approximate center, you’ll have better luck.

I can't advise anyone to start in the corners and if you look at other published installation instructions all will tell you to start in the middle. One video I just looked at tells you to start at the back on center which is something I'd also never do. You might get lucky starting in the rear a couple of times but like I stated, you don't want to "Monkey around" with the rear corners so moving the weatherstrip would be more difficult if you missed it on center starting from the rear.

Other installation instructions can be found at the following links:

http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...-installation/

http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...nother-vendor/

Regards,

Willcox.

0Willcox Corvette

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0Willcox Corvette

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0Willcox Corvette

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0Willcox Corvette

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Sassman

The most important tip I would give anyone attempting this, is to let the weatherstrip gasket sit in the sun and warm up, before installation. Warm weatherstrip is easier to fit than cold.

0Willcox Corvette

Great advice.

0Willcox Corvette

Ttt