Cutting new window seals?

Hey guys,
I picked up a complete new set of window seals from Mac's and they all appear to be too large.
I was wondering if it's normal if to have to cut them to fit snug?

We just changed the seals on the windows of our van. We thought the same thing! They really do seam large when you put them around the window but they fit nicely when installed.

EconoCarl wrote:We just changed the seals on the windows of our van. We thought the same thing! They really do seam large when you put them around the window but they fit nicely when installed.

Awesome EconoCarl..
I was a little surprised that they seemed pretty slack but we didn't actually try to pop one in yet..
How was the actual instal? Any advice or tricks?

Pretty simple and straight forward thanks to the glass being flat. We used rope and dry silicone spray.

Silicone spray is a good idea. I usually use soapy water, but may try that next time. Twine always breaks on me, so that last time I did a windshield I used left over coated wiring. It worked well, but you need to be really careful if it fights you so that you don't cut the rubber.

I’ll second what carl said. I applied the gaskets and was worried when the rubber bulged off all four sides. I also use a wire that is plastic coated and a load of dish soap. they sit pretty deep into the frames and all that extra rubber ends up on the inside. I was real happy how the seals fit and the install went a lot easier than I expected. took the two of us (wife pulls on wire I push) less than 5 mins per window, side/door windows.

I also tie the ends of that wire to something to pull on. otherwise the lubed wire just slips in the hand. the wire puller should also wear gloves.

Thanks for the tips Hellfish & Austinmodhouse!

We're gonna go with some hot water, soap & coated wire..
Should soften up the rubber a bit. Good to know about the seals fitting loose as well... Would have been such a fail to cut them!

I ordered the same seals from Mac's a couple of months ago, and they lost 'em in shipping. UPS says they 'left' them on my doorstep, and voila, they are gone. Mac's won't replace them, and I'm currently waiting for UPS to respond to an inquiry. If I ever do get them, at least I'll know what to expect!

tattoomark wrote:I ordered the same seals from Mac's a couple of months ago, and they lost 'em in shipping. UPS says they 'left' them on my doorstep, and voila, they are gone. Mac's won't replace them, and I'm currently waiting for UPS to respond to an inquiry. If I ever do get them, at least I'll know what to expect!

Man, that Sucks.. I would be 100% lean on UPS for them to reimburse you for the full amount.
Once the package leave MAC's, it falls under the responsibility of the carrier/shipper. If you didn't sign one of the YELLOW ups deliver notices authorizing them to leave it on your door steps, it's 100% their fault. The WHOLE point of a courier (and their pricing) is the need for hand delivery & a signature! Call them every day! Those seals are expensive!!

That's what I've been doing so far... I paid for shipping, not for leaving it for the taking, right? The thing that irks me most is that I have a gate that the driver could have left it behind, but their notes clearly state that he chose to leave it on my porch, out in the open.

I agree, on mounting the rubber I found it easier to hold the rubber tighter
to the glass using one inch blue masking tape.Then once the glass is installed the tape slides out.

so you are aware- UPS has an automatic 100.00 insurance coverage on every shipment - You are never charged for that =automatic!!

Jessetygr wrote:... Would have been such a fail to cut them!

I think that they are so big so they can shrink-to-fit. My old ones sure shrunk a lot!

The PO of my van cut the windshield gasket and it shrunk over time. There is a 1/2 gap now where water likes to sneak through and rust out my floor.

Leave the gasket in the warm sun for 30 minutes before you try to install it. Softening it up helps. I've hear of using the oven but I wouldn't recommend it! A warm/hot water soak might work, but I've installed them cold and it just takes a little more effort.

Hellfish wrote:The PO of my van cut the windshield gasket and it shrunk over time. There is a 1/2 gap now where water likes to sneak through and rust out my floor.

Leave the gasket in the warm sun for 30 minutes before you try to install it. Softening it up helps. I've hear of using the oven but I wouldn't recommend it! A warm/hot water soak might work, but I've installed them cold and it just takes a little more effort.

Thanks for the tip hellish..
That's pretty much exactly why I had to replace all my seals.. All were cut by the previous owner and as a result, water was making its way in everywhere.. The wind shield was leaking bad enough to cause some small holes in floor by the front passenger seat that I still need to patch up.. It seems as they age, they really shrink.. If they are cut, they pull right apart even if they are glued..
I should be replacing them this weekend and it's supposed to really nice.. I'll let them bake in the sun for a bit for sure.

My factory 50 year old seals are still in my van and they are split open in about 10 places each. they've shrunken up so far that in a couple of spots there is a 2-3" gap that the p.o. filled with silicone caulking! I don't think he knew that new window seals were only about $150 and a couple of hours of work. Great info on here about the seals being oversized, I just laid my new windshield seal around the glass and its a little loose too, and if I hadn't read this thread I might have tried to cut it!

I just replaced all my window seals last night and for the most part, it went super smooth..
Like everyone mention, we threw them in a bucket of hot, soapy water to soften them up, thread them with a speaker wire and they popped right in.. The seals did seem super over sized but as soon as they are in the window frame, it seems to all fit nicely..
The main thing I would add is we were 3 people doing it which main things easier for sure!