"SEAL-RITE" Weatherstrip

[Tom Harais <tjhemh@domain.elided>]

Reapers:

I just stopped by my local Pep Boys based on someone's recommendation
last week, to see if they actaully had door weatherstripping for my new
Traveler Top. And, lo and behold, they have something that works. And,
it is stocked right on the shelf.

It is "clip-on bulb seal epdm rubber weatherstrip" from a company called
Seal-Rite. It is listed as being 1/2" wide X 13/16" thick and 10' long
for $24.99.

The stuff is a piece of vinyl "channel" with a barb inside and a
circular, hollow piece of rubber glued to the side of the channel. There
was also some other variants of this stuff there. The vinyl channel is
not as deep as the IH original in my Scout. The rubber is lighter than
stock and not as thick. It has a steel core but not completely wrapped
around the inside like the original IH material.

But, it is made of EPDM which is impervious to sunlight and ozone,
unlike the stuff IH was using back in the 70's. On top of that, I Found
when I installed it on the top, the lighter EPDM rubber is more flexible
and more resilient than the stock heavy stuff. It will pop right back
into shape much better than the stock material which has "taken a set".

I also discovered that IH filled the stock ends of the round part of the
seal with some smaller, round tubing that makes it stiffer at the ends.

This stuff is not perfect, but I really think it will seal better and
last longer than the stock IH stuff. Plus, it "only" costs $25 for 10'.
Wasn't someone saying $100/door for the original IH stuff.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Tom H.