roof rail seal channel

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Danno

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2013
Messages
610
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Location
Mount Prospect Illinios
My Car
1972 Fastback, Sportsroof
What's the best thing to use to remove old hardened sealant from the roof rail seal channels? I have them removed from the car, ( the forward ones on the door jamb.) I haven't looked at the ones running along the top to the quarter window, are they also held on with screws??

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I used steam to remove mine and worked great

Maybe a heat gun might work but reckon it's the steam that works best to soften the sealant

I bought a cheap clothing steamer and it has many uses especially for removing old window tint

 
Yes the roof rail is held on with a series of the washer head & phillips screws. Put screw driver in screw and give it a couple hard raps with hammer to break the rust seal. To be able to polish the rails you will have to strip the anodize off with oven cleaner. Seems they have changed the mix of the oven cleaner and it does not work like it use to. 

When polishing them if you have never done before be very careful with a buffer. You cannot buff to an edge it will grab and you will be looking for a replacement rail. You need to buff going length wise and not 90 deg. to an edge. After you polish and wash off with lacquer thinner you spray with gloss clear to keep protected or send off to have polished and anodize redone. I think that is $37.00 a foot and difficult to ship. 

They also just changed the mix of the aircraft liquid paint stripper and it does not work as good either. Guy at NAPA said that there was a recall on all they had in stock and the new has a different formula. 

Be sure and ask for Daniel Carpenter roof rail seals they are made in Concord, N.C. not China he got the original equipment to produce them with. They fit so good I did not even put any glue on when I installed. 

Don't fool with the foam sealer tape either. Use strip calk 3-M and put a bead on each side of the screw holes. The rectangle holes in the roof that locate the tabs on the roof rail trim is where you usually get leaks. There and where lots of joint lines are so pay attention to them. You also need to seal along the top edge where it hooks over the steel roof or vinyl roof to keep water out. I just use regular strip calk for that. The strip calk never dries out. Ford went with the foam tape because easier for them to apply but for sure not as good. Never use RTV on a car not made for sealing up a car. 























 
Hi i recently bought my mach 1 and it didnt have the chrome rails just a pushon chrome sticker i have since new replacement rails to install and wondering do i need to remove the glass to be able to do this i also notice you mention rubber seals the rails didnt have that so will i need to get these also

thanks Cam

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Cam, All the current door trim chrome and rubber seal, rear quarter glass,etc has to come out as the new drip rails fit underneath these strips. To get to the quarter glass, back seats, quarter trim panels, etc will also have to come out. Probably a good idea to all this to make sure it is all sealed properly. David's photos above show how the drip rail chrome is screwed in first.

David

 
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