window rubber/weatherstrip recommendations?

[fshd4it]

Hey all- I'm getting closer to painting my '52 (at least the inside), so it's time to look at ordering what I'll need to put the glass back in. I've read a few posts about different vendors and the products they carry, and people's comments on fit, quality, etc. Steele seems to come out on top, but I know you don't always "get what you pay for". Anybody care to chime in with opinions/experiences to help give me a little more direction? TIA, Karlin.

Edited May 12, 2022 by fshd4it
misspelling

[Brent B3B]

Not sure what comments you read where but, I think Steel has a quality product. I have used Clesters and been happy, I was told some of our more popular vendors buy from Clesters and sell them. 
 

the only thing about Clesters rear rubber is, on mine where the product is welded together left a little “pucker” luckily, I had placed the seam facing down

 

I also am working on painting the inside and redoing the back window rubber  for the new interior on my HH, for cost and the fact the bed covers the cab, I will go Clesters again.

 

on my B3B if/ when it comes time I will try Steel for giggles 

 

stay dry, ?

[fshd4it]

Thanks, Brent, for the info. The comments I've found were mostly on here, and mostly directed toward fit and occasionally leaks. I'm assuming there's only a few manufacturers, Steele and Precision being a couple. I'm not doing a restoration (far from it), so appearance isnt that critical; chances of getting caught out in the rain are pretty small as well, as my stuff just doesn't get driven that much. I'm leaning toward spending the extra for a Steele windshield gasket, and the more affordable ones for the back 3. Triple the price for Steele's pieces really cuts into the budget (Ha! Nice idea, in theory...) for the rest of the parts I need.

Edited May 12, 2022 by fshd4it
misspelling

[Los_Control]

Hrm, Winlock WA?    East or West of the mountains tells how much rain you get.

Whole job of the rubber besides holding the glass in place is to keep it dry inside.

 

Do you plan to replace the rubber / glass yourself?

I honestly feel that a good craftsman can take a cheaper rubber & will work fine .... IE, you go to their shop and have them do the work ... They could take a generic seal like was used in the past and make it work just fine.

 

Same time they have been there, did that, they know what they need to do.

Myself I would like to have a shop replace my windshield .... I have a wild imagination of 2 monkeys fornicating with a foot ball .... while I replace the front glass.

 

Lets be honest here, generic rubber was used for decades, real craftsman complain but know how to fix each issue.

 

I am not saying one rubber is better then the other, while I know some like steele uses the same rubber to make a high quality product.

I think it would be important to use at a modern glass shop because they do not have the skills of replacing old glass .... A quality glass man would not care & just get it did.

So who is replacing your glass?

 

[fshd4it]

I'm on the west side of the mountains, within an hour of the coast. It rains  a reasonable amount (I say that because I used to live in Southeast Alaska, where it rains an unreasonable amount), but the truck will spend WAY more time parked inside my shop than out. There's a decent small glass place in town, I've had them do a few windshields and a couple back windows for me. Their shop/advertising truck is an early 50's 5 window Chevy, and I talked to the owner about installing the glass in it. I'm relatively sure he knows what he's doing, as well as being willing to come to my place for the install (which is huge). I haven't asked him about the product or supplier he uses, I figured I'd get a broader type of responses here first. Of course, he can't (won't?) warranty materials that he doesn't supply, but as I'm reusing original glass...

[Los_Control]

Yeah seems like you have someone in line for the job. I am happy for you!

 

 

I just feel it is difficult to talk to a true craftsman & explain to them the product you are going to provide.

 

I simply would talk to them & provide what they want.

A two piece windshield with safety glass has not been used in many years. Same time the corner glass on a 5 window cab is not easily replaceable.

 

I personally do not want to do my own glass install .... I may if I can not find someone qualified to do so.

 

How do we determine if they are qualified?

[fshd4it]

Exactly. Unless you can find someone who can give an honest review for a similar job, you're taking a gamble. Installing the corner glass makes me a little nervous, but not too much as I have 3 sets. I recently had them replace the back glass in my '87 Nissan truck... not exactly the same, but it uses a 1-piece rubber gasket w/o a lockstrip. Same for my '77 D-150, they did it several years ago with no problems. That one I tried to do myself first. No thanks, never again.