Window Channel install

[gtech636p]

I bought some window channel a little while ago that came coiled up.  I tried to straighten the channel as much as possible before installation, but it wasn't great.  I had C-shaped metal clips that went in the door channels and that had teeth to grip on the rubber channel material itself.  The clips themselves were very brittle and half of the stampoed tangs used for securing the clip on the door frame itself snapped when I tried to push them in place.

 

I believe the channel came from DCM and the clips from VPW.

 

First:  Are there different suppliers for the window channel itself?  I see restorationspecialties mentioned from time to time, but the dimensions of their products seem to match what I bought.  Does someone have a part number they know worked great?

 

Second:  Getting the channel into the door was difficult.  When the rubber channel was pushed into the teeth of the clip the channel didn't really stay in place, it could be removed very easily.  When completed the portion of the rubber channel going across the top of the door didn't stay straight and sagged downwards a little bit.  When being rolled up the window could not make it's way into the horizontal (top) portion either.  Rolling the window down had the same issues once the window met the rubber channel that is pushed into the bolted in metal support.  Is there a different install method I'm not getting?  Is everyone using the 3M adhesive and just putting the rubber channel into a puddle of that?  does the rubber channel itself need to be "opened" up before putting it in the door frame?

 

Obviously I failed at this.  Any tips or pointers out there? The truck is a bit away from me and I'm trying to get everything together for another attempt in a few weeks.

[Young Ed]

What year of truck are you working on?

[gtech636p]

48

[JBNeal]

Installing new window channel is a chore akin to a monkey on a football, working in a tight space at awkward viewing angles and by feel.  It's been decades since I did this last, so I'm a li'l fuzzy on the details.  I was careful in removing the old channel, as it was mostly just a metal skeleton with little remnants of rubber.  I'm not sure if what I did was the best way, but it worked, no adhesive needed.

 

This installation method is for doors with vent windows; I reckon full door glass would be similar. 

 

•remove access panel and door glass for full access to channel track

•lay the rubber in the sun for an hour or so to get it more flexible

•install the new metal clip tabs into the door slots:  horizontal tabs point towards the door latch, vertical tabs towards the running board 

[I cheated here a tad by bending the tabs slightly so they were harder to install but less likely to pop out of the door slots]

•feed the new channel into door, either through the top or the access hole

•place the new rubber end against the vent window rubber and work the channel into the track by squeezing the opening together. I made a working tool out of some scrap plywood panel (about the thickness of the door glass) that was hand-width with a slight curve on the smoothed working edge to seat the channel into the guide evenly.

•while one hand is working the channel into the track, the other hand should be holding the remainder, and kinda applying a little pressure against the working direction so that the new rubber does not stretch.

•making the turn from horizontal to vertical becomes tricky as ya have to work the rubber in the window opening with one hand while supporting/pushing the remainder through the access hole with the other...gotta take your time here and work by feel.

•working the last few vertical inches is totally by feel since both hands are working through the access hole.

 

I think when I was done, the new channel was just shy of the end of the guide...either Roberts shipped me replacement rubber that was a tad shorter than original or I had put so much effort into keeping the replacement from stretching that it bunched up a li'l bit.  Getting the replacement seated into the horizontal to vertical curve is critical so that the door glass will close properly.  With new window channel installed, the door glass will be tight in the track; this is how I realized that my setting tape was faulty as the glass kept popping out of the regulator channel when the window was rolled down.

 

I do recall re-using some of the original clips as I broke a few of the new ones getting started.  Getting that first one installed was a chore, but by the time I got to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, it was not that hard with the tool I made, so there is a learning curve here.

[gtech636p]

Thanks for the reply.

 

My weekend down here is pretty much used up, this will have to wait a little while longer still.  I do appreciate the amount of frustration in your post, I must be doing the same thing just not as thorough right now.  I was able to find the clips from a VW Beetle type supplier on ebay for much cheaper than the Dodge suppliers want.  At least that makes the process a little less expensive if errors do happen.  The channel section I do have is hanging from a joist right now in an attempt to straighten it a little bit too.