AscendantMax

iTrader: (7)

Don't know if it's due to the humidity in my area but the rubber seal/gasket that prevents water from getting into the trunk is preventing my trunk from opening easily.

If i pop the trunk, it'll unlatch, but i have to literally pry the trunk open because the rubber lining on the body of the car is stuck to the underside of the trunk.

I'm thinking of putting some petroluem jelly on the lining but not sure if it'll harm the lining itself. Any ideas? anything i can apply to recondition the rubber so it won't stick?

Thanks.

maseo77

iTrader: (1)

try some armor all, or any tire shine type product

Dave Holmes

I'd stay away from armor all and most other tire shine products because they contain silicone or petroleum distillates, which are NOT good for rubber (even though many people use it on their tires, it speeds up the dry-rotting process). You can safely use 303 Aerospace Protectant or Lexol Vinylex. Check out this link: http://www.properautocare.com/rubsealnotru.html
Personally, I use Lexol Vinylex on all my rubber and vinyl/plastic because it is readily available at Pep Boys. It also doesn't give the fake shine that most other products give, and won't smear or attract dust. It is by far the best product I've used for such, but I haven't tried the 303 Protectant.

Dave

PCGuRu2K

iTrader: (34)

At least your trunk will be air tight now.. Now if later on your trunk starts leaking you'll be b!tchn about how come the trunk liner is soo cheap and loose. lol

Bluesbrekr

iTrader: (4)

303

AscendantMax

iTrader: (7)

man, i was about to try armor-all on the seal, good thing i check up on the post . I'll give that 303 stuff a try.

yes my trunk is air-tight right now, and it better not leak any time soon...

optimus1

Use some Zymol Seal, it returns to rubber condition to better than new. They advertise it conditions to the softness of a dog's nose; at first, I thought that this might be too soft or a joke, ... but dam if it ain't true, excellent product.

Maxima-2

iTrader: (8)

Hey Dave where did yo get your info???? That is really interesting to me I live in the north east so I have to deal with all sorts of adverse weather, and Armor all is the best to keep door seals from freezing. Do you think the seals will be ok seeing as how I deal with very little nice hot weather. Sorry bout the long thread whoreing reply!

Dave Holmes

Check the link in my above post. I'm originally from Ohio, so I understand the weather you have. Armor All will keep seals from freezing doors shut, but it will speed up the dry-rotting process. A lot of info on the net about it. A lot of vinyl dressings are silicone based, which is what gives them their fantastic shine. However, the silicone layer acts as a magnifying glass when it comes to the sun's rays. This in turn dries the plasticizers and natural oils in vinyl and rubber faster than normal. Also, silicone attracts dirt, which is not good for the materials, either.
Also note that most door seals are actually not rubber like most people think of. They are EPDM or something like that. That is why they stay so soft and pliable, even in extreme cold. But they are much more fragile. Luckily they aren't normally exposed to lots of sunlight, but ozone deteriorates them, too. And using a silicone based "protectant" on them creates the dirt problem.
I use Lexol Vinylex, and love it. You can read about it in the link, also. I personally haven't tried the 303 Aerospace Protectant, mainly because it isn't readily available in my area without ordering it. I may try it next time I need to buy some because I've heard nothing but great reviews on it.
Generally, the more "shine" a product gives, the more silicone is in it. Also, if it says to use added coats for increased shine, that is just a buildup of silicone giving that effect. Silicone gives a temporary "renewing" effect, but is really speeding up the drying out process. Ever notice how tires treated with silicone products look gray when it is worn off? That's because the carbon black (put in tires as a sunscreen) in the tires is being used up at an accelerated rate from the silicone use.
Lexol and Vinylex both contain strong sunscreens, and re-condition rubber and vinyl, putting back the oils that are naturally lost. They may not shine quite as much as silicone based, but they do a much better job of protecting, and without the greasy, fake plastic type shine. And things stay clean because they don't attract dirt!

Sorry for the long post, but hope this helps someone out from my personal experience.

Dave

Bluesbrekr

iTrader: (4)

While I did not find 303 at any local auto stores, I did find it at a local marine supply store. It's very popular with boaters.