Kia Sportage weatherstip rocks!

[kjphilippona]

Darrel, excuse me for my total stupidity i did not realize that KIA only makes one vehicle the Sportage and that all the w/s is the same.

[Darrel]

sorry, didn't mean to be so short. But the years discussed for the kia sportage work well for all the s30 chassis. Maybe Kia used the same on all or most of their cars, I don't know. You can check the pics I put up regarding the profiles and measure those against the profiles your company makes.

Hopefully if you find the right profile you could ask about bulk material to sell.

If I understand the manufacturing process correctly, the reinforcement metal is put in a mold and the weatherip is injected around it imbedding the reinforcement ring?

Or is it run in one continuos length, cut and 'welded" together?

[kjphilippona]

We inject two types of rubber sponge ( makes the soft part ) and solid ( makes the half moon stiff part or lip ) they are injected into an extruder along with the steel, it is really amazing to watch. The steel comes in huge rolls and are welded together when one runs out. We cut them to a set length and then they are joined together in a mold press using a small piece on joint rubber. These do no have degree joint, we also import from Korea to be repackaged and shipped to KIA and Hyundai 3 or 4 body side profiles that have 90 degree joints that i might try.

[Darrel]

ok, so it's an extruded process. Just as I thought on the bend for the corner, it was bent on installation and not factory corner.

So if you were to get the correct profile you could sell it in set lengths that will fit prefect in the s30 openings. Maybe even weld the ends together at 90 deg just like if it came from the factory.

Do i smell a group buy? Unless the profile is proprietary.

[Jetaway]

Thanks for the tip on Kia Sportage Door Sea!

Our local yard had a Sportage just sitting there and I pulled out the front pair for a grand total of $10.00. Much better fit -- not only does the door close easier, but much less wind noise and draft than the seal or unknown origin that was installed shortly before I bought my 240Z almost two years ago. To install, I rubbed the metal lip with rubbing alcohol (to clean it) and cut duct tape into strips about 3/8 inch wide. I folded the tape over the lip just to give the seal a bit more to latch onto.

I'm not sure whether I am missing a part or not (see photo "Quarter Window Before") but there was still a bit of noise from the rear of the door. So I took some cheap self-adhesive foam weatherstripping ("The Foam") and laid it in under the seal (see "Quarter Window After"). Even better, that eliminated an annoying whistling sound from the top rear of the door / frame intersection. Not sure how long the foam will last, but at $3.00 / roll and a five minute install job, I can put up with replacing it every six months, if need be.

Chris

[Darrel]

Looks like you figured out how to attach pics.

When using used weatherstrip, make sure you squeeze the weatherstrip together so it will fit snug over the lip. I think that was mentioned either in this thread or the one on hybridz.

I still need to take my car out to check for noise.

[Inf]

Glad this thread popped up, I am in need of some new door seals.

Jetaway, that foam strip you used looks like the open cell stuff I've seen at Ace - are you concerned about it becoming a moisture trap?

[Jetaway]

Glad this thread popped up, I am in need of some new door seals.

Jetaway, that foam strip you used looks like the open cell stuff I've seen at Ace - are you concerned about it becoming a moisture trap?

While not bought at ACE, probably the same stuff. Hadn't thought about it being a moisture trap. I'll keep an eye on it, but I'm not that worried as: 1) its pretty well protected from the elements; 2) by the time May rolls around, nothing traps moisture here. Besides, if it does behave badly, we're talking two minutes, tops, to pull it out and press the seal back in place.

Chris

[rjracin240]

$5.00 for a set of Kia Sportage seals at the pick n pull in Daytona this weekend and probably one of the most funniest sights ever seen at the wrecking yard...... a older lady walking through the yard in a skirt with blue leopard spotted high heel stilleto's wish I had my camera!!!!

Any one have suggestions on what glue to use to fuse the corner together after cutting it at a 90 degree????

[Darrel]

It should still work with the radius bend, just start at the corner and push it in tight as you can. Don't forget to pinch the weatherstrip together so it will fit around the channel better.

[rv6aflyer]

Scored the weatherstipping from both doors off a 2002 Sportage. Tried several yards on Monday, two of which had no Sportages while the 3rd quoted $25 per side and I'd have to wait a half hour before somebody could go out in the yard with me. Yesterday, I went to the U-Pull-It yard in Arlington. Compared to the other yards where you are walking through a mud mine field, this yard was paved and pretty clean. Clerk said they had one Sportage but it was pretty stripped. Decided to take a look for the $1 entry fee. Both sides were still on the vehicle and in good shape so off they came. Went to pay for it and asked them how special they thought the weatherstripping was. The clerk quoted $1.50 a foot, looked at the pile in my hands, and said 5 feet! I wasn't going to argue. Checked a bit later and the two together add up to close to 20 feet. So with tax and the entry fee, $9.15!

Edited February 10, 2010 by rv6aflyer

[zKars]

I finally got around to trying the Kia weatherstrip on the doors while assembly the old girl after her fresh paint.

It is likely THE best thing I have ever used for weatherstrip. Slips right on, nice and snug, even before pinching it. Fitting the corners is easy, just push it snug. There are no pre-formed corners, so it goes on with no issue no matter where you start it.

There is one section of the weather strip that has about 6 inches of stuffing inside the bulb, its marked with a white dot. I put that in the corner. Could be anywhere, but that gave it extra body as I "made" it fit the corner.

Now the real payoff. I'm also doing the hatch weatherstrip too so I couldn't resist trying the Kia strip on it. Not gonna fit, right? Read on.

First I took a 6 inch section that I had cut out of the door and pressed it on the hatch lip. Even though that lip has that 1/8" or so turned up lip, it fit right over! The slot is plenty wide. I closed the hatch and looked from the inside to check the fit. The bulb compresses perfectly about 3/4 of its thickness. (pic below).

Now you know I had to try the whole hatch lip. With the hatch on the car! Try this with the "real" weather strip that has to be glued! Only crazy people try that!

I had only done the passenger side at this point, so I had the un-cut driver side (not that they're any different) to try out. No way its large enough for the whole hatch but I started anyway, had to see how it fit around the top part by the hinge!

Well, after getting it almost all the way around, I realized it IS long enough for the entire hatch PLUS about a foot!

I left it long around the strut, and closed the hatch. Perfect! Closes just about as easy with the weatherstrip as without! And no nasty hatch sticky-uppy! Picks of the fit below.

Now the only remaining issue I can think of is water sealing. Wouldn't surprise me if it sealed just fine without glue, but we'll see. Make sure you have the outer weatherstrip in place properly glued on to deflect all the water down the drip channel to the back.

So there. I'm calling the Precision aftermarket weatherstrip, that too thick, makes our doors stick out, slamming until the glass breaks, crap officially DEAD!

Go get yourself some! Part number attached.

Jim

Edited April 6, 2010 by zKars