Inner and Outer Door Seals - Who Makes the Best

[mluder]

I'm needing some new inner and outer door seals...

Wondering who makes the best and most robust.
Different materials?
Best fitting?

Ready... GO!

Cheers
Steve

[DavidProehl]

I installed DMCH's seals (purchased through MW) last year and have been very happy with them. I needed new seals because my old ones were rubbing on my doors preventing my wings-a-loft system from opening. The new seals don't rub and even after a year of having the doors closed on them they bounce back to the original shape.

[Rich]

Comments here about the Inner Door Seal only:

I'm with David P. I'm partial to the current version of the DMCH item. 2 years after installation they are like new. https://store.delorean.com/p-9440-inner-door-seal.aspx

Details about it are in Post #7 of this thread about inner seals: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?16711

That thread has plenty of other inner seal tips, too.

Keep in mind that about 50% of the inner door seal durability depends on the installation job. A good seal that's not put on right won't last long. Avoid any wiping/interference between the closing door and the seal, especially at the top of the A-pillar. Be sure to get the seal all the way down onto the body tub flange.

[DavidProehl]

I should be clear as well that I only have the DMCH inner seals.

[dmcnc]

I installed DMCH's seals (purchased through MW) last year and have been very happy with them. I needed new seals because my old ones were rubbing on my doors preventing my wings-a-loft system from opening. The new seals don't rub and even after a year of having the doors closed on them they bounce back to the original shape.

^Ditto on this one. Just got mine, and they're perfect! That said, they are a real job to jam in place. Good news is they are very much self gripping, so they're not coming off by accident.

[eight8toy]

I have the DMCH ones, after about one year the outer seals showed terrible cracking. They sent me new ones free of charge but now these are starting to show signs of cracking again. I'll try a different vendor next time.

[David T]

Not all of the Delorean vendors sell the same seal. Some vendors also have them in different heights. Some Deloreans (especially the early ones) need "different" seals other than the "standard" ones. The area at the top of the door in the front takes the most beating because the seal slides rather than gets compressed. Plenty of silicone spray helps but eventually that area goes first. A lot of times the anchor pins get adjusted to try to keep old seals going by squishing them more. Although it works for a while, when you finally change the seals and put the new ones in you can't get the doors closed till you readjust the pins. Like adjusting the torsion bars to help old struts, it is a patch when you really should be replacing parts. At least once a year you should clean the doors and wipe the area the seals touch the doors with silicone and wipe the seals with silicone to keep them supple and lasting longer. Consider the door seals and struts wearable items and every so many years they get replaced.

[r00b]

I've always had my seal destroyed at that dreaded corner. I think it was around 2015 I got some new seals from DPI, they were destroyed in the same spot by the next day. I left it like that for years but finally decided to try something new. I remember someone added sealing foam to the door and used a rubber edging around the door opening but I couldn't find that thread.

I found a silicone seal, based on the measurements it was smaller but I thought I could still make it work.
This is what I used, I ordered 10 meters and had about half a door opening left over
https://www.plprofiles.com/silicone-edge-trim/1175-edge-trim-1-4mm-black-silicone.html

The silicone is more tear resistant and stiffer compared to the rubber seals and they look great on the car, there is no rippling or dimpling of the seal around the door opening. My passenger side roof door gap is large enough to fit a finger in so I could see the seal is pressed against the top of the door with no gap. Going down the A pillar there is a gap, I'm going to attach a clear silicone strip to the inside of the door to take up the gap. On the drivers side on the upper section of the A pillar, the door would grab the seal and fold it over and the rest of the door forces it over as it closes. It looks like that is why my old seals were getting torn. I opened and closed the door sever times that day checking the fit and the silicon seal suffered no damage from being folded over, the next day I rubbed some silicone spray on the area that gets grabbed and it stopped folding the seal over. I did try silicone spray on my rubber seal when I installed it and it still got destroyed.
https://www.plprofiles.com/1944-thickbox_default/edge-trim-1-4mm-black-silicone.jpg

[Hill Valley PD]

I have the DMCH ones on mine installed around 2012. They are perfect sill except the driver's side has a small tear at the corner of the windshield. My passenger side is starting to tear in the same spot as as well. Apparently, they have newer designed ones now. Silicone spray helps this issue, but if you aren't careful, you'll get it on your clothes getting in and out. Unless it really bugs you or is leaking, I'd leave it alone. I have heard doors may need adjustment after installing new seals as well.