Those pesky shrinking door seals/gaskets

[BennyM]

I know others have done this too, but I thought I'd post some picks of how I fixed my door frame seals/gaskets instead of buying a whole new set.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h132/bennyboym/DSC00056.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h132/bennyboym/DSC00051.jpg

First, I removed the trim pieces on the floor that cover up the gaskets. While down there, I cut each gasket. Then I reshaped them to fit the door frames the way they used to, leaving a 3" to 5" gap (yes that's how much mine had shrunk) at the bottom edge of the door frame.

After that, I went to a junk yard and purchased one gasket for $5, which I then cut into 3" to 5" sections according to the gap on each door. Once I knew everything fit right, I glued the gaskets to the frame and glued the new pieces to the original gaskets. Some of the E46 guys recommended using Liquid Nails Perfect Glue. They said that was the only thing that kept the seals in place long term.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h132/bennyboym/IMG_0626.jpg

I of course replaced the floor trim pieces. And only broke two clips in the process. SWEET!
Finally, my doors seal the way they are supposed to. The car actually seems quieter now.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h132/bennyboym/IMG_0627.jpg

Hopefully this will save some one a lot of money or aggravation.

BennyM

[mzarifkar]

I had a comparable gap like your's
I just loosened the whole thing and redistributed the tension, worked fine.

[shogun]

I also did it like Benny did, added a piece from an old seal, but also possible to add some rubber piece there as most is covered.Like we did it here
http://infinitier.ddo.jp/e32/page/mainte/mainte_051.htm
http://infinitier.ddo.jp/e32/page/mainte/mainte_052.htm
so if you do not have some spare seal, use rubber.
On the E32 there is no need to glue the gaskets, they fit without glue.

[BMWDriver]

Haven't bothered to fill the gap I created under the trim yet. Rubber seems like a good solution.

[Kibokojoe]

Superglue is great on the rubber parts

[shogun]

some more pics

before
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/0-weatherstripping.jpg
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/00-weatherstripping.jpg
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/000-weatherstripping.jpg
tools neded
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/1-box-cutter.jpg
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/2-hacksaw.jpg
Start by gently prying up the plastic trim panel covering the molding at the bottom of the door. Once done, pull up the bottom section of molding, and use the box cutter to make a clean cut right through the middle of the bottom section (roughly abeam the "BMW" in the threshold plate):

http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/3-molding-out.jpg
Now that the molding is "free," work it up and into the corners of the door opening, the way it's supposed to be:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/4-molding-up.jpg
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/5-molding-up.jpg
Once that's done, you should be left with a gap at the bottom of the door. This is your molding shrink factor. Measure this distance:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/6-molding-gap.jpg
Locate your replacement weatherstripping. I recommend using an E34 piece. The profile is the same between the front and rear doors. Interior color does not matter as the colored part will be covered by the door bottom plastic trim. I used weatherstripping from an early E39 with a black interior; it's all they had at the junkyard that day:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/7-new-strip.jpg
Use the box cutter and hacksaw to cut a section the same length as the gap you measured:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/8-cut-piece.jpg
The E39 weatherstripping has a metal channel insert and a slightly more bulbous profile, but it works fine:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/9-cut-piece.jpg
Insert the cut piece in the gap:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/10-cut-piece-in.jpg
Snap the door bottom trim back into place. Note the slight discrepancy in profile between the old and "new" weatherstripping; this lessens with time:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/11-new-molding-in.jpg
Get in your car and stare at the beautiful hitched-up weatherstripping around the doors:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/12-result.jpg
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/13-result.jpg
Hit the rubber with some Gummi-Pflege just to seal the deal:
http://www.boldulysses.com/cars/e34/weatherstripping/14-gummi.jpg
by: boldulysses