How to Install a Trunk Seal

A worn-out trunk seal let's water into the gutter area around the seal and can rust out the groove around your trunk. Or even worse, let water into the trunk floor itself. The solution is easy: replace your old seal with a quality, easy to install SuperCar Specialty trunk weatherstrip. To properly seal your car, you need quality parts, like we sell at SuperCar Specialty, and a correct installation. Time spent carefully following these instructions will help you achieve the "like new" results you're after!

General Hints:
1. Take your time! Hurrying, especially when working with adhesives, can cause you to damage your seals. Regarding adhesives, we recommend either Permatex or 3M Black Super Weathersrip Adhesive. They are body oem strength, and the black color is much more forgiving if you happen to get any of it on you or your car.
2. Check your packaging and invoice to confirm that the seal you are about to install is for your year, make, and model car.
3. Confirm that the seal will fit into the groove around your trunk edge.
4. Make note of how your old seal is installed, and the direction the edge is facing.
5. Have you removed your trunk lid during restoration? If so, make sure that it is re-installed to factory gap specs.

A) Preparation:
Remove the old strip, in one piece if possible. Pull the rubber away from the channel, using a release agent to remove old glue if necessary. Clean and scrape the channel with a small wire brush, using masking tape to avoid scratching any surfaces.

B) Cleaning:
Clean the entire channel surface in the trunk edge. Remaining seal pieces or other debris can make the seal "stick out" further than it should, possibly causing the trunk lid to close harder than normal.

C) Direction Is Important:
Proper trunk seal function depends on correct installation (Figure 9A). Do not use your old flattened strip as a guide. Before beginning, read the instructions entirely. The new seal does not need to match the old seal's profile exactly, because new sponge rubber is very forgiving in case of a slight variation. But, it is VERY important that the upper seal edge faces the right direction! The upper seal lip should always face toward the OUTSIDE of the trunk. If the seal is installed backwards, it will fit the channel, but will not seal.

C) Adhesive Bead:
Check your trunk lid alignment and then run a bead of adhesive inside the groove as you install the strip.

D) Install Weatherstrip:
Start at the center above the lock cylinder and begin to insert your new weatherstrip. Run a bead of adhesive inside the groove ahead of the seal as you work your way around the opening. Make sure both inside and outside edges of the seal are tight and sealed.

D) Finish Installing:
Once you work your way around the trunk, you will have an overlapping end. Carefully cut the ends squarely to match together, allowing a 1/4 inch to overlap. At this seam, apply adhesive to the trunk channel and a small amount to the ends of the strip. Hold the ends together for a moment and then insert. Close your trunk and open it, making sure no glue oozes out and shows. Wipe up any excess glue immediately.

F) Finally:
Let the adhesive fully dry before shutting your trunk lid. If you accidentally tear the weatherstrip while installing it, SuperGlue can be used to repair the tear.

G) Afterwards: The trunk weatherstrip will gradually form itselt to the trunk lid. This usually takes about 1 week. Your trunk may close harder than usual until this forming is completed.

All sealed, job done!