Door Seal Retainer issue

[Janet]

DOOR SEAL RETAINER 52C170B.jpg

We have a '52 170B and are in the process of installing Aircraft Door Seals, cabin door seals, which are supposed to install with glue flat onto the door frame flange. However, it turns out there is a retainer strip with sharp triangular teeth riveted all around each door frame. See attached photo. Has anyone else run into this issue and if so, what was your solution/recommendation? Thank you.

[Ryan Smith]

Interested to see what you come up with Janet. My family used to own Zenda's 170 that you flew a few weeks ago, and the door seals on it are in very bad shape as well.

[lowNslow]

I've not seen those toothed strips on the doors before. They usually used to secure the headliner. Where these added for some kind of mod?

[bagarre]

Mine has them too. It's the original way the door seals were held on.
When I re-do my doors, I plan to remove those strips and simply glue the seals on.

[Janet]

Thank you for the replies. I was not sure if this type of retainer strip was original or a mod. We are considering removing them and gluing the seal flat to the door flange as mentioned below.

[GAHorn]

The weatherstrip retainer was used on the early A models and prior. It's not needed when the later (better) weatherseals are used.
The best material I can recommend is shaped like a "P" with a 3/8" loop. (Brown Aircraft Supply PN T-1025 It is sold by the ft so measure how much you desire before calling.) Glue it with 3M 1300L.
Mask off the area, paint the 1300L the cleaned surface and let it dry. Paint it on the adhering surface of the weather strip and let it dry. Reactivate the 1300L with MEK as you go along placing the weatherstrip in place. Lay the "flat" portion of the P-seal along the inside curve, allowing the open portion to contact the cabin doorframe. Make certain the open ends are at the bottom of the door to allow drainage.

Brown Aircraft Supply
4123 Muncy Rd
Jacksonville, FL 32207
(904) 396-6655

[Ryan Smith]

The weatherstrip retainer was used on the early A models and prior. It's not needed when the later (better) weatherseals are used.
The best material I can recommend is shaped like a "P" with a 3/8" loop. (Brown Aircraft Supply PN T-1025 It is sold by the ft so measure how much you desire before calling.) Glue it with 3M 1300L.
Mask off the area, paint the 1300L the cleaned surface and let it dry. Paint it on the adhering surface of the weather strip and let it dry. Reactivate the 1300L with MEK as you go along placing the weatherstrip in place. Lay the "flat" portion of the P-seal along the inside curve, allowing the open portion to contact the cabin doorframe. Make certain the open ends are at the bottom of the door to allow drainage.

Brown Aircraft Supply
4123 Muncy Rd
Jacksonville, FL 32207
(904) 396-6655

I guess there were some leftover parts, because my family's airplane (S/N 20408) and Janet's airplane (20538) are both B models, granted in the earlier portion of the production run in 1952. I can all but guarantee the doors on my family's airplane have never been replaced at any point during the airplane's life.

[GAHorn]

At this point in time there's simply no way of knowing if doors have been replaced (they were/are frequently damaged by leaving them open). There is simply no standard by which anything can be categorically stated to be true about these sort of things. I made my comment based upon the IPC... itself a questionable document.

[bagarre]

It's probably just another IPC mixup as the 1952 is sort of an A model with B wings (among some other changes).

Mine is 20633 and the other one I just bought is slightly newer than that. - both have the clips.
The door seal that George mentioned is considered the best option but check your gap around with the door closed. Mine is so uneven I'd have gaps in some places and too tight in others if I used that door seal. Leaks like a sieve.

My solution was the light foam from HomeDepot and some creative trimming. Be sure to do your own burn tests and make sure your IA is OK with it.

[Janet]

Thank you all very much for the valuable information, some of which includes part numbers and detail instructions & also historical insight. An excellent website/group and the knowledge gained is priceless. I'll post a photo of a finished door, hopefully soon.

[Kim Purcell]

I have an A model and just replaced my door seals, I also have the metal retainers which I decided to keep. I gently opened each one when removing the old seal, cleaned and repainted. I used the recomended "P" material as well as 1300L then folded the retainers back in place. I'm sure it would be much easier to just remove the retainers but I tend to not take the easier route, drives my husband nuts