The dew wipes on my car are in great condition, and I'm really wanting to keep them that way. Not looking forward to the replacement process, from what I've read it's not fun! Anyway, what products have you guys used to "preserve" the rubber and hopefully keep them from cracking. I did a little Internet research and came up with a couple products that might do the trick. From what I read, the 3M product sounds the best out of these two...

~ 3M™ Marine "One Step" Outdoor Vinyl Cleaner Conditioner and Protector
http://www.autogeek.net/3m-...e-vinyl-cleaner.html

~ STP Son of a Gun and 303 Vinyl protectent
http://www.stp.com/products...of-a-gun-protectant/

Art,

If I am not mistaken (Stu could probably answer this better than me) the dew wipe is made of neoprene or EPDM not vinyl. I will check with my extruder and find out what they recommend as this is a good idea given how they crumble and crack after years in the sun.

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Is your Fastback GT's trunk seal shot? My replacement GT trunk seals are now in production and shipping. $95 + $15 flat rate shipping to the US (contact me for international shipping rates) or buy two and pay only a single shipping rate! More info can be found here GT Trunk Seal Project

Wow, neoprene or EPDM, I would not have guessed that. Yeah, that would be great to see what they recommend.... would love to keep from having to replace them (or at least push it off for several more years, lol).

Thanks
Art

at this time i'm not 100% sure what they are made of exactly, but they are extruded rubber. As with any rubber product vinyl cleaners aren't the best of choice. To clean mine i've always used a bit of tire foam on a rag and give them a good wiping. The first time a lot of oxidized rubber will be left on the rag. After that it won't if they're kept clean.
That's what i do as I'm none to worried about ever replacing them if they get damaged. I'll send my supplier an email asking of their composition so we can find the best cleaner/protectant for them. I know your's are OE but as far as I can tell mine are made of the same material.
From what i do know you do want the best UV protection you can get. So tell the wife for the sake of your dews the garage is yours!

...Armour all ,,STP..all of the products made for this purpose will help,,I use Turtle wax F21 because I purchased it on deep discount,,The secrete ?? use it,,yes do all the rubber components ,,under the front hood/bonnet the trunk seal.. the door seals ..
..the window wipes are exposed to the sun and should be done twice a year,,you can soak a cotton Q- tip in protectant and do the lip underside that curls over the door..
... My car came with a perfect dash,,I did not use a sun shade or apply protectant to the dash while the car spent a year in the sun ,while I fought the demonspirits that had taken up residence,,
UH,oh my dash is brittle now , cracked when I removed speakers
...TIP ,, if you have a section of the rubber seal that needs replaced or is missing,,J.C. Whitney(and others) have general service replacements available cheap, that match good ,, this will do temporary untill you can afford a complete new piece..

quote Originally posted by DIY_Stu: ....... So tell the wife for the sake of your dews the garage is yours!

Now that is funny right there

I should have mentioned that if they are EPDM or neoprene I have used 303 Products for years and it works extremely well on all EPDM and neoprene rubber products.

Thanks Stu

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Is your Fastback GT's trunk seal shot? My replacement GT trunk seals are now in production and shipping. $95 + $15 flat rate shipping to the US (contact me for international shipping rates) or buy two and pay only a single shipping rate! More info can be found here GT Trunk Seal Project

[This message has been edited by infinitewill (edited 05-27-2010).]

Castor oil is supposed to be good for rubber seals, according to this article. It doesn't mention dew wipes, but it should be good for them as well.

quote Originally posted by TopNotch: Castor oil is supposed to be good for rubber seals, according to this article. It doesn't mention dew wipes, but it should be good for them as well.

yes, but it does soften them quite a bit
I prefer simple silicone lube spray. spray on & wipe about.

Let me guess, you have an 84?

I have a set of 84 doors that have nice dew wipes, where my 88 has pretty much none.

Nope, I've got an '86 GT. However, the guy I bought it from lived in OH, never drove it in the winter, and kept it in a garage all the time. Interior dash, seats and rubber are all in great shape. I just want to keep them that way, yet not feel "guilty" if I drive the car to work (where it has to sit outside). This week in MI we've been getting some very hot temps for this early in the summer, so it got me to thinking....

This is what I use on my door and window seals and have been using on the outside of the dews.

http://carolinagreen.com/ecomm/products.asp?cat=88

The ones I make are made from EPDM.


"Glass Seals

The seals on automobile are no longer made from natural rubber. Auto manufacturers use a specialized synthetic material called EPDM, (ethylene propylene diene monomer). Natural rubber or blends that contain rubber cannot endure the direct exposure to ultra violet radiation (UV) and oxidation.

EPDM has extremely poor resistance to solvents and oils. Do not use a cleaner or any chemical product that contains oils or Dimethalsilicone (DMS) usually a clear greasy liquid, which leaves a never-dry gloss film, as most contain petroleum distillate solvents that are that are incompatible with EPDM.

Exterior - For dull or faded seals or window mouldings- remove imbedded white stains in vinyl and rubber mouldings; first wipe the mouldings with a multi-purpose cleaner. P21S Total Auto Wash or 1z Plastik Reiniger (Deep Cleaner) both products are excellent for this task. This removes any wax / polish / silicone debris and dissolves surface stains.

Protection - with 1z einszett Vinyl Rubber Care & Potectant "Tiefenpfleger” provides a temperature-resistant seal and a low-shine matte finish Dust-resistant and retards the fading effects of UV rays to keep exterior ‘rubber’ and vinyl looking like new. Apply with a micro fibre towel or applicator pad and give the trim a quick once over.

Interior - The soft seals around doors, windows, sunroofs, hood and trunk are constantly being flexed and compressed all the while being subjected to a hostile environment. Use a product that contains glycerine (Iz enzett Gummi Pflege or Zymol Seal) a natural plant anti-oxidizing agent, it will prolong the useful life of the seal by restoring the original moisture and resist tearing and sticking

For dull or faded ‘rubber’ (EPDM) seals or window mouldings: along the top edge of the door, where the window enters and exits the door there is a gasket, fully roll down the window and use a micro fibre towel and clean in between the rubber seals on both sided of the window. The inside edge of this gasket is usually felt lined and can/will pick up contaminations (oil / grease) as the window is operated. Be sure to clean the inner gasket edge thoroughly at the same time you're cleaning the guides."


An extract from one of a series of in-depth, unbiased detailing articles © TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2009, all rights reserved.

[This message has been edited by DIY_Stu (edited 05-27-2010).]