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Author Topic: DEW WIPE REPLACEMENT  (Read 17073 times)

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JORAMA57

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DEW WIPE REPLACEMENT
« on: January 10, 2014, 06:21:21 pm »
First, Happy New Year to all!

I was able to secure a set of OEM outer dew wipe strips for my 88 GT and they are on their way. Now I will be starting to tear up the door panels and at the same time tighten, grease and clean both inner doors. I ordered from autogeek their glass polish since there is scoring due to old dry dew wipes and also have ordered the special screw driver and ss screws to replace the old ones.

My concern is the how to get the gob done.

Any feed back will be greatly appreciated and I will post follow up of my progress.

Thanks in advance and Cheers.  ;)

Jorama57

Fierofool

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Re: DEW WIPE REPLACEMENT
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2014, 08:13:11 pm »
Rafael, I'll give an outline on the dew wipe replacement.  If you don't have one, get a door panel removal tool like the one shown in this link.
http://fierostore.com/Product/Detail.aspx?s=52822&d=263&p=2
The panel is held on by fasteners like the ones shown on that page, too.

Remove the 2 rubber pieces at either end of the top of the door.  Careful not to loose the little plastic washers underneath the screws.  They help protect the rubber when tightening.

Remove the triangular piece at the top of the armrest/door pull and remove the large phillips head screw behind it and the two similar screws underneath the armrest.

Look behind the inside door handle and you'll see a round button.  Remove it and remove the screw.

Using a small flat blade screwdriver, working at the top and at a 45 degree angle, insert the screwdriver into the top of the Pegasus logo on the handle trim.  Pry the Pegasus logo out and remove the screw behind it.

Now, you'll have to slide the thumb lock forward and lift the rear of it off the lock rod.  It just snaps on at the back edge.  Maneuver the trim plate off the door release handle.

Using the panel removal tool, insert it a few inches forward of the rear corner, then slide it back toward the corner.  Using it as a feeler, you can feel the corner fastener.  Back the tool out enough that you can reposition it with the fastener within the split of the tool.  Pry to pull the umbrella fastener out of the door panel.  Note that this fastener has the tip removed for clearance inside the door.  The others don't.

Use the same procedure as you work around the door panel, locating and prying the remaining fasteners.  There are two at the top that are located somewhat inboard from the edge.  If you pull the panel loose without using the tool, you may pull the stamped metal pieces out of the door panel.  You really don't want to do this, so be careful.  You can tip the bottom of the panel out slightly to visually locate those two.

Once the panel is removed, you can carefully pull the weather shield and black adhesive away from the door.  Try to keep the adhesive attached to the weather shield. 

Pay attention to the routing of the wires for the power mirrors or the cable for the drivers manual operated mirror.  Replacing it incorrectly can cause it to interfere with the movement of the window.

Using a 10mm, remove the nuts from the mirror mounting studs.  If you drop those, you can get them out with a magnetic pickup.  Sometimes the studs also come out.  You can separate the nut and stud once you have them out of the car. 

Remove the phillips head screws across the top of the door and lift off the inner dew wipe hold down and the inner dew wipe. 

Scribe around the two nuts for the inner felt pads .  Loosen the nuts but don't remove them.  I hear the pads are a real bugger to get back in place.  Loosening the pads aids in tipping the window inward for clearance.

Lower the window and using a box knife, cut away all the rubber on the outer dew wipe.  It makes access to the screws much easier.  The new wipes are flexible and don't present much problem.

Remove the dew wipe screws that you can access with the window down.  Since you have new screws, don't worry much about dropping the old ones.  However, I insert a magnetic pickup just below the screw I'm working with, just in case I drop one and need a replacement.  They're near impossible to recover if they fall into the door.  They seem to find the tiniest little hiding places.

Now, raise the window and tip it in and using a wood wedge or your finger tip, insert the dew wipe tool and put pressure against the tool to keep it from stripping the head of the screws.  Remove them.   Remove the old dew wipe.

Reverse the operation but use a little of that black junk from the weather shield adhesive on the tip of the dew wipe tool to hold the screws on the tool until you get them started. 

Roger has given directions for lubing the inside of the door in another thread.  Something I've never done.  You can find it with a little search.  I think it was for pgackerman's questions. 
There are three kinds of men:

1.    The ones that learn by reading.
2.    The few who learn by observation.
3.    The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.    Will Rogers

JORAMA57

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Re: DEW WIPE REPLACEMENT
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2014, 06:56:02 pm »
Well, just to report that the "DEW WIPE" replacement is now completed and with fantastic results.

First thing to address is the dreaded "two screws". It sure was just a little challenging but I figure a easier way (for me that is) to remove them. I cut the old strip and used them as leverage to loos them up and then used a 45 degree pliers  and a phillips head secured by locking pliers to remove the screws. Then I used 2 hex stainless steel screws to secure the strip.

I took advantage and greased all the tracks and it made a huge difference on the travel up and down of the window.

A glass polishing compound from "The Eastwood" company removed all the surface scratches and helped some with the deep scoring due to the old dew wipe felt pads. Very messy process but worth it, the glass now has the factory shine, no old oxidation at all.

And finally, I had the side mirror housings blasted and powder coated, they came out beautiful.

The overall appearance it is amazing. The side view of the car changed completely and it looks fresh and clean.

Well worth the money and the time spent doing it.