Rear window trim
 

The black aluminum insert in my rear window rubber is sticking out along an area about 3" long, and I can't get it to go back in place. I've read the threads about how difficult the rear window is to remove and replace and this seems to be the only way to get the trim back in place. Would there be any harm in just removing it, ie: does it do anything to hold the rubber in place or is it purely decorative? The car is black and the rubber and trim are black, so I think anyone would be hard-pressed to notice that it wasn't there. I figure it could be re-installed if the window ever had to come out for another reason.

Thanks,

Dave

It's purely decorative.

Stephan

a straight section should be doable.. a curved end may not be doable.. the trim is part of the rubber gasket attaching mechanics.

Uh, "the rubber gasket attaching mechanics"? Do you mean it doesn't attach--fit, secure, stay in place--without the trim? Doesn't seem to make any difference with mine...

Stephan

If you do pull it off...I may be interested in the trim....

Steve. I don't have hard info now.. it's always been the "common knowledge" w/ the metal insert..

and I don't have any % info on loss off gasket effects..

maybe try some speed with the molding off and the windows open and see if the window blows out?
If it doesn't then maybe it's not necessary? huh.........Ron

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The aluminum trim is more than decorative. The seal is designed with a groove in it for this trim. Without the trim in the groove pushing the rubber out it will not hold to the windshield nor the car body as well as it should. I would not trust a window at speed with out the trim in place. If the section that has come out is straight it can be pounded (carefully) in with a soft hammer and a block of wood. Have someone inside the car pushing up on the area being pounded to pre-load the glass. If the section is around one of the curves you are out of luck. Pulling the glass and replacing the seal is required. Replacing the rear glass is actually not as hard as it seems, just takes a bit of patience. I re-installed the rear glass in my car about a month ago and can give some advise if you are interested.
-brad

A technique that has worked for me is to take a putty knife and place the edge parallel to the trim in the area that is coming out. Press straight down into the gasket and then roll the knife over the trim while maintaining the pressure on the gasket. This has a two fold effect. One is that the knife pushes the gasket outward away from the trim and two when the knife rolls over on the trim it pushes it down into the gasket.

Again this is only for straight sections. Corners can't be done with this technique.

Thanks for the info and tips, guys. I think I'll try to work it back in first. Just looks like crap the way it is.

OK, weird deal! I started to work the trim piece back in and discovered that it's a second piece installed on top of what looks like the original piece! I tapped on the piece underneath and it's definitely metal. So I carefully worked the loose piece out, although it did snap in two places. The original one looks fine and it was only done this way on one side of the window. WTF?

I can't imagine how you could put one piece on top another. Do you have a picture?

Not any more - it's gone. It was barely tucked under the edges of the rubber.

Nice thing about 89 cars is the did away with that trim completely and use the 964 gaskets. Strange all the little quirks these cars have.