Help with my rubber
 

I spent my Sunday trying to replace the rubber side trim strips that run along the car under the door. I assume that there is some knack/easy trick to replacing these that I don't know about, as I gave up in frustration with aching and cramped fingers after a few hours trying to pry these things back onto the metal rail. Soap sprayed on just makes everything slippy, rope (used as in windshield replacement) seemed like a bad idea (I tried it anyway--no success). Brute force was no help this time . Pry bars were briefly considered at one point,:mad: but then I calmed down.
I'm sure someone out there knows a trick or two and I would appreciate the advice.

Yes, there are two tricks I found .... basically one is pushing the trim onto the rail from the end and the other method is use the screw driver to guide the bottom of the trim into the bottom rail

I installed new trim on Friday, took me about 10 minutes. I put some silicon oil on the rail top and bottom and then push the trim onto the rails starting at the rear tire side - kinda pushing it all the way down the side of the car.

The other side jammed up on me and i didnt want to fight the slick oil anymore so I installed about 6 inches on the front wheel side and bent the trim back, placed a phillips head screw driver in the lower part of the trim (on the back side) and use the screw drive to fold the trim edge into the body rail. Once I got going it went very quickly.

I know its very hard to visualize what I described.

10 minutes???? You da man!

The screw driver trick sounds like a winner, so much better than grunting and cursing. (Although sometimes that helps.)

Thanks Steve

i had this problem also but like Steve said the easiest way is to insert it from one and and push it all the way in, i used a lubricant in the ruber and the rail and it went on really easy best regards

Practice on a banana first....

And make certain that only a water-based lubricant is used! :D

LOL, not THE man

The screw driver trick is the way to go. On the drivers side I held the rubber with left hand, in a "u" shape, with about 6" already on at front tire end. Then with the screw driver inserted into the trim piece channel (bottom channel of trim piece that goes in the bottom rail on the door) simultaneously pushed the rubber in to the channel and sled the crew driver down the rubber.

And you gotta hold your tongue right ;)

Make sense?

Lube and slide. Worked for her......i mean me.

I've had good success with talcum powder as "lube". It doesn't make the entire strip slippery.

I have used K-Y "Personal Lubricant" for an number of comparable things and I think it is the way to go. It is very slippery, then it dries, unlike other lubricants mentioned here which will stay slippery with possible unwanted consequences.

Hey I know you love your car but ..... LMAO

Yup, Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Thanks all.
Everyone was very helpful (and some even had good ideas):D