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Noisy door seals...SOLVED!!!

25K views 28 replies 17 participants last post by  stevieland58 
#1 ·
The answer is McLube SailKote!

http://www.mclubemarine.com/sailkote/

With the caveat that it's only been two weeks since I applied the fix, so far it has completely eliminated the squeaky / creaky door seals that afflict the E39.

Before this I'd tried everything: silicone, Gummipfledge, silicon remover and then Carboflo (at 2 gold bricks per fluid oz), waxing the metal where the seals contact, using Klasse on the metal, etc.

These either didn't work or, in the case of CarboFlo, didn't work for long and yes I removed every last trace of silicone before applying.

SailKote is a waterproof, dry lubricant that you can find on pretty much every sailboat on the water including mine. It's great for any kind of plastic/metal or plastic/plastic contact, including cloth and other porous materials (like sails...or fuzzy E39 door seals). And it's cheap! I imagine that a $15 16oz can would last pretty much the life of the car. There's no buildup of crap, it doesn't attract dirt, lasts a long time and is, of course, waterproof. Get it at any West Marine or from their website.

Application is easy: just spray along the fuzzy part of the doorseals, let dry for a few minutes and you're done. Now I'm just waiting to see how long one application lasts but if how it works on the boat is any indicator, it should be awhile.

Here's the info from the website. Give it a try, I'm curious to know if it works for you as it has for me!

"Sailkote is the easy to apply high-tech, high performance dry lubricant that makes sails, hulls, rigging, deck hardware, and anything that moves on your boat run smoother, work more efficiently and last longer than you ever thought possible.

Team McLube Sailkote is the only dry lubricant currently available that has been specifically designed for marine use. Sailkote is a translucent liquid that sprays or wipes on and completely dries in seconds. So, unlike oils, silicones, and waxes, it will never attract dirt, water and contaminants that eventually degrade lubrication performance.

"World class" sailors across the globe from maxi-racers to sailboarders are enjoying the benefits of Sailkote's advanced dry lubrication technology. The same dry lubricant technology that has been developed for, and race proven by America's Cup Teams, Olympics Medalists, and One Design World Champions.

Discover the difference Sailkote can make in your sailing performance and enjoyment. Examine the cruising and racing applications pages for complete application information and important performance enhancement tips. Just as the sailors of nearly every America's Cup syndicate have discovered, no boat should be sailing without the benefit of Sailkote.

It dries quickly to a hard, smooth, ultra-slick, hydrophobic dry coating that bonds tenaciously to almost any surface. And because Sailkote is a dry lubricant, it will not attract dirt or contaminants and will not transfer to other surfaces, or you.

Sailkote is typically five times as effective, and lasts much longer than, wax, oil or Teflon® based lubricants."
 
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#2 ·
Thanks for the tip. I have traced the majority of creaking on my car to the rubber seal on the forward portion of the rear doors, where they meet the front door. If that is kept well lubed with gummifledge (the Einszett/Wurth/Autosol brands) or plain old glycerin purchased at any pharmacy. I reapply every couple months.
 
#5 ·
I have been giving this some thought and also did a little investigation as to way our doors creak, tic and moan. It appears that most of us attack the problem of our noisy doors from the standpoint of the rubber. I myself use BMW's replacement for Gummi Pledge on my rubber trim so it is soft and in good condition. However, I still get excessive noise from my door seals. I realized that we are all missing an important element to solve this problem. The rubber seals touch the car body and the car body in the door jams are very clean - at least mine are. Rubber against squeaky clean will make a lot of noise. Ever hear basketball shoes on a clean floor?

My solution was to use a cleaner wax like Klasse AIO and Klasse Sealant Glaze to make the contact points along the body as smooth and slippery as possible. Anyplace where the body comes in contact with the rubber trim - I waxed it. Last night I took my car over a bumpy road around my house and wallah! The noise is gone!
 
#7 · (Edited)
Interesting...the BMW technical bulletins I have read say to do the opposite..no wax. And to keep the painted surface absolutely clean...before applying the now recommended Carboflo lubricant to the felts, they say to clean both the painted surface and the rubber felts with denatured alcohol.

I recall the service manager at my local dealer said that waxing the door jams was a temporary fix and they had better, longer term luck with Carboflo or the gummifledge stuff.
 
#8 ·
Might go swing by West Marine and pick some up to try...my seals aren't terrible if I use Gummipflege regularly, but my mother's E46 is almost undriveable for me...
 
#9 ·
Yet another E39 quirk.... I've got it also. The longer I own my E39, and the more I read this forum, the more I find out how many oddities the vehicles have. The ultimate driving machine is also the ultimate PITA at times.
 
#11 ·
Not sure if I should use this thread or another.... I do not have the squeaky/creaky problem but I do get noise from my door seals, I think.

I hear a low frequency "rumble" from my door. It is kind of like a microphone without a windscreen. I hear it mostly at highway speeds and especially when there is a crosswind. From the outside the seal appears to be lined up well. Everything appears to be tight. I have only ever been in the driver's seat so I am not sure how prevalent the noise is. Is this normal or should I be looking for a remedy?
 
#12 ·
Not sure if I should use this thread or another.... I do not have the squeaky/creaky problem but I do get noise from my door seals, I think.

I hear a low frequency "rumble" from my door. It is kind of like a microphone without a windscreen. I hear it mostly at highway speeds and especially when there is a crosswind. From the outside the seal appears to be lined up well. Everything appears to be tight. I have only ever been in the driver's seat so I am not sure how prevalent the noise is. Is this normal or should I be looking for a remedy?
You sure it's the door and not missing jack points underneath the car? Some folks say that missing any of those little rubber squares causes underbody noise much like that you are describing.
 
#21 ·
I will tell you what solved my creaking squeeky door problem:
The hot weather.. Since it got warm, the car is much quieter.

Thanks for the tips though. I will give some thought to doing one or more of these fixes.
+1 Quieted right down with the heat. Winter is noisy time
 
#16 ·
I bought the Sail Kote and applied it to the flocked seals...it seemed better immediately but I'll have to check back. I'm still using Gummipflege on the smooth seals.
 
#17 ·
FYI, Sail-Kote is currently on SALE at all West Marine stores through the July 4th holiday weekend. 6oz spray can is $8.49, normally $9.99. Similar savings on the larger size can too.
 
#19 ·
#22 ·
Update: Noticed some return of the door seal squeak / creak so I reapplied Sailkote yesterday. First application was June 1 so it lasted nearly three months. Reapplied in 30 seconds and all is quiet again.

Finding a good way to take care of this problem is a huge relief.

Now i just have to figure out where those spots of oil in the driveway are coming from...
 
#25 ·
great thread, and thanks for the find hdco. The creeking and squeeking mainly on the drivers side door for me, was irritating the hell out of me. I went to my local marina yesterday and did not find the sailkote, but crc dry lube which is basically the same thing. can was 8 bucks and I sprayed it on the metal where any rubber seal hits around the doors, also the door hinge and latch, and the plastic latches at the bottom of the doors.....the creek n squeak is finally gone.:thumbup:
 
#27 ·
Should not need to completely remove it. SailKote comes with an extension nozzle. You can simply "unsnap" the retention clips around the sides and bottom in order to acess most of the inner door panel to spray. If you must get the top of the door sill, then you will need to remove it completely.
 
#28 ·
Gummi didn't work for me. I did use baby oil and oiled EVERYTHING. The soft felt, everything black and everywhere the black made contact with the car, all the metal body. Also rolled down all the windows and everything rubber was oiled as well. Speaks gone. To tighten up the doors you can use velco strips, the soft side. Buy at walmart and get the black industrial velcro that has adhesive on the back side and wrap the door jams for a tight fit.
 
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