rear barn door leak -- anyone win?

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branndon_b

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has anyone successfully fixed their rear barn door leak? i just got some weatherstripping in yesterday (6pc kit from late model restoration) -- the 4 doors and the 2 pieces for the surround and between the barn doors. i've read some of the nightmares of people going back to the dealer and having doors adjusted, weatherstripping changed out several times, etc., and still having leaks. anyhow, i haven't changed it out yet, gonna do it this weekend i believe and finish my soundproofing and new carpet. (that's a job!) just fishing to see if anyone's had much luck fixing that, and wondering what my chances are to fix my rear door leak. thanks. branndon
 

badtothe bone

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Hello Brandon B.

The question should not be - how to stop it from leaking, but why does it leak.

If you make friends with the people who works at your local Chevrolet / GMC dealership, you can usually go to their service dept and ask the technicians - what causes that problem to occure and what do I have to do to fix it.

As I spend most of my time explaining, the cure is not always the cause.

I will give you a very good example here. When discussing problems with a Chevy Truck, I use my brother Toms '02 Avalanche as a example.
The reason why I use that vehicle as a example is because everything that could go wrong with a vehicle - went wrong on that truck.
By my own admission - that was one truck that should have been recalled and scrapped by the PA Lemon Law. It was worse then a 1960 - 70's model Harley Davidson - AMF, where you had to have someone follow you down the road with a bushel basket to pick up the pieces that fell off while you drove it.

One of the problems we had was a wet carpet on the drivers side front in the wintertime. Living in Pennsylvania, your first thought might be that you came into the vehicle with your boots all covered with snow and that as the heater melted the snow the carpet got wet. Then as the interior got warm, the water started to evaporate and the windows got fogged up.

What you don't realize is that it was built in Mexico by Mexican's that worked for $17 a day and a bowl of Co Co puffs, and did not speak english and was damn glad to get $17 a day and a bowl of Co Co Puffs.

Some places, they put too much seam sealer - such as back in the C Pillar and the water would accumulate and would run out of the C Pillar when you hit the brakes and would run under the door sill plate and would stop under the carpet on the drivers side. Or - where they did not put enough seam sealer, such as above the parking brake cable, the water just ran into the cab when it rained or snowed and the floor got wet.

Either way, it was just a real crappy design, and the quality control was not there and so the problems just kept coming up. The Chevrolet garage knew that there was a problem with some models, but that GM was broke and they did not want to pay to fix every model with the problem so they just kept their mouths shut and declaired bankruptcy and walked away from all the junk they made. At the same time, I just got rid of that 02 and the rocker panels were already rusted out behind the passenger side doors. That is pityful. Especially when you consider - that I washed that vehicle several times a week and took better care of that vehcle then most people do of their own house.

My guess is that if you take off some of the plastic coverings that goes over the back panels around the rear windows of the vehicle, you will find the leak. I read several articles on that subject for your model of vehicle. Maybe some kind hearted individual in the garage will go as far as to tell you where to look.

I doubt if it has anything to do physically with the door seals, because you would have a whistle if they leaked and not just water on the floor.
 

MUDDER TRUCKER

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i fixed mine, it was the triangle foam seal on the top of the door its self. it was the pass side barn door. open it and look at the top of the door. its held in by push pins. this is on my 95hoe. not sure what year u have. hope it helps
 
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branndon_b

branndon_b

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yeah, i got the 6 piece set, the 4 doors and the one surrounding the barn doors and the piece that i think MUDDER TRUCKER was referring to, the piece that seals the doors to one another. hopefully it works out. put the one piece surrounding the barn doors in tonight, gonna put the rest in this weekend i believe. and yeah you're right, badtothe bone, chevy quality hasn't always been the best, but i'm gonna try to fight the clock on this one, try and beat old man time to it and attempt to keep it as nice as i can for a while. hopefully the weatherstripping will solve the problems, just want to make sure i get it all fixed before i get my new carpet in. thanks. branndon
 

dsltrc

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i know this thread is a year old but does anybody have the part number for the 6 piece kit from late model restoration... as i can't seem to find it on there website.... thanks
 

TahoeJim

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What I've done on some older cars where cheaper aftermarket seals weren't available and it wasn't an issue of weird body leaks..

If the door seals are hollow or tubular, I would cut a small hole in them at one section and thread into it a 3/8" diameter solid foam rod that I could find at some hardware or home improvement stores, once even a sewing/fabric store. Push this in all the way around, even in several pieces if you had to and seal up the holes you made for access with black silicone. The seals would now make better contact with the door.

No idea if the Tahoe seals are of that design and this idea would work, but you just have to get creative and see what you can do to make better contact between the seals and the door frame. I'm pretty sure you can also tighten up the rear doors a bit as they latch down....even an extra 1/8" might be all it takes.
 
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branndon_b

branndon_b

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http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/CTP-43720A

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/CTP-43720B

when i ordered mine, this is from the email that i got for the confirmation. don't ask me why i still have it, but i do.

Item Number Quantity Unit Price Extension CTP-43720A-K 1 149.99 149.99 92-99 WEATHERSTRIP KIT, 6PC, TAHOE/SUBURBAN

i tried to do a search for that part number, but it either isn't still offered, or you may have to call them to see if they still have the kit available. but at least that's the barn door seals. sorry i wasn't more help.
 

crows feet

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Mine was leaking on top where the top and body are put togher,buy the weld,body guy ground all down rewelde,primes..also was leaking around 3ed brake light.a;; running down side post in back could never see any water stain,but was wet on back floor on passer side thought had a whole in floor of cargo area...dry as abone now
 

Gmc lovin75

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has anyone successfully fixed their rear barn door leak? i just got some weatherstripping in yesterday (6pc kit from late model restoration) -- the 4 doors and the 2 pieces for the surround and between the barn doors. i've read some of the nightmares of people going back to the dealer and having doors adjusted, weatherstripping changed out several times, etc., and still having leaks. anyhow, i haven't changed it out yet, gonna do it this weekend i believe and finish my soundproofing and new carpet. (that's a job!) just fishing to see if anyone's had much luck fixing that, and wondering what my chances are to fix my rear door leak. thanks. branndon
What I've done on some older cars where cheaper aftermarket seals weren't available and it wasn't an issue of weird body leaks..

If the door seals are hollow or tubular, I would cut a small hole in them at one section and thread into it a 3/8" diameter solid foam rod that I could find at some hardware or home improvement stores, once even a sewing/fabric store. Push this in all the way around, even in several pieces if you had to and seal up the holes you made for access with black silicone. The seals would now make better contact with the door.

No idea if the Tahoe seals are of that design and this idea would work, but you just have to get creative and see what you can do to make better contact between the seals and the door frame. I'm pretty sure you can also tighten up the rear doors a bit as they latch down....even an extra 1/8" might be all it takes.
has anyone successfully fixed their rear barn door leak? i just got some weatherstripping in yesterday (6pc kit from late model restoration) -- the 4 doors and the 2 pieces for the surround and between the barn doors. i've read some of the nightmares of people going back to the dealer and having doors adjusted, weatherstripping changed out several times, etc., and still having leaks. anyhow, i haven't changed it out yet, gonna do it this weekend i believe and finish my soundproofing and new carpet. (that's a job!) just fishing to see if anyone's had much luck fixing that, and wondering what my chances are to fix my rear door leak. thanks. branndon

On my 99 Yukon I've noticed that my rear cargo area carpet was wet so I got to looking around and I noticed that my drivers side bumper had been pushed in at some point in time and it's pushed in about an inch or less compared to the passenger side. I think I've come to the conclusion that it pushed in that part of the body just enough to make the seal for that door not tight enough to keep the water out. Any ideas on how to pull that back out or a trick to create a better seal?
 

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