smart Door Adjustment

[Gene_SD]

Has anyone adjusted their doors on the smart? It seems as if the factory did not do a good job of setting how much play the driver and passenger doors have. I think they should be tighter so when you drive on a road that has a few bumps you don't hear the door move against the weather stripping.

[dbwill]

Originally Posted by Gene_SD

Has anyone adjusted their doors on the smart? It seems as if the factory did not do a good job of setting how much play the driver and passenger doors have. I think they should be tighter so when you drive on a road that has a few bumps you don't hear the door move against the weather stripping.

BMW used to have a product called Gummiphledge(SP). using this or a similar product stops the noise. I am going to see if MB has a similar product. Napa has one but it is not as good as the BMW product

[MicroNut]

I have the same issue with the glass tailgate. It shuts really easily (compared to reports I've heard from others), but the weatherstrip squeaks quite badly when driving over broken pavement.

I did a little research on the internet and what dbwill says is spot on. A professional grade weathersrip lubricant should be a big help. The key ingredient is Krytox - a teflon based lubricant produced by Du Pont. There are a couple of good sources for this:

• GM sells a weatherstrip lubricant that has Krytox as its main ingredient. It's a liquid formulation with an applicator built into the bottle. It dries within a minute or so - no lasting sticky residue. Part number is 3634770, and you can order it directly from www.gmpartsdirect.com.

• Second option is a spray-on aerosol version made by Loctite. It also dries rapidly on contact. Part number is 30138 - Krytox RFE Advanced PTFE Dry Lubricant. You can order a can online at www.weldwarehouse.com.

I've ordered the Loctite version (seemed like a better value). I'll report back when it arrives and I've had a chance to try it out.

PS: The prices for these products may seem high ($30+ for a small quantity), but everything I've read says they are worth every penny - they really work (unlike the cheap silicone based lubricants you can get from the likes of NAPA) and are very long lasting in their effect.

[Winnetou]

I have used silicone grease (Dow Corning high-vacuum silicone grease, to be specific) for imparting lubricity to rubber weather-stripping. It does a superb job, with the added benefit that it helps to preserve the rubber. An application lasts a long time, and this grease will not harm paint or plastic. Silicone grease will even revive dried out, decades old weather-stripping; and in this case, it can help to first soak in some silicone fluid. Silicone brake seal grease seems to be very similar to vacuum grease, though a little less viscous: I have used these greases interchangeably in automotive applications.

[dbwill]

Winnetou:

Can you be a little more specific as to the product name and where it can be purchased? Thanks, really appreciate it!

[Winnetou]

Dbwill:

I am very sorry, but only found your message just now. Vacuum grease is a special, very pure and non-volatile grease used on ground-glass fittings in vacuum lines and systems (used in laboratories and industry). The traditional, and costly, grease for this purpose is Apiezon, but in many cases, the Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease, a silicone type, works as well. I use this for other purposes as well, because I happen to have it, and can get it for free in sufficient quantities.

But for preserving rubber weather stripping and other rubber items, especially those that rub against moving surfaces, any silicone grease will do splendidly. You can get the Dow Corning grease on eBay:

Dow Corning Vacuum Grease for glassware - FREE S&H - eBay (item 140255850329 end time Aug-16-08 08:43:55 PDT)

DOW CORNING® HIGH VACUUM GREASE FREE SHIPPING - eBay (item 230277889536 end time Sep-02-08 11:59:30 PDT)

(There are more listings.) But other silicone greases will be cheaper, including Dow Corning products:

DOW CORNING SILICON LUBRICANT CLEAR GREASE INDUSTRIAL - eBay (item 280254249062 end time Aug-17-08 16:27:50 PDT)

You can find “silicone grease” by simply searching under that term on eBay, or in Google Shopping (where you can also find many sources for the Dow Corning Vacuum Grease).

Silicone grease was beginning to become common in the motor-car trade when silicone brake fluid (which does not absorb moisture to rust brake cylinders and lines, and which preserves the rubber seals) grew in popularity during the 1990s—it was used for assembly of brake cylinders to be used with silicone fluid. Unfortunately, despite the excellence of silicone brake fluid (which I use in all of my cars except the smart), it is no longer specified in new cars because it is incompatible with ABS systems. But the reason I mention all of this is that you may still be able to find tubes of silicone grease at good automotive parts stores.

[SmarTek-TNG]

I have used a product called "Syl Glide" (or maybe it's Sylglide or Syl-glide..?) on squeaky weather stripping and door mouldings. It works pretty well; Winnetou is right on.

[theguywiththelongestname]

this thread seems helpful for those little squeaks over the bumpy roads.
here in the Mojave Desert, a little lube would definitely help keep the rubber seals in good shape...

[parrotfan]

In my case, I've found the door weather stripping not to be the squeak, but instead the latch. I smeared "Door-Ease" (basically bees wax) on both door pillar attachment and door latch mechanism. Squeak was gone. I re-apply it about once month or as needed.

[yuckmoon]

Okay. I have the same problem of when I go over a particularly "fun" bump I can hear my door giggle. It's not the window it's the door itself. I keep reading things like lubricant and grease. I don't want to put something that's going to be messy on my car, run down, get brown with age and look bad or rub off on my leg when I'm getting in and out. I know it was said that the lubricant dries, but will it turn an ugly color over time? Or do you think it would be worth it to just take it to the dealer and have them tighten the door?