Bulb Seal Replacement

[Angel-HILO]

Hello everyone,

For anyone with a damaged Bulb Seal (located in-between the upper and lower halves); here’s an alternate solution I used on my Hilo. As some of you may know, it is very expensive to have this seal replaced (probably around $1500/parts & labor? Or DIY $300 for the bulb seal alone?). I decided that instead of replacing the seal, I would use the suggestion posted by forum member “r67northern” where he used a garage door sweep attached to the outside of the upper halve. All credit goes to him for posting this idea! Thank you!! But…I started thinking ‘why can’t I install this garage door sweep on the inside of the 2 halves?’ Well, that’s exactly what I did. I ordered a 100ft roll of garage door sweep/seal from Lowe’s (about $45), plenty for this project and I have some leftover for my actual garage door if needed.

Here’s how I did it: I removed the wood trim that goes all the way around the inside of the upper halve and laid down the garage door sweep, I used my staple gun to fasten it down and then re-installed the wood trim. The staples and the wood trim screws hold it in place, and since I didn’t remove the original bulb seal it created a nice second seal all the way around. I expect this garage door sweep/seal to last many-a-years!! So, for those that are a little handy or don’t want to spend BIG $$, this may be an alternate solution. Here are some photos of my project.

 

[JackandJanet]

Great idea, Angel! That should really improve the seal between the halves, and add even better dust blocking when the top is down too.

- Jack

 

[joule]

Angel,
This sounds like a Great idea!
Do you know which garage door sweep/seal you used? There seems to be several options.

 

[Angel-HILO]

Hello Joule, I ordered this garage door bottom sweep from Lowes.com: 100 ft. Roll, M-D Building Products, Item #2560121, Model #44823. I paid about $46 and picked up at store.

 

[hilltool]

HOW dOES THIS WORK. dOES THE Sweep FIT OVER THE BULBSEAL? IM MISSING ABOUT FIVE FEET TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE TRAILER ON ONE SIDE AN MICE ARE WALKING UP THE WALL AND COMING IN. IM ASSUMING YOU USED THE SOLID BOTTOM AND NOT TH BrUSH TYPE??

 

[Angel-HILO]

Hilltool,

No, the garage sweep DOES NOT fit over the bulb seal. You leave the original bulb seal in place you don't touch it. You just install the sweep on the inside of the 2 halves as I explained on my private message to you. So essentially you end up with a double seal on your hilo.

 

[Angel-HILO]

Hilltool,

My photo on this post shows the part number of the garage door sweep that I ordered from Lowe's. This is a roll of rubber seal, there's no solid bottom or brush to it; it's all rubber.

 

[hilltool]

Angel- Iposted that before i messaged you.

 

[JackandJanet]

Angel - a minor question: Did you readjust the cables after installing the garage door sweep? It seems to me that this new bulk above the original bulb seal may necessitate lowering the top a bit, if it was adjusted properly in the first place.

I've "stuck" this thread, since it seems a perfect repair for trailers with a failing bulb seal.

- Jack

 

[hilltool]

good idea Jack. I rmember seeing this thread and found it pretty quick with a search but stickingit will hwlp in the future. I had the trailer at my sisters farm al last summer and they wer using it as a guest cottage while they had their floors sanded an when people came to visit. But, they were getting a ton of mice and I ouldnt quite figure where they were getting though it had been a bigger problem the last fw years, I just figured her field mice ice population was exploding. it never dawned on me thqt the missing piece of bulb seal was enough to let them in. but of course, they can climb straight up a wall. I will mess with this fix and see how it goes. thats a good size gap without the bulbseal. I picked upa small package of door sweep yesterady at homedepot. Ill see if it makes sense to me once I can raise the trailer ---I was having a bit of difficulty imagining the install from the photos. My inner software appears to still be not rebooted all the way from my stoke a year and a half ago. rick

 

[hilltool]

Jack. The way I see this is the garage door sweep ends up but in up under the bulb seal. So where is the extra bulk above it?

 

[JackandJanet]

Rick, I don't think so. The bulb seal is along the bottom edge of the top half, right? The garage sweep has been stapled along the inside top surface of the rail that runs along the lower edge of the top half, which places it ABOVE the bulb seal. I think Angel positioned the garage sweep so that it "sweeps" the side of the trailer as the top goes up and down. When the top is up, the bulb seal is supposed to make contact with the slight protrusion along the outside edge of the bottom half, but now the garage sweep would get there first and would be between the bulb seal and the protrusion.

I think you MAY be thinking of the way another member attached the garage sweep along the lower edge of the top half, when he used it to replace a failed bulb seal?

Angel thought of a better way, in my opinion, by removing the fake wood trim along the top, INSIDE edge of the rail along the bottom of the upper half. He then stapled the sweep along that surface and finally replaced the trim strip above it, which helps to hold it securely. Because the sweep is on the inside, and above the bulb seal, it is also protected from the elements and should last "forever".

- Jack

 

[hilltool]

ok i just got back from looking at the trailer. part of my confusion was Angel's statement that you do not cover the bulb seal. actually, it seems you do lay edge of the sweep over the top of the bulbseal to reach the side of the trailer. as jack said, the sweep is above the bulbseal. my only other issue at this point is my trim piece is just some like 1/8 inch thick piece of paneling type wood. whichis stapled on-the only screws are the ones that hold the strings for the blinds. The top piece of trim which covers access to the cable pulleys is healthy piece of trim with screws. Am I missing something?

Rick

 

[hilltool]

keep in mind,my repair involves about four feet ofwhere the bulbseal is GONE!

rick

 

[JackandJanet]

ok i just got back from looking at the trailer. part of my confusion was Angel's statement that you do not cover the bulb seal. actually, it seems you do lay edge of the sweep over the top of the bulbseal to reach the side of the trailer. as jack said, the sweep is above the bulbseal. my only other issue at this point is my trim piece is just some like 1/8 inch thick piece of paneling type wood. whichis stapled on-the only screws are the ones that hold the strings for the blinds. The top piece of trim which covers access to the cable pulleys is healthy piece of trim with screws. Am I missing something?

Rick

Maybe not, Rick. Your trailer's trim may well be stapled down over the bulb seal rail. I have not looked at mine, but I'll try to get to it soon. If stapled, it COULD be "pried" up and then either re-stapled or screwed back in place. Possibly, HiLo went to stapling because it's easier and faster, and they didn't foresee a need to ever remove it.

If stapled, you might be able to get a thin screwdriver blade under the staple to get it up, then pull it out with pliers. Just one more thing HiLo offers to make our life interesting!

- Jack

 

[Angel-HILO]

Hello Jack,

When the hilo reaches it's position all the way extended/up the garage sweep rides up against the inner half to just about 2 inches below the fake wood trim of the inside/lower half. The garage door sweep slides PAST the trim that's on the lower half that the original bulb seal uses to butt up to and seal the 2 halves. So essentially my garage sweep is sealing against the outside wall of lower half just above that original solid trim seal and not on the trim itself, so there's no need to make any adjustments to the cable system. Hope this helps.

 

[JackandJanet]

Yes it does, Angel. Thanks bunches! Effectively, you've got the original seal on the bottom of the "lip" and then a new seal on the side of that lip. I really like your solution. It clearly seals better than having the sweep along the bottom of the rail.

- Jack

 

[JackandJanet]

Well poo! I just looked at my trailer and those outside trim strips are not even "stapled", they're GLUED to the railing that runs around the lower edge of the top half. So, I think getting it off would be even harder than if it were stapled.

I think, if I ever do this repair, I might just staple the garage door sweep on to the top of that existing trim strip and then will screw on 1/4" oak strips that I can buy at Home Depot to cover the sweep. This will raise that surface 1/4", which is not significant. The oak can be finished to match the fake wood trim and it will actually provide a nicer surface. I may try to pry up a short section of the fake stuff to see if it's possible, and if so, I'd reattach it with screws, over the garage sweep.

I guess glue is even faster and cheaper than staples.

- Jack

 

[hilltool]

Actually I already pried those up on kitchen side in order to dry things out after a leak on yhat window. They remain un reattached.

 

[hilltool]

But, will stop mice?,