Any easy ways to install the 3 piece top targa seal?, One part is half way in, and she fully lubed...and NADA Options

[wallys914]

I used wd40 to lube up the one side and attempted entry; but failed half way through, the side I was working on just would not budge after I got half stuffed in there....

Any ways to get that seal in with out breaking it? or disfiguring it?

[koozy]

I've done a few and one thing that made it WAY easier was to clean the channel thouroughly. The old seals will leave a tiny bit of rubber and/or grime in the inner corners of the channel. I used a cheapo, small (like eyeglass screwdriver type) very thin tip screwdriver and ground the tip to make it even sharper (channel removed from car) and after spraying with brake clean I cleaned the heck out of the corners. A surprising amount of crud was in those tight corners. (like the powdery white stuff that is on a new seal so it's kinda hard to see with the naked eye which was all gummed up). WD-40 felt like it swelled the rubber a little so it didn't work well for me. I used spray graphite (the kind used to lube locks). Sprayed the channel first (after putting it back on the car) then sprayed some in the slot on the seal and the inner face of the seal which will be inside the channel. Used a paper towel to get grip on the lower part of the seal (cus this stuff get's slippery as heck) and pull it in from the bottom while pushing the top a little. I also pry the channel edges open a hair to make sure there is ample space for the thing to slide in. "MOST" times it just slides right in after this prep. I found, if it didn't just slide in, I didn't make sure the channel had enough room for the seal.

Hope this helps.