CK5
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shaving driprails
- Thread starter ilblazn86
- Start date
Should be fairly easy. When a tree crushed mine, I had to put new ones on. There are only a few bolts holding them on, so just filling a few holes per rail would be all that needs to get it smooth.
kevin400ex
1/2 ton status
they are welded on or part of the roof on my 79 k5. no bolts.
x2, think mine are welded
what are they really for? Does going smooth affect rain sealing?
what are they really for? Does going smooth affect rain sealing?
lectric80
3/4 ton status
They are spot welded on K5's. It should be obvious through the paint where the spot welds are, cut the spots and then remove the rails. Finally grind down any remaining bumps and refinish the door jam.
As for their purpose, anyone that owns a newer vehicle with no rails in a snowy area can tell you how easy it is for the doors to freeze shut. The rails actually do work to help keep water out of the jam and keep the doors from freezing shut. My 96 Safari has at least 2-3 times a year that I have to use warm water to open the doors, I have never had that problem with Krusty.
As for their purpose, anyone that owns a newer vehicle with no rails in a snowy area can tell you how easy it is for the doors to freeze shut. The rails actually do work to help keep water out of the jam and keep the doors from freezing shut. My 96 Safari has at least 2-3 times a year that I have to use warm water to open the doors, I have never had that problem with Krusty.
I guess only burbs are screwed on. At least my 87 burb is screwed on. If they were welded on, I would still have smashed and crushed rails.
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
They keep the rain water out of the interior too, had a friend remove them from his Burb, with the older door seals, obviously not sealing as tightly as new, everytime it rained, the water would just run through the door and drip wherever the seal wasn't a perfect tight fit.
I personally don't think it looks right without them either, just my opinion though...
I personally don't think it looks right without them either, just my opinion though...
certain car bodies it works, asthetically, I've done a few (most are a f*ckton of work)... truck, i think would look goofy AND be highly unfunctional...
lectric80
3/4 ton status
Ok, you lost me, are you saying you are against removing them?
yes... on trucks...
lectric80
3/4 ton status
Ok, just curious. I agree that they seem to be right on trucks, and some cars.
certain hotrod bodies lend themselves to looking good shaved... I did a 67 Camaro and a 68 Bird that both looked good... but some vehicles look stupid without em....
My 83 pick-up and my 87 crew cab they both screwed on, my 90 Blazer is spot welded.
X2 that they look dumb without the drip rails, and you'll hate the drippy water and stuff without them. At least with them you can crack the window and not have water pour in. I hate new cars without drip rails for that. My wife's Durango lets a **** ton of water pour in as soon as you crack the window.
Rene
X2 that they look dumb without the drip rails, and you'll hate the drippy water and stuff without them. At least with them you can crack the window and not have water pour in. I hate new cars without drip rails for that. My wife's Durango lets a **** ton of water pour in as soon as you crack the window.
Rene
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
i think they were trying to integrate the "drip system" into the door jam areas or somewhat, like my '94 pick-up, there are no drip rail, but the water runs down between the door and the body, and there is a rubber seal looking thing that's suppose to run the water down the sides, mainly forward and down. Kinda like a double seal i guess, one seal (gasket) seals the door, the other is a rain gutter built into the door.
I guess though if you get too much water coming down, it will still come in the window, which if it's coming down that hard, you should probably have your windows rolled up, or have those aftermarket vent visor thingies installed.
I know what they were 'trying' to do and how it's supposed to work...but it is a fail IME. Even just the beaded water on the paint is enough to cause enough to drip/run in to be very annoying.
Rene
Rene
kaharshs
1/2 ton status
When I removed them off of a blacker and it wasnt to much work just cut slowly with a cut of wheel or small saw of sorts. While you cut along tack weld the 2 lips back together. I personally wouldnt do it if you didnt want rain to possibly come inside your cab. I didnt have mine bolted on my suburban and I had some water coming in when it rained.
