Danchuk Makes Tri-Five Window Channel Replacement Easy

Have you been enjoying some road time in your Tri-Five and noticed the windows seem to rattle a little more than they used to? maybe you have to endure the sound of wind whistling into your car when you drive. If your ’55, ’56, or ‘57’s windows are rattling and shaking every time you drive your beloved classic, chances are the “window fur channels” are worn and need to be replaced. Luckily, you can turn to the folks at Danchuk Manufacturing to remedy this situation.

To get rid of the troublesome issues caused by these worn channels, the best thing you can do is address the problem right away. Window channels (fur channels, cat whiskers, fuzzies, window sweeps, or whatever you like to call them) are available for your two-door or four-door Tri-Five and are a relatively easy and inexpensive item to replace.

After removing the interior door panels, window garnish, and even the vent window, you can remove the window channel.

No matter how you refer to this fuzzy weatherstripping, the function is still the same: surround and seal the glass when the window is up and closed. Imagine sitting in the driver’s seat of your ride and getting that sinking feeling of having a wet seat. If the channels around your glass are bad, this could be a reality. Let’s say you didn’t get a wet pair of pants, but rather opened the door of your car to take in a musty smell. It’s not a pleasant experience.

Some drilling will be required to remove the old channel.

And of course, we’ve all heard the loud rushing of air every time we get up to speed. Not only are the effects of poor window channels annoying to experience, but the poor seal that can result in damage to the interior that can be expensive to fix. But, how hard is it to replace these seals? In a nutshell, not very.

Each of Danchuk’s window channel kits contains all of the parts you need to replace your window channels. The company reproduced these kits with the correct contours and lengths. The exposed beaded edges of the channels are made of polished stainless steel, just like the factory originals.

Get The Channels You Need

The second part of the window-sealing treatment involves a Moleskin (Mohair) channel liner, which is used in the front doors and rear quarter windows of hardtops, Nomads, and convertibles. For the full-length article, Danchuk used a convertible, but the procedures are the same if you are working on the upper and lower portions in a hardtop, Nomad, or convertible. Be sure to pay attention to the installation instructions.

In the full-length tutorial, Danchuk's technician is using material from a roll which needs to be cut to length. If you are using the material that came in one of the window-channel kits, your material may already be the correct length. Using a disposable paintbrush (we had to trim ours to fit in the can), apply the contact cement into the channel, making sure to evenly cover the sides and the bottom of the channel. Next, carefully fold the Mohair in half and push it into the channel. Finally, use a wooden paint stick to push the Mohair into the channel. Work the Mohair into the channel with the paint stick until it conforms to the inside of the channel.

While this short teaser article is just to let you know the parts are available and the replacement of the channels is easy, you can click here to get the complete step-by-step tutorial on how to accomplish the job with the help of the fine folks at Danchuk.

Your newly rebuilt channels are ready to provide many years of leak- and rattle-free service.

Something to keep in mind: although the channels being shown are being installed on a four-door and a convertible, the process is nearly identical for two-door models as well.

To get your Tri-Five windows properly sealed, check out Danchuk Manufacturing for everything you need. Now, let’s get to it.