'03 wind noise gusset replacement pics

[OldStyle]

That wind noise in my 2003 Outback got old real quick! This morning I followed this guide to remove the door panels. Link: Panel Removal

Then removed the mirror and gusset. The mirror is held on with three screws and the gusset with two screws outside under the mirror and 1 screw and 1 nut on the inside.

The push-in clip below the tweeter somehow doesn't hold now but I'm not pulling the panel back off now.... (Edit: I just didn't push hard enough... All is well!)The bottom of the control panel was tight but with care I didn't break anything.

Here's the pics: Link: Postimage org

Had to do major clean-up from moisture barrier glue... So it took 2hrs.

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[Braap]

If you roll down the windows, open the door and press together the rubber sealings all the way around it will get you by a few thousand miles. Just a simple 10 second fix.

[Android]

Unless yours are like mine and torn were you would pinch them

[aliveoutofhabit]

Isn't there some kind of heavy-duty replacement option? I thought I read about that somewhere...

[Vernon]

Yes I believe there was a TSB or something like that and strengthened gussets are available. Folks seem to have had mixed results with them in terms of any real improvement - easier and cheaper to squeeze every few months.

[1 Lucky Texan]

also, train yourself to avoid pushing the glass when closing the doors.

[Euchre]

I've said it before, I'll say it again - don't shut the door by the glass. Don't even use it to swing the door. Pinching mine together has proven a flawless fix for over 10k miles, only fouled a bit when - you guessed it - someone closed the door for me using the glass. It wasn't even as bad as when I got it, and a little gentle pinching and it was fixed again.

I'm a little confused as to why you took the tweeter cover off the base, or if that's how it came apart for you. If you shim behind the whole assembly right, it should be able to come out as a whole assembly. The halves of the assembly are held together with metal pieces that dig into the plastic, and those can gouge out enough from being taken apart too much and become permanently loose.

[grossgary]

nice pic's.

has anyone taken a look at the difference between original and replacement gussets, i haven't seen that yet?

[OldStyle]

Vernon Yes I believe there was a TSB or something like that and strengthened gussets are available.

Yes and spoke about here in this link: Link to

Originally Posted by Euchre

I'm a little confused as to why you took the tweeter cover off the base, or if that's how it came apart for you.

Actually 2 reasons: 1) The mirror has to come off to get to the two screws holding the gusset to the door on the outside. 2)To easily get to the pry points for removing the tweeter. Well three.... Screws holding the mirror are behind the tweeter.

1 Lucky Texan also, train yourself to avoid pushing the glass when closing the doors.

I thought that was what the inside door handle was for... Very good to learn.

grossgary
has anyone taken a look at the difference between original and replacement gussets, i haven't seen that yet?

Done! Here's the link: New pics The old on the right or bottom. PS: In these pics you are looking at both the old (drivers side) and the new (passenger side)

After having them both in my hand I can say the new one feels stuffer behind the rubber but pinching the gap does work temporarily. I suggest putting the "pinch force" about 1\2 in past the rubber; you're trying to close the gap by bending the metal holding the rubber inside. Not the rubber molding itself.

The rubber molding seems to be formed as one piece encapsulating the metal frame. Not sure where you could "shim" to close the gap; though I have read that twice before....

Any other pics you would like just let me know; I won't be doing the passenger side till this weekend.

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[aliveoutofhabit]

So are these the heavy duty replacements? Or the normal ones?