Looking for Beltline

[davidz71]

Originally Posted by LowellN

Am I following correctly? You have rivets through your blue belt line? My blue belt line slides into the rail section, no rivets. It doesn't move at all, is it supposed to be rivited in place? As far as I can tell mine is original and in good shape, except for the small section on the door and between the door and battery box.

Andy clarified my post regarding the rivets. One rivet through an end cap which helps apply pressure to a wider area of the beltline and the same thing at the other end. Without these, the vinyl insert will shrink and elongate as the temp changes which may cause the vinyl to bunch up and slip out of the tracks.

[Buttercup]

Rivets or no - ours still pulled through, taking the rivets and clips with it. I have not seen anybody else say that they had that problem. We did install it when it was quite warm outside.

[davidz71]

Originally Posted by Buttercup

Rivets or no - ours still pulled through, taking the rivets and clips with it. I have not seen anybody else say that they had that problem. We did install it when it was quite warm outside.

I think this is where the problem occurs. The vinyl is quite pliable and you have a tendency to pull it just a little to drill the hole and rivet the ends. I'd also say that the sun ages the vinyl over a period of time, drying it out and it shrinks. Man, what a mess. Heat expands it, cold shrinks it, sun ages it.

[silvermoon]

We have found that when you install the blue vinyl beltline, it helps to leave it a foot or so long, and let it acclimate then trim it in about a week and rivet it in place. This has worked for us so far. Also, watch stretching during installation, especially around the corners. We use a screening tool to work it into the channell which makes it much easier. We may have an extra 5 or so feet hanging around. We will check and let you know on Sunday. If we do , it's yours for the shipping!