What are these rubber things?

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 10/08/2015 at 17:32 • Filed to: Stupid questions

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You see ‘em on the leading edge of the front windows on many 90’s-00’s cars. They’re too small to be anything aero, best guess I can hazard is a guide to make sure the window seats properly when closed.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 17:39

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my guess is it's there to help you remove the window rubber when replacing the seal?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 10/08/2015 at 17:41

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That can’t be right, that would require an automaker doing something to make the DIY mechanic’s life easier.

TheHondaBro > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 17:42

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They literally add horsepower and VTEC and shit.

BobintheMtns > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 17:49

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I always thought they were guides to help the window seat correctly within the seal while at high speeds....(?)

ttyymmnn > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 17:52

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WhereAreMyPants > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 17:55

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They actually are aero.

They’re to break up laminar flow around the window frame, reducing drag and wind noise. Without them, the airflow separates across the window, instead of at the corner. This would also create more pressure differential with the window open at speed, increasing pressure variation in the car and making it uncountable to open the window.

RazoE > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 17:56

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I think that’s where JDM rain guards are installed.

Rainbow > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 17:59

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I think it is aero, actually. They make cool patterns out of the water droplets on the windows. My guess is it has something to do with correcting whatever the mirrors do to air flow.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > BobintheMtns 10/08/2015 at 19:45

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I think you are right.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 19:47

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Generally, when I’ve seen these, they are on the front doors that have frameless windows. When the window goes up, the little piece of rubber helps guide it in exactly where it needs to go. My parents 1980 Malibu had them, as it had frameless windows. My parents hated it for that reason - the window wouldn’t seal well against the upper portion of the door, so every time you got in/out, you’d have to roll down the window a crack, then roll it back up. I had a friend who had a BMW that would do this automatically - when you’d open the door, the window would drop down a half inch or so, then when you closed it, the window would go back up.

McMike > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/08/2015 at 21:54

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Those were put there in the factory so 30 years later, we could tell the difference between a Ferrari and a Fiero