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Prime rear window exterior trim.

Discussion in 'Prime Accessories and Modifications' started by Rodney.E, Jun 4, 2020.

  1. Rodney.E

    Rodney.E New Member

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    Hey all, just got an 18 Prime Advanced for my wife so I had to join the group! There’s soooo much I want to do it’s driving me crazy. I did put in some Toyota emblem projector lights in the doors just to see how good they’d look and I like them. Looking around the car where the back hatch glass comes down, there is a gap that collects stuff from trees like pine needles ect. Has anyone put any kind of trim in/on there to seal up that gap? I’ve seen some that is shaped like a H kinda without the lower right leg of the H that would kinda make it a T and a C put together if you can imagine that. Anyway, just curious if anyone has done anything for this or not.
     
  2. Rodney.E

    Rodney.E New Member

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    I assume this didn’t post correctly or where it was supposed to because there’s no way this doesn’t bother other Prime owners
     
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I don’t typically park under trees so yeah it doesn’t bother me. I do have pine needles in my area though so I try to be cognizant of where I park.
     
  4. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I have not seen any trim like you are describing used on PRIME, but the gap has to be there for the hatch to fully open and close. Anything you use to cover the gap has to be flexible enough so as not to obstruct the hatch movements. It almost has to be made of something that is squashable like a rubber weatherstrip around the windows. I don't know how that is going to look aesthetically. If you find anything suitable to experiment, yeah please let us know. The pine needles, I can just blow them off, but I sometimes have a problem with ice getting stuck in that gap.
     
    #4 Salamander_King, Sep 14, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2020
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  5. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I think he means the gap at the bottom between the glass and the spoiler. No interference there, but I share the annoyance with leave falling in there. I have not found anything to cover it.
     
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  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Oh, you mean this gap and not the one on the top of the glass hatch where it is hinged and meet the roof panel. Yeah, mine is full of maple seeds. I need a good car wash. I think some kind of weather strip would fill this gap easily. Black flexible stick on type molding trim may also cover the gap, but I don't know what that would look aesthetically.
    upload_2020-9-15_9-4-30.png
     
    #6 Salamander_King, Sep 15, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2020
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  7. Dennis_MA

    Dennis_MA Active Member

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    I just use a shop vac and carefully run it across the lower glass also in the area under when the hatch is open. I also do under the hood and lower windshield. I get a lot of pine needles.
     
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  8. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I blow it out with compressed air occasionally. My concern is that the debris in there will hold moisture and cause rust in the low spot. But to do it right, I'd have to blow it out almost every day. I suppose the gap is to allow for flexing, but you'd think they could a filled it with some kind of rubber compound.
     
  9. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I just measured the gaps. The bottom one is 1/4" wide while the top one is 3/8" wide. I think something like this or this will fill the gap and still be flexible enough to allow movements. The second one is for the front windshield, but may work. I just don't know how it look aesthetically. Not very expensive, I may buy and try inserting it without using any sealant or adhesive. I am not too worried about the bottom gap, but the top gap during winter months when the chunks of ice getting caught is more of concern for me.

    EDIT: I just ordered those two trims I linked. I will let you guys know how it works to fill the gaps. But before that, yap, the car really needs a good wash. :oops:

    upload_2020-9-15_13-12-21.png
     
    #9 Salamander_King, Sep 15, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2020
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  10. Rodney.E

    Rodney.E New Member

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    Wow ! That’s definitely the gap I’m talking about. I have still been looking but let us know how yours turns out as well.
     
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  11. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Cool!!! I'm with @Rodney.E. Let us know how it works. I'm definitely interested.
     
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  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    And all the while, I thought he was talking about the water drain hole at the bottom of the dual wave.

    If he's talking about the gap in the photo, that's easier to take care of - just jet water to remove debris.
     
  13. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Where is that drain holes? Any pic to point me to them? Are they within that gap? Now come to think of it, I don't know where the water is going when it hit that gap...must have drain.

    Not that I do frequent car wash, but I know any stuff like leaves and dirt in the lower gap cleans easily with a jet of water. I have more of problem with leaves, dirt, dusts, pollen accumulating all around the the hatch door which is harder to wash.
     
    #13 Salamander_King, Sep 16, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I’ll try to remember to take a picture later today but it’s at the bottom of the dip. It drains to the lower rear window... so it’s kinda like a rear washer of sorts lol.
     
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  15. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Do you mean this? If so, where is this drain connected? Water from the top of the rear window ends up here?

    upload_2020-9-16_13-41-7.png
     
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  16. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    About the gap on the top of the hatch, not at the bottom, here is what my car currently looks like. Those pollen, dirt, leaves, bugs, and all kind of debris that fell onto the roof of the car all end up in this chasm. I admit that I have not washed my car since the day I drove it to home at the end of Feb. But this is all from mainly just sitting on my driveway. I did not drive the car on a dirt road or into national forest area. The area above and the side of the hatch is always dirty like this, and it can not be washed off easily by automatic car wash. If I can somehow cover the gap at the top of the hatch, it may stay little bit cleaner.

    upload_2020-9-16_13-55-2.png
     
    #16 Salamander_King, Sep 16, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
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  17. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I'm pretty sure this area just runs down the sides of the hatch area to the outside of the gasket.
     
  18. Rodney.E

    Rodney.E New Member

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    Yeah my main concern is in the second pic from @Salamander_King. That one I can see every time I walk out to the car. Just annoys me to always seeing stuff in that. And like most people do, you have to spray it out all the time. Also would be concerned in the winter if it wasn’t kept clean and debris was to be built up and then ice up and swell. I’d think it could delaminate the window.
     
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  19. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Yes, plain water will just run down around the hatch and go down over the rear bumper cover. But if the water is carrying all sort of debris with it, they all ends up at the top of hatch in the photo above or caught on side or the at the bottom corner of the hatch as shown here.

    upload_2020-9-16_15-28-0.png
     
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  20. Rodney.E

    Rodney.E New Member

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    I couldn’t remember the name of the stuff but Backer rod is what I’ve been beating my head trying to remember. Never used it so I’m not sure if it’s soft enough to squeeze down in there and expand back up to seal it. Without putting too much pressure against the glass. It’s dirt cheep but all’s I’ve seen is a gray color.
     
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