Need advice on insulation for Yakima Space Booster

[Don Morris]

My Yakima Space Booster has often been invaluable helping carry all the camping, vacation, etc. gear we want. It's getting to show it's age, but the physical condition of it is pretty good, with the exception of the insulation around the closing edges. I went to HD and bought what I thought was a similar type insulation to the disintegrating insulation material that was original. However, that proved to be just as disintegrating and didn't hold up well at all. I thought I read about an adhesive type of insulation that you dispensed with a tube. Sort of like caulk. Has anyone tried something like that or can you make a recommendation of what would work well here. The two photos are of the Space Booster suspended in my garage at a working height and open. The other photo shows a close up of an area where the second attempt also failed. Suggestions will be welcomed.

Don M


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[Stanley Thigpen]

Not being familiar with the above mentioned item, when I read the title of the thread, my first thought was that this concerned a Japanese booster rocket!

[Brian Elfert]

What you want is weatherstripping not insulation. I don't have one so I can't recommend anything. I would probably just contact Yakima to get the right stuff.

[Don Morris]

Now why didn't I think of that? I'm 76 and that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Of course, contact Yakima. I just sent them an email in response to their "Contact Us". Let's see what they say.

[Lee Schierer]

It looks as the same type of gasket that is used in your dishwasher door.

[Don Morris]

That's the same type of material I placed to repair the original weatherstripping. But it didn't last very long. Looking for a better mouse trap. Or could the gasket/weatherstripping material been applied poorly by me? I wonder about that, but I've put in several outside doors with weatherstripping and never had a problem. Then again, the surfaces were to wood and not plastic/polyvinyl. Haven't heard from Yakima yet.

[Rich Lester]

Can't really tell from the pictures, but, if the adhesive on the weatherstripping that you're using doesn't hold try this. Clean the case where you want to apply the weatherstrip with with straight ammonia on a rag, do not dilute it. Obviously you'll want to do this in a well ventilated area. After cleaning the ammonia will evaporate, usually rather quickly. Then do a wipe with denatured alcohol. I have found the adhesive will adhere much better than any other cleaning method when trying to attach to plastics.