Rear Window Chrome Trim and Seal

I may need to pull my rear glass due to some repairs I need to make on the roof of my truck. I had someone replace that rear seal about six years ago when I had the truck repainted. It appears to be in good condition. The chrome trim in that seal definitely needs to be replaced. Question for you guys....would you replace the seal and if so, who makes a quality seal/gasket?

Lastly, should I not need to pull the rear glass, does that chrome trim just pry out from the seal?

I am going to say that your rear window gasket is like the side window gaskets on my Bronco. The chrome strip is the gasket locking strip and can be pulled out and replaced. In fact, LMC truck has the chrome locking strips for the side windows for my Bronco. I havent looked, but I bet they have the strip for your pickup also.

That's where I got my lock strip Steve.
They also have the little stainless joiner clip.

I will say this: Having the insertion tool is a godsend (similar to a wireloom tool)
2) it is a LOT easier around the corners if the lock strip is warm.
You might want to have a heatgun or even just a hair dryer handy.

I got mine from Rubber The Right Way but it was packaged from Dennis Carpenter.
I was really tempted to buy the tool but ended up just using those yellow harbor freight trim tools since they were on hand. It was the middle of the summer when I did mine so didn't apply heat but let it all sit in the sun for a bit and used dawn soap on the locking strip.

I try not to use soap as lube because...
A) it seriously reduces water surface tension and will want to wick water into the channel.
B) breaks down oils (which tend to be what's used as plasticizers in the rubber)

Interesting but must not be common knowledge as every video I watched (from various gasket suppliers and vehicle glass installers -so not just diyers) and forum threads all said use soapy water and a rope to install the gasket. That part of the gasket is the one in contact with the pinch weld and would be of more concern to me. The locking strip is in there so tightly and doesn't allow water intrusion anywhere so that would just leave your concern of rubber breakdown and I don't know how much would be needed to cause a noticeable effect and how many years it would take.
Note that I am not talking about pure, undiluted soap by any means although I realuze it reads like that. One just needs enough in thr soapy water mix to allow the pieces to slide by each other.
I will say that I called a local installer and they said they used petroleum jelly and that I would not do.

Do you have details on this? Is it certain kinds of soap or a specific ingredient that should be avoided?

Edit: this kind of stuff was a concern of mine and is why I called the installer to see if they had a specific product I found online for this purpose. That is when they told me they just used Vaseline . So all that to say, if you have plenty of lead time, there is a product out there made specifically for window gasket installation. I only found one person online reference it and can't recall who sold it. Maybe CRL?

Dishwashing liquid is not soap, it's detergent. As such the molecule is hydrophilic on one end and oleophilic on the other.
I think as kids we all did the 'experiment' where you sprinkle some ground black pepper on water and then put a drop of detergent in the middle and watch the pepper race to the edges of the dish before it starts to sink because the waters surface tension breaks down.

I usually use Gojo or 'personal lubricant' to make the gasket slippery.
Often ill pull the gasket into the cab dry.
It's really not too hard.

Oh the days of watching Bill Bye in science class...

But are you saying that Dawn Dish Soap (their words not mine) is not soap but is actually detergent? Or I may not be following the cause for your distinction comment.
I haven't read anyone recommending what I'd consider detergent to be used in this application.

Personal lubricant does make sense as it's not petroleum based (thanks google).

The only gojo I've used is the gritty pumice stuff. Are you meaning that?

This isn't an uncommon topic so knowing what should and shouldn't be recommended is good to have knowledge of. Again, I did a lot of reading/asking and felt comfortable enough with the soapy water to use it and this is the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night.

A new gasket typically still has enough mold release on it for me.

"Soap" is saponified oils. Typically sodium hydroxide (lye) for hard soaps and potassium hydroxide for soft and liquid soap.
Glycerin is a byproduct. And I would say glycerin would be another good lubricant for gaskets.💡
Dawn emulsifies grease far better than any soap I know.
If it IS soap it is turbocharged with... IDK

No, I don't mean Gojo with pumice.
The old school milky white stuff in a squat tub that is slicker than eel snot.
It says it has lanolin (wool grease)

If you read down in this article you'll see that no actual soaps (metal salts of fatty acids)are present in Dawn dishwashing liquid.
https://chemistrycachet.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-blue-dawn-dishwashing-liquid/

This might help a bit, too.
https://www.quirkyscience.com/difference-soap-detergent/

Thanks! Never considered the difference between soap and detergent before beyond not using the former as a 1:1 replacement in a dishwasher

Now that you describe it, I do recall seeing that Gojo before.
Being that both are available locally (it and the personal lubricant), this gives people more options for the install   

I appreciate you allowing me to geek out.
My sig on FTE was "Pedant".

Tire mounting lube would be another good choice!

Anyway, I think there are better alternatives to Dawn for lubricating gaskets.
(Ideally a lubricant and not a detergent)

Hey, I wouldn't have asked if I didn't genuinely want to know/learn .

All tho dish soap and tire lube are good choises to lube the locking strip, and they do work well. They do have their side effects as Jim has noted.
I prefure to use a silicone lube spray to put in the locking strip. When it drys it turns into a powder that can be easly washed off with soap and water.

I really like the silicone spray option. Just another reason to keep that handy stuff around.

Out of curiosity, I called Fairchild (just the first link I recognized and clicked on). The rep I spoke to emailed me the installation instructions so am adding the screenshot just for the sake of having it here. Personally I am sold on using something else the next time around.

The only reason I'd avoid silicone of any kind is any future painting.
Spray gets everywhere, and I don't like fighting fisheyes.

I do have a 3M rubber protectant 'creme' in a bottle that I use for lubing window runs and polishing the rubber bits on motorcycles (like intake boots)

Hey gentlemen, thanks for the input on the seal and the trim. Here's a great video on removal and insertion of the rear window on our trucks. That salvage yard looks like a veritable gold mine for guys like us!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrKRIcaWUZA 

That is very good!  I added it to the Resources folder: Bullnose Forum/Resources/Installing Rear Windows.