The Ford Barn

rjlester · 01-16-2026, 11:32 PM

I learned a trick to soften dried up old rubber seals, grommets and body plugs.

Put that rock hard grommet that you have in a zip-lock bag. Spray a bunch of silicone spray in the bag and coat the seal liberally. You almost want it swimming in the stuff. More is better haha.

Seal the bag and let it sit a few days. It will totally soften up the grommet.

I had some body plugs that would snap in half if you tried to fold them. Heard about this silicone spray trick so I soaked the remaining rock hard brittle rubber plugs in the manner explained above. It's honestly a miraculous fix.

Not sure if you will have the same success I did, but it might be worth a try.

01-16-2026, 11:32 PM	#10
rjlester Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2022 Posts: 291	Re: 52 Merc Gas Tank I learned a trick to soften dried up old rubber seals, grommets and body plugs. Put that rock hard grommet that you have in a zip-lock bag. Spray a bunch of silicone spray in the bag and coat the seal liberally. You almost want it swimming in the stuff. More is better haha. Seal the bag and let it sit a few days. It will totally soften up the grommet. I had some body plugs that would snap in half if you tried to fold them. Heard about this silicone spray trick so I soaked the remaining rock hard brittle rubber plugs in the manner explained above. It's honestly a miraculous fix. Not sure if you will have the same success I did, but it might be worth a try.