Apr 2007
/////// How do you correct "Hard weather seals or any exposed rubber part"/////////

ROSE WATER & GLYCERINE, available at any drug store.  It is also great for 
all rubber weather seals such as doors, truck and hood to cowl.  It will 
take quite a few repeated applications depending on condition.  Ron Butts

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Carb cleaner.............yes thats right. The problem would be finding
someone with a large enough bucket to dip it in.
Several years ago when I was playing with motorcycles, I had a guy at
a cycle salvage yard take the rubber boots from the carb to intake
box. The rubber was harder than well you know, he takes the boots and
submerges them in the carb cleaner bucket for ~3 minutes and they came
out nice and supple. I don't have to tell you what would have happened
had he left them in too long, so if you do something like this go
conservative.   rustynutgarage 

(Ed Note:: Overexposure to Chlorinated Hydrocarbons will cause rubber to expand
 significantly.  Your lawn mower air filter will grow to the size of a seat cushion...)
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I have used Charlies soap.
http://www.charliesoap.com/
I accidently left a dried out rubber part that I was cleaning in the
concentrated soap.
I was nice and pliable after three days.
I do not know how long it took minimum.

Robert Kapteyn
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My applications has always been electronics devices, turntables, VCRs, platens, printer pickup rollers, etc.

I've used Rawn Re-grip rubber revitalizer, It's apparently used by the military as well, before that I used an ether-alcohol / naphtha  70/30 mix that I picked up from an old type writer repairman.

see http://www.rawnamerica.com/products.php for re-grip

I also know that racers use ethylene glycol to soften tires, and I've heard of people using DOT-3 break fluid to soften dried rubber parts as well.

I've run into people who say to use methylated alcohol, but my experience is that alcohols alone, tend to dry rubber out.

p.d. 
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