DHughes

What is the best way to replace the rear hatch seal? Does the seal snap into place or do you "run" it along the channel. It looks like quite a tight squeeze up near the hinges.

thanks,

DH
1989 S4 Black/Black

Snowball the 81 white 928

it hooks on like the seal at the rear of the hood, slips over a flange. i couldn't do it w/o removing the hatch. that was 5 yrs ago (novice level) but i still don't think there's an ez way.

MichaelR

I replaced the hatch shocks and the seal at the same time. I removed the shocks, used a pole to hold the hatch a little higher than normal, and was able to slip the hatch seal on with a bit of manuevering. Just be careful not to push/pull the hatch high enough to bend anything.

Snowball the 81 white 928

nice technique. old dogs can learn new tricks. keep 'em coming.

Dan Bise

For this, I measured and chalk marked the middle of the seal then threaded it through the open hatch while lying down in the back of the car. My hatch shocks were still on and it was very doable.

Lining the seal up with the middle of the forward hatch rim, I then pressed down both sides, seating along both directions as I went, eventually ending up at the rear of the car. Starting at the back of the car and working your way forward would work as well, but you will have less flexibility when trying to thread the seal into the tight areas along the forward hinge.

DO NOT trim the seal as the factory seal comes perfectly sized for the hatch rim. If you buy from Pep Boys, well, you're on your own and tsk tsk. :-)

Dan
Pasadena, CA
'83S