Installing door seal
02-12-2010, 01:37 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Installing door seal
I'm installing a new seal on the right hand door.
I'm using Mr Merlin's advice to cut the seal so as to avoid disconnecting all the electrics.
Doing a trial install. I'm not using adhesive (the old seal came out very easily - I don't think it was stuck in) and I find that because of the 'spring' in the rubber it doesn't want to sit fully home in the channel. It comes out a little so that the lip expose quite a bit of metal at the edge.
On the other side the seal looks very neat and the rubber goes right up to the edge.
Photos (looking down on top of door frame) show the seal as it wants to sit, and then the 'ideal' install achieved by pushing it in with my hand as I take photo! Only the top strip from the 'wedge' back is in at this point, but I tried installing the whole thing round the door and it still exposes far too much metal.
Is there some trick for getting it to lie properly in the channel? Do you have to use adhesive? Does the seal get pushed in when the door is first shut so I needn't worry that it's not fully home with door open?
Thanks for advice. I know this is one of the easier seals to install so puzzled why it should cause me a problem.
I'm using Mr Merlin's advice to cut the seal so as to avoid disconnecting all the electrics.
Doing a trial install. I'm not using adhesive (the old seal came out very easily - I don't think it was stuck in) and I find that because of the 'spring' in the rubber it doesn't want to sit fully home in the channel. It comes out a little so that the lip expose quite a bit of metal at the edge.
On the other side the seal looks very neat and the rubber goes right up to the edge.
Photos (looking down on top of door frame) show the seal as it wants to sit, and then the 'ideal' install achieved by pushing it in with my hand as I take photo! Only the top strip from the 'wedge' back is in at this point, but I tried installing the whole thing round the door and it still exposes far too much metal.
Is there some trick for getting it to lie properly in the channel? Do you have to use adhesive? Does the seal get pushed in when the door is first shut so I needn't worry that it's not fully home with door open?
Thanks for advice. I know this is one of the easier seals to install so puzzled why it should cause me a problem.
Last edited by StratfordShark; 02-12-2010 at 08:13 PM.
02-13-2010, 09:27 AM
#4
Don't use any adhesive, just be patient and work it along. They are easy to tear so dont force either.
02-13-2010, 10:33 AM
#5
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As Sean said, no adhesive necessary.
Work it into the channel. Make sure you orient it around the door in the correct position as well. There are built in flaps along the top that you can kind of use as a guide.
When all is lined up, continue to work into the channel. Also, when you close the door, the seal will start getting used to where its sitting or in otherwords start getting some "memory".
When I replaced the seals on the 79 I was surprised how the door started to be a little harder to shut, so you could now slam it and it would sound tight when it closed. When you opened the door it would "pop" open as opposed to just kind of sitting there when you pulled the handle open.
Keep working it, this job is definatley NOT on the PITA thread!!
Work it into the channel. Make sure you orient it around the door in the correct position as well. There are built in flaps along the top that you can kind of use as a guide.
When all is lined up, continue to work into the channel. Also, when you close the door, the seal will start getting used to where its sitting or in otherwords start getting some "memory".
When I replaced the seals on the 79 I was surprised how the door started to be a little harder to shut, so you could now slam it and it would sound tight when it closed. When you opened the door it would "pop" open as opposed to just kind of sitting there when you pulled the handle open.
Keep working it, this job is definatley NOT on the PITA thread!!
02-13-2010, 12:37 PM
#6
Drifting
Thread Starter
Thanks for clear advice not to use adhesive.
I think I may have found the problem.
You start the seal at the 'wedge' near door mirror. When I insert the old seal there it goes in very positively, and you can see in the photo that the lip overlaps almost all the metal at edge of door there so it's snugly in channel. As I run the seal up the door channel the lip overlaps neatly to edge.
The new seal doesn't want to go in as far at the wedge. It's not snug in the channel (photo shows it's not as far inserted) and this seems to want to pull the seal away as you insert it going up and round the top of the door.
I don't know if you can tell from the side by side photo, but by eye the 'wedge' of the new seal has a little more material than the old (the flappy 'triangle' on right is wider on new seal, other key dimensions are the same), so it doesn't push in as far at that starting point.
I wonder if I should trim off some of the rubber here so it is identical to the old seal, or if over time the new seal will get to be forced in?
I think I may have found the problem.
You start the seal at the 'wedge' near door mirror. When I insert the old seal there it goes in very positively, and you can see in the photo that the lip overlaps almost all the metal at edge of door there so it's snugly in channel. As I run the seal up the door channel the lip overlaps neatly to edge.
The new seal doesn't want to go in as far at the wedge. It's not snug in the channel (photo shows it's not as far inserted) and this seems to want to pull the seal away as you insert it going up and round the top of the door.
I don't know if you can tell from the side by side photo, but by eye the 'wedge' of the new seal has a little more material than the old (the flappy 'triangle' on right is wider on new seal, other key dimensions are the same), so it doesn't push in as far at that starting point.
I wonder if I should trim off some of the rubber here so it is identical to the old seal, or if over time the new seal will get to be forced in?
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02-13-2010, 04:39 PM
#9
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Dont trim it. Like I said, it will find its way eventually as the door is shut and it's pressed in place. Just make sure it is oriented in the correct position. I'm guessing the one you are taking off is more like a cross between rubber and plastic (instead of nice soft rubber) and it seats in nicely. Am I wrong??
Remember, the one you're pulling off has been on your car for 20 years!! It has been pressed in there with the door shut for most of it's useful life and it's "memory" is such that it fits good and wants to stay there.
The new one wont seat in nicely at first, but give it time, it will. As you press it in, it will want to pop back out of the channel pretty much all the way around the top part of the door. The bottom part will probably fit better at first.
Patience Grasshoppa!!
Remember, the one you're pulling off has been on your car for 20 years!! It has been pressed in there with the door shut for most of it's useful life and it's "memory" is such that it fits good and wants to stay there.
The new one wont seat in nicely at first, but give it time, it will. As you press it in, it will want to pop back out of the channel pretty much all the way around the top part of the door. The bottom part will probably fit better at first.
Patience Grasshoppa!!
02-13-2010, 05:16 PM
#10
Drifting
Thread Starter
That's immensely reassuring Chuck - thanks.
The old seal isn't quite as plasticized as you suggest but stiffer than the new one (the old one isn't the original but I'm not sure how old it is).
You are spot on about which sections fit better.
Tomorrow I'll put the new seal in, slam the door (new door stay works great) and bide my time.
Thanks again.
The old seal isn't quite as plasticized as you suggest but stiffer than the new one (the old one isn't the original but I'm not sure how old it is).
You are spot on about which sections fit better.
Tomorrow I'll put the new seal in, slam the door (new door stay works great) and bide my time.
Thanks again.
02-13-2010, 05:35 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Put the new seal in the fridge for a few hours/overnight. The rubber will shrink and will have to be stretched a little to get in place then as it warms it expands to the correct size and shape.
Up here in the frozen North we just throw them outside on the snow bank for 10mins
Up here in the frozen North we just throw them outside on the snow bank for 10mins
05-06-2011, 06:26 PM
#13
THAT is the MOST STUPID idea i Have heard on a 928 in a long time.
The plug for the door is right there under the dash. A few screws and you can disconnect the white plug and also undo the door arrestor - and boom - you can install the seal the WAY ITS SUPPOSED TO BE.
Again, it was not your idea, but to cut that 175 dollar piece of rubber is a complete hack job.
They stretch a little when installed. So you need a foam glue so you can install it once that sets.
05-07-2011, 08:50 AM
#15
Drifting
Thread Starter
I'm dismayed to see an old thread I started has incited argument.
FWIW I remember using Mr Merlin's splice method which as he states works invisibly on a freshly cut seal.
I also prefer to install the "correct" way usually. In this case (on RHD car) I couldn't see how to disconnect the loom at dash side (pretty sure it disappeared with no accessible connector) and and the door end (had card off to install new stay) the connector was very tight and I didn't want to risk snapping anything unnecessarily, so elected to cut and join the seal. Maybe I overlooked an easy disconnect at the dash but the splice is invisible.
FWIW I remember using Mr Merlin's splice method which as he states works invisibly on a freshly cut seal.
I also prefer to install the "correct" way usually. In this case (on RHD car) I couldn't see how to disconnect the loom at dash side (pretty sure it disappeared with no accessible connector) and and the door end (had card off to install new stay) the connector was very tight and I didn't want to risk snapping anything unnecessarily, so elected to cut and join the seal. Maybe I overlooked an easy disconnect at the dash but the splice is invisible.