TheSamba.com :: View topic - Door seals

Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:46 pm

I purchased the "Complete Front Door Seal Kit" from Bus Depot.

http://www.busdepot.com/view.jsp?model=57&category=47&group=70&prodgroup=1032

This kit is advertised as coming with OEM/VW seals. What I received was labeled as made in Brazil, but no mention of VW on the packaging.

I've read on this forum that the Brazilian seals don't fit as well as the German ones, but it is not clear why. I noticed the seals were very similar to one I purchased a year ago at the local VW shop. It didn't fit, because the door wouldn't shut. The seal was too fat or thick. I had to cut off a strip along the entire length of the seal to make it work. So, I'm wondering whether the German seals have the same problem. Here are some images of the original seal and the Brazilian seal from Bus Depot. Notice the new ones are thicker and have an extra lip.

Does anyone know whether the German seals look like these Brazilian ones? if so, I'm a little concerned about spending 3X more for something that won't fit any better.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:51 pm

What do the corners look like? those sure look like Brazilian seals to me.

And FWIW the doors won't close right with any new seals for a few weeks, crack the windows open and slam it hard.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:57 pm

Hiya yar,

Interestingly, I had a chat with Ron Salmon concerning this very subject a few years ago.

OEM German? definitely the best you can buy.

However, when we talk about Brazillian seals we are actually talking about more than one animal. To wit........there are VWBrasil seals and then there are also aftermarket Brazillian seals. The VW Brasil seals are actually quite good and will most likely do a very good job for you. Aftermarket Brazillian seals are really not a good idea. Many VW parts houses (including West Coast Metric!) import, or have imported these very cheap aftermarket Brazillian seals.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:06 pm

Here's a picture of the corners along with one of the corners from the original seal, or I should say the seal that was on the bus when I bought it.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:10 pm

we got the same kit, has a yellow Brazil sticker on it and they look very much more like your originals than the new ones you have

Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:22 pm

I paid extra for the gen-u-wine German seals from Bus Depot and they're also thick. The standard Bus Depot kit comes with the Brazilian seals as you've discovered. Looking at your pictures I'd say my German seals looked a lot like your Brazilian seals. I also have to shut the door real hard and this is 5 months later. However I'd rather slam the door than have the wind whistling through I suppose.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:31 pm

i just put a german rear hatch seal in. it may seem a bit thick, but they fit fine. i also have to slam the hatch a bit harder now, but its getting easier everytime i close it. german is always better than brazilian.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:35 pm

SGKent wrote: we got the same kit, has a yellow Brazil sticker on it and they look very much more like your originals than the new ones you have

Well, the label on my new seals is yellow too. Here's a picture:

Doesn't say VW anywhere, but I suppose that doesn't mean it's not VW OEM. I guess I'm more concerned that it won't fit than anything.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:11 pm

When I tried to put on a seal like the new one from Bus Depot, I had to cut the material to the left of the scissors in this picture off the entire length of the seal:

And I still have to slam the door hard to get it to shut all the way and I put it in a year ago. I decided I would live with the seal for a year and replace it with German ones, which I thought I was getting with the Bus Depot kit, but didn't look carefully enough when I ordered. The catalog says OEM/VW, which I took to mean German, but now know I was wrong. But if the German one isn't any better in terms of fit (e.g. thickness), I can't see buying it. I would just have to cut it up again.

It could be a problem with my bus. It was in an accident and the whole front clip was replaced from one off a donor bus. The replacement included the door hinges. Plus, the door is off another bus, a 78 I think and mine is a 79. I had to modify the door stopper to make it fit.

The strange thing is I bought two seals from the local shop, one for each door. The second seal was different. It was probably the cheap Brazilian ones I've read about, because it is cracking badly after only one year. Yet, it fit very well from the very start and still fits good.

I'm not sure what to do.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:30 pm

I installed the door kits from Bus Depot a few months ago and I hate how they fit. The door seals are horrible. My doors close with some effort but stick out quite a bit when closed. Also, the window scrapers don't seem to run the entire length and let in much more water than the original ones did. I don't even want to get into how difficult it is to roll up my windows with the new felts in. The only part I think I'm happy with are the vent window seals. While it's hart to close them it's well sealed and I don't use them so I guess I'm okay with that. I'm going to bite the bullet and do it right the next time with German seals in the coming months.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:38 pm

The yellow label looks like the one on a 'cheap' seal I bought to see what it looked like. About $5, and if it lasts a couple of years and shuts fine and doesn't leak i'll be happy. I will also be purchasing some genuine VW Brazil door seals to see what they work like. They have apparently just changed the design a little, so it will be interesting to see if it is an improvement. It is a shame that the VWB items are mostly later bay than mine, or I would replace everything with them. German is not always best, as my bug front screen seal proves - way too thick for the glass to fit without a good beating, not good on laminated glass! WCM was a much better fit.

Al

Sun Dec 28, 2008 11:47 pm

LetsGoCamping wrote: I installed the door kits from Bus Depot a few months ago and I hate how they fit. The door seals are horrible. My doors close with some effort but stick out quite a bit when closed. Also, the window scrapers don't seem to run the entire length and let in much more water than the original ones did. I don't even want to get into how difficult it is to roll up my windows with the new felts in. The only part I think I'm happy with are the vent window seals. While it's hart to close them it's well sealed and I don't use them so I guess I'm okay with that. I'm going to bite the bullet and do it right the next time with German seals in the coming months.

Suggestion: You might adjust the door strikers inward. This will pull the door in so that it does not stick out as much. This worked for me.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 11:54 pm

FWIW --

I bought this kit a few months ago. Curiously, the door seals were both too long and I had to cut a few inches out to make them fit.

I ended up having to remove the driver door seal and replaced it with yet another BD seal I had lying around, except this one was years old. This one, fit fine lengthwise.

I adjusted my striker plates inward and the doors fit flush when slammed hard.

Other tips:

I found that the spring/wire which holds the inside scraper was malformed at the factory. The nubs are too fat to ever fit into the holes and not shaped right. I used the spring/wire from the old seals and things popped in relatively easily.

Overall, I am OK with the stuff I received. The door is supposed to let water through it anyway, right?

Mark

Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:07 am

our label is the same but it is a different date and does not have the VW part number on the tag. Instead if has a "customer number" in that square. Sounds like the wholeseller changed suppliers.

Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:08 pm

LetsGoCamping wrote: I installed the door kits from Bus Depot a few months ago and I hate how they fit. The door seals are horrible. My doors close with some effort but stick out quite a bit when closed. Also, the window scrapers don't seem to run the entire length and let in much more water than the original ones did. I don't even want to get into how difficult it is to roll up my windows with the new felts in. The only part I think I'm happy with are the vent window seals. While it's hart to close them it's well sealed and I don't use them so I guess I'm okay with that. I'm going to bite the bullet and do it right the next time with German seals in the coming months.

Wow, thanks for the input. You've got me worried now about the whole kit....
1) weatherstrip door seals don't fit
2) scrapers too short, letting water in
3) felt channel too tight

I'm considering returning the whole kit and buying everything except the door seals from Wolfsburg west:

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/door_components/bus_1968_1979/bus_door_1968_1979.cfm

Here are the prices I came up with:

Outside window scraper (German): 48.00
Inside window rubber scraper (made by Wolfsburg West): 9.00
Large felt channel (German): 17.00
Small felt channe (German)l: 12.00
Vent window flap seal (by Wolfsburg West): 2.50
Vent wing rubber: 16.00
Door handle seals: 7.25
Front door seal (German): 65.00

For a total of 111.75 per door. This is a a bit more than the 99.00 per door from Bus Depot and doesn't even include the door seals. On top of that, I'd have to pay shipping back to Bus Depot.

So, my total cost is probably:
- $40 shipping back to Bus Depot
- $111.75 times 2 doors for kit minus seals
- $40.00 (estimated) for Wolfsburg West shipping

For a total cost of $300.00 and no seals. The seals I put in last year aren't bad yet. I might just hold off buying any more seals until someone produces a better fitting one.

Anyone have any reason why I shouldn't return this stuff to Bus Depot and buy from Wolfsburg West? For example, the door parts from Wolfsburg West aren't that much better than Bus Depot. I'm particularly interested in the scrapers being long enough and the felt channel not being too tight.

Ray

Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:34 pm

many kits come with brazilian door seals, for about 80 bucks more or so you can upgrade to german, unfortunately i think the scrapers outside are only available from brazil now and the quality is marginal, remember local cats i can get west coast metric shit at about 25-30% off depending on the markup margin...later!! what up spammy lets do another gathering at the end of january on a saturday....who's down?? dont worry wolfsburg and the metric share many parts from the same place and often times sell to each other and relable....served bitches!!!! yes german fits better.

Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:38 pm

i will buy rear hatch seals new but on my bus the rest must be good used. i would rather give up VWs than to ever buy new front door seals. tried it once, NEVER AGAIN. if those f***ers want my money, they will have to make a better seal. they made them right in 71, so i know they can do it again- if they WANTED to.

every one talks about slamming their door. but all that extra friction in the latch will break those fragile outer door handle release levers.

Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:40 pm

dansvans wrote: i will buy rear hatch seals new but on my bus the rest must be good used. i would rather give up VWs than to ever buy new front door seals. tried it once, NEVER AGAIN. if those f***ers want my money, they will have to make a better seal. they made them right in 71, so i know they can do it again- if they WANTED to.

every one talks about slamming their door. but all that extra friction in the latch will break those fragile outer door handle release levers.

ssshhhh but many of the german are made on a real VW mold...check the part numbers and sometimes due to infringment they are grinded off lightly.

Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:50 pm

420GOAT wrote: dansvans wrote: i will buy rear hatch seals new but on my bus the rest must be good used. i would rather give up VWs than to ever buy new front door seals. tried it once, NEVER AGAIN. if those f***ers want my money, they will have to make a better seal. they made them right in 71, so i know they can do it again- if they WANTED to.

every one talks about slamming their door. but all that extra friction in the latch will break those fragile outer door handle release levers.

ssshhhh but many of the german are made on a real VW mold...check the part numbers and sometimes due to infringment they are grinded off lightly.

regardless, they dont work.

Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:53 pm

yarpiek wrote: When I tried to put on a seal like the new one from Bus Depot, I had to cut the material to the left of the scissors in this picture off the entire length of the seal
Hi
It looks that I have bought some Brazilan-type seals, as it is veeery hard to close passenger door with the new seal.
So please advise me what part of the seal should be cutted out?

right door wit he new seal

and comparation of details (lef -old, righ - new)