TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:39 pm

I was fighting putting the 1/4 windows in my 57 tonight. The corners of the WW seals don't fit to the body worth a dam. :evil: I thought it may be my new glass being cut too small or something (they are but only by an 1/8") so I popped in an OE piece of glass and had the same issue. The main area of concern is at the lower front corner on the B-pillar and at the back corner where it curves on the C pillar. I haven't even tried the windshield yet, but I'm expecting similar results.
Anyone else have this problem? Only thing I can think of is the fact that they aren't preformed corners.

Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:48 pm

I just received all my new rubber from WW yesterday. I will be installing this weekend. I'll let you know if I run into the same problem :(

Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:59 pm

I just installed the ww rubber kit and all I can say is its all about the initial position. You might try to force the corner a little forward as much as possible with out compromising the top and rear curve. Mine was a tab bit short as well.

Kevin

Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:56 pm

Don't know if they are the same, but I just put the WW seals in my '67. The back galss was a little tight, mostly due to my new headliner, but the windshield went right in and looks great!

Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:06 pm

knaggy wrote: I just installed the ww rubber kit and all I can say is its all about the initial position. You might try to force the corner a little forward as much as possible with out compromising the top and rear curve. Mine was a tab bit short as well.

Kevin

That's what I was thinking but I had these things in and out 3 or 4 times trying different placement and starting points with the same results. I'm very cautious to even attempt the windshield at this point.
I'm gonna try a set of Vewib premolded seals and see how that pans out. Has anyone tried the Vewib seals?
Please LMK how yours turn out jefff.

After reading this post it would seem that I'm not alone.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=388384&highlight=window+seals

Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:46 am

I got mine in and yeah....they weren't an easy fit, but I was expecting worse. I just had to play with them, they went in though. Doesn't appear to be any gaps and appears fit right. But I'll be sure to have a towel ready when it first sees rain :D

One thing I wasn't impressed with was the door rubber. I just picture a 100ft roll of weather stripping that WW just measures and cuts off. It didn't fit properly, no cutouts for the door components etc.

My original rubbers were actually pretty decent once I cleaned them up, I just reinstalled them.

Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:28 pm

We've had some really big fights about all this jazz recently over in the square window forum. I came down on the side of "aftermarket rubber is generally crappy and doesn't fit well." I got called names and everything.

My condolences for your troubles.

One of our discussions over yonder:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=440348&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

The Vewib seals are much, much better--easier to fit around the glass, much softer, installing the trim is a breeze, etc.

Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:32 pm

i know the felt on the divider bar was a huge pain in the ass for me.
fits the chrome channel no problem but the glass fitting in it was an issue.

Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:42 pm

I used WW seals on my 56. Had no problems with seal fitment. I used lots of ky lube, after the seal and chrome was installed on glass pushed the glass in the body frame. Then had a friend hold in place while I used a plastic bicycle tire remover thingy to pull the outer seal lip out. When I was happy with the fitment pulled the cord and done. Good luck.

Aaron

Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:36 am

Front windshield rubber was tight but fit OK, rear widow was a bitch and doesnt fit the lower corners at all. A large gap (1/4 inch) allows water to collect in the sill, not good for rust prevention. :roll:

Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:11 am

I cant even get my back window in on my oval..The WW rubber is way to thick :(

Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:31 am

I ran into so many issues with my WW rubber for the front windshield on my '57. The rubber seemed too stiff and wasn't molded for the corners. I like WW stuff, but I think the window rubber is junk.

I ended up buying German molded rubber from CIP1, cost about $129 for just the 2 quarters and the back window, but I will report back here on whether or not it was worth it. It arrives on Wed.

Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:17 am

Update on my oval WW window rubber install. Took the car to two places and no one could get the window in. They all said the rubber was way to thick... So I called WW and told them the problem and the guy pretty much said I didnt know what I was doing. A friend gave me a cheaper company brand side window rubber and I cut it and put it on the oval glass and glued the ends together. My friend and I had the back glass in with no problems at all. I did a side by side comparison to show how much thicker the WW rubber is.. The WW is on the left.

Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:49 am

Is this the problem area that you are describing as too thick?

Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:15 am

Haven't had any experience with the WW rubber, but I CAN say that I've never had any issues with West Coast Metric rubber.

Great fit and finish, a nice fit on the outside around the body, it weathers really well compared to cheaper brands and installs easily. Not trying to hijack or anything, but I just noticed that it hadn't been mentioned as an alternative.

Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:16 am

Keep at it. I thought I had the same problem with a tough rear window and I gave up and called in a pro (who'd been installing glass for 20 years) who told me that the seal was defective and he couldn't install it despite trying for 90 minutes and HE gave up. Having faith in the nice vewib seal I'd sourced from overseas, I then took it to a glass shop that did a lot of old school cars, customs, hotrods, etc., and they zipped it right in, about three minutes. Sometimes your skillset may not quite be up to the task, you didn't have enough coffee, you had too much coffee, etc.

Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:34 am

Snort wrote: Is this the problem area that you are describing as too thick?

I think thats what they were talking about.. They couldnt even get it to set in the opening.. But the new rubber layed right in..

Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:11 pm

Here are photos of a left side German quarter window seal that I purchased from Airhead parts last fall, http://www.airheadparts.com/. I have not put it in, and I'm not sure I want to as I'm unhappy with the seam on it. My reasons are that it has a perfect right angle butt joint, and the joint looks sloppy to me. My existing seals were purchased from VW in the mid-70's, they have a scarf joint, and it's cleanly done with no irregularity to it.

I don't have a way to measure the inside thickness (as mentioned in the above post), and I'm not willing to cut it open until or unless I get another one first but I'm open to ideas on how it could be measured or compared to anyone else's seals.

Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:03 pm

for what its worth, I used WW windshield seal on my 71 Westy. perfect fit, and on my 63 Vert with the chrome insert. faught with it for so long, I ended up breaking the windshield. got another windshield, fought with it some more. gave up. slept on it. went at it fresh the next morning, used lots of armorall, and popped it in in about 5 minutes. so the rubber obviously was not too thick, I just didn't have something right. still looks great after about 8 years.