Door Hinge Pillar Weatherstrip -quality issue-

[mfitzsimor]

I installed a Door Hinge Pillar Weatherstrip last year that was purchased from a reputable KG parts vendor and NOT part of a kit. It had an odd, oily feeling out of the package and despite a LOT of washing, I had a very difficult time getting the 3M adhesive to stick to it.

It is now starting to once again separate from the adhesive that is still quite firmly attached to the car's pillar and the weather strip has now split in the channel at its 90 degree angles near the top of the pillar.

Anyone else have a similar experience with these?
Did I just get a pair from a bad batch? Are some simply made of poor quality rubber?

I need to order a new pair and it's not even a cost issue - it was simply a LOT of work that I now have to do all over again.

Thanks!
_________________
portland, or
69 cypress green ghia coupe
82 vanagon TD
86 quantum syncro

[JT Bryan]

I've been dicking with that for the last few days. I washed the seal, used simple green concentrate, windex with ammonia, and finally acetone and it finally stuck. It think the oils in the rubber were finally absorbed from multiple times being glued.... Good luck, it's a royal pain..... Next is figuring out the windlace,,,, I used KGRP rubber and it works so far....

[c21darrel]

I had good luck with KGPR's seal. 3 years later still no issues.
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[didget69]

The 'oily film' is most likely from the material compound suffering from the plasticizer leaching out of the material...

bnc
_________________
I never found the need to impress people with any mechanic certifications, trophies or track wins... unless it was for Mom to post on the refrigerator door.

[mfitzsimor]

Thanks everyone - I'll try again with some new ones and hopefully this is the last time I have to mess with them.

Mark
_________________
portland, or
69 cypress green ghia coupe
82 vanagon TD
86 quantum syncro

[kman]

Agreed. You need to wipe a few times with acetone. Which I didn't do at 1st. But what is worse is that I found them too stiff. They bind the door.. The original one that was on my car was made out of a much softer foam rubber.

I removed them.

[cool karmann collected]

the correct material is more foam than rubber in appearance - very supple, not stiff or unyielding at all. It is usually grey in colour and often has a white , almost chalk-dust finish to it.

It sounds like you have been supplied an inferior reproduction seal.