TheSamba.com :: View topic - Front door seal- failure!

Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:43 pm

Hey all-
I tried to install new door seals a while back, and I embarrassed to admit that I seem to have failed. The seals are coming off of both front doors at the bottom and on the hinge side. I don't know what my mistake was, but I am guessing that I didn't let the adhesive (3m weatherstrip adhesive) tack up enough, or perhaps I didn't do enough prep?

So I need to give it another go, and I am wondering if I need to clean all of the adhesive off from my last attempt, or do I just go over what is already there? If I need to remove the old stuff, what would I use to get it off?

Thanks for any advice, I'm hoping to get this done ASAP so I don't wreck the seals.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:30 pm

I removed the old glue with a product the body shops use to wash a vehicle before a paint job. It's called "General purpose Adhesive remover" from 3m-I'm sure there are other brands

Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:36 pm

Most people use way too much cement, and it will not work. The secret is to use as little as you can possibly apply(think paper thin!) and make sure both surfaces are cleaned well first.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:42 pm

There are plastics pins for those seals that go between the hinges.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:18 pm

I had the same failure. Too much adhesive. A good tutorial for this would be great. If you get it wrong, it takes a lot of time to prep it to go again. I need to redo it again

Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:00 pm

WandS wrote: I had the same failure. Too much adhesive. A good tutorial for this would be great. If you get it wrong, it takes a lot of time to prep it to go again. I need to redo it again

Welp, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I think too much adhesive was probably the problem. I also may not have let it tack up enough- patience is not my strong suit. Sigh- it looks like I have a ton of work ahead of me getting adhesive off of the van. Thanks for all the feedback!

Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:10 pm

Sounds like surface prep to me. A tedious job, so better to do it once.

Gotta clean off all the old glue. Peel, pick and rub the dry stuff then carefully and thoroughly clean with adhesive remover, on BOTH surfaces (door frame and seal), let dry and use just enough adhesive to do the job, but not so sparingly that it's drying before you get it in place.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:43 pm

Use laquer thinner to loosen up the old hard glue-- it'll be a hell of a job getting it outa the door frame.

Once you have it all gone & clean from the seal & door framem apply the glue evenly to both the seal & metal.
Let it tack up good, and then install the seal.
As long as evverthing is cleaned up good the adhesive will hold the seal onto the van.