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mariposa Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: whitehorse, yukon, canada
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Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 4:33 pm Post subject: lubricating old window and door seals |
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Just wondering what product is the best for getting older window and door seals flexible again, and preventing further drying...I use plain old armorall protectant on my car, but maybe there is something else that is better...I just love buying special stuff for my van; it seems I can somehow justify spendinging more money for it than my trusted subi _________________ '83 Vanagon (Diesel) converted to a gas 1,8L jetta (most probably) 1993
'91 Subaru Loyale "The Red Baron" |
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tschroeder0 Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2008 Posts: 2096 Location: Boulder CO
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:17 am Post subject: |
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I just replaced my old window seals, sooooo nice not to have wind noise, money very well spent. Todd |
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berge13 Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2007 Posts: 238 Location: Claremont
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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Where'd ya get 'em? _________________ "If someone believes in you, well that is just the greatest thing in life..."
Berge;1972
85 WBX GL
Prior:
59 Ragtop
66 Barndoor
71 TinTop Westy
69 Karmann Ghia
62 Bus
83.5 Vanagon |
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mariposa Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: whitehorse, yukon, canada
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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I whish I could buy bran new seals too, but, there are a few other things that are more crucial for now, and I busted my vanbudget a long time ago... _________________ '83 Vanagon (Diesel) converted to a gas 1,8L jetta (most probably) 1993
'91 Subaru Loyale "The Red Baron" |
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weatherbill Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 366 Location: Nashville
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:59 am Post subject: |
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is resealing windows tricky or is it simple for the do it yourselfer
DIYer??? |
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Jamos Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2005 Posts: 762 Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:01 am Post subject: |
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http://303products.com/
Go for the "aerospace protectant"
I've been using it for years now, and it holds up extremely well. It gets the rubber or plastic back to where it was when it was new, especially if used repeatedly.
I've only read bad things about armorall, and that it will eventually just dry out the rubber or plastic. _________________ '86 Wolfy Westy Weekender
2020 Audi Q5 |
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mariposa Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: whitehorse, yukon, canada
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I was chatting with a guy at the Napa counter and he was suggesting vaseline (?) seems strange to me _________________ '83 Vanagon (Diesel) converted to a gas 1,8L jetta (most probably) 1993
'91 Subaru Loyale "The Red Baron" |
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berge13 Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2007 Posts: 238 Location: Claremont
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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Hmmmm, and I thought Vaseline was just for.... Oh, never mind. _________________ "If someone believes in you, well that is just the greatest thing in life..."
Berge;1972
85 WBX GL
Prior:
59 Ragtop
66 Barndoor
71 TinTop Westy
69 Karmann Ghia
62 Bus
83.5 Vanagon |
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mariposa Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: whitehorse, yukon, canada
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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oh my!
checked out the "aerospace protectant". I like the name...I"m gonna order some if the shipping isn't too much (nope, you can't buy that stuff up here...sigh) _________________ '83 Vanagon (Diesel) converted to a gas 1,8L jetta (most probably) 1993
'91 Subaru Loyale "The Red Baron" |
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RCB Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005 Posts: 4143 Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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Does anyone else apply Baby oil to the seals and to the dash board ?? |
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LostMyVWkey Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2007 Posts: 54
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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silicone paste. I have used it successfully for the last 20 years. rub it on with the brush and rub in and on the rest of the way and globs back off. It is also good for minor water leaks. Don't use it on the surfaces that contact glass. |
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bucko Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2004 Posts: 2617 Location: Coppell, Texas
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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If they show any signs of hardening or cracks, replace them. No type of coating/application is going to bring them back. _________________ Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia
Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181 |
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msinabottle Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3492 Location: Denver Area, Colorado
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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Does anyone else apply Baby oil to the seals and to the dash board ?? |
I do, brother, on everything from Winston to Big Dodge, the '70 Dart, to a '93 Saturn SW2 and the results are always good. Use a rag you won't want back, because after you've put the baby oil on the window rubber, the rag you used to do it will be black with oxidation. But Winston's seals have regained some flexibility, and the window gasket I pulled for the first set of jalousies was in good enough condition to have been re-used, although we didn't.
I use baby oil on the rubber, the vinyl, and the plastic, inside and out. Winston's dash pad improves with every treatement. It does 'cook off' on the windows, but that is why God invented Windex.
Best! _________________ 'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence." |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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Buck said it best--
If the rubber's or glass gaskets are dried up and weather checked--
NOTHING is going to reverse the UV damaged rubber.
Save yourself some time, money and aggravation.
There is no miracle rubber restoration product that's going to fill in the cracks in the rubber or get them to swell up back to their factory original, new condition.
It's an physical impossibility.
Replacing the dried up rubber parts is the only way. _________________ T.K. |
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mariposa Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: whitehorse, yukon, canada
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:25 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks guys,
I think that I am gonna try the baby oil (cheap-cheap!!!), and save up for some bran new seals... _________________ '83 Vanagon (Diesel) converted to a gas 1,8L jetta (most probably) 1993
'91 Subaru Loyale "The Red Baron" |
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bucko Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2004 Posts: 2617 Location: Coppell, Texas
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:08 am Post subject: |
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mariposa wrote: |
Thanks guys,
I think that I am gonna try the baby oil (cheap-cheap!!!), and save up for some bran new seals... |
I'd save the baby oil for those Saturday night dates with the wife.... _________________ Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia
Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181 |
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Perales Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007 Posts: 2046 Location: Nova Scotia
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:09 am Post subject: |
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As per the Bentley:
"To seal properly, weatherstrips around hood, hatch, windows, doors, etc., must be pliable. Spray with silicone or coat with talcum powder or glycerine to retain flexibility of the rubber and to protect against freezing in the winter."
I am not sure about using silicone since I have heard to keep it far away from vehicles, but I suspect that it might really be the best thing to do any reconditioning, assuming the rubber is not already decomposing. I believe scuba divers are known to use talcum powder on their mask rubber to keep it in shape, but I assume that is more of a preventative thing. Glycerine could be interesting though...? _________________ -- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino) |
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candyman Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003 Posts: 2694 Location: Missoula MT
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:35 am Post subject: |
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an old body shop trick is to use ATF. I apply it about once every two years. My seals are still OG and in very supple shape. I also live in a very dry climate. I have used ATF to bring back old ghia dash board covers, rubber mats, you name it. Some will say "oh that ATF petroleum based and that is bad for rubber", well 20 years later and my seals are still like new, you do the math |
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markz2004 Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2007 Posts: 944 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:02 am Post subject: |
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Perales wrote: |
As per the Bentley:
"To seal properly, weatherstrips around hood, hatch, windows, doors, etc., must be pliable. Spray with silicone or coat with talcum powder or glycerine to retain flexibility of the rubber and to protect against freezing in the winter."
I am not sure about using silicone since I have heard to keep it far away from vehicles, but I suspect that it might really be the best thing to do any reconditioning, assuming the rubber is not already decomposing. I believe scuba divers are known to use talcum powder on their mask rubber to keep it in shape, but I assume that is more of a preventative thing. Glycerine could be interesting though...? |
Why not silicone?? Are the properties of silicone bad for paint, etc.? _________________ 87 Westy, 250k GW 2.4 - 2.0 , 16" wheels |
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RicoS Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2006 Posts: 583
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:41 am Post subject: |
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Terry Kay wrote: |
NOTHING is going to reverse the UV damaged rubber.
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Don't be so sure of yourself, Oh Great Master of Mayhem. When I was a baby, my mom rubbed me down with baby oil every time she changed my diaper. It worked so well that I went on to have one of the go-go dancers I dated do it, too. Now, if I can only convince my Sweetheart that it's the way to go, I have a shot at looking like I did when I was twenty.
Whenever I wasn't being slathered with baby oil, I did manage to discover that rubber compounds are not compatible with all oils. It occurred when I told a motor rebuilder to fill a bunch of oil-filled submersible pumps with transformer oil as the final step in rebuilding them. The pumps ran great with the transformer oil, but their SO Type (rubber insulated) drop cords wicked up the transformer oil until they were about to pop. Damn cords looked like un-smoked kielbasi plugged into the junction boxes.
As usual, when all else fails, call the vendor. I was told that the correct oil for the application was vegetable oil. It was odd to pick up a case of Wesson at the food purveyor and drop it off at the motor shop.
Rich |
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