poptop seal corners

[stevey88]

I am in the process of replacing the poptop seal using the one from Busdepot. On the old seal, the inner lip that touch the van body at the rear corners was cut off, see picture below, this is the bottom view:

Do I need to do the same for my new busdepot seal ?
The inner lip were also cut off at the forward part of the seal that joint the flat seal between the luggage rack. Two and a half inches was cut off before the flat seal starts.
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Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed

[BushChicken]

The cut outs in the back allow any water that gets in there to drain out the back. The cuts before the flat seal is so the top sits more flush where it meets the rear edge of the luggage rack.

I cut the bulb on my replacement seal to provide these two areas of relief/drainage.

[Ahwahnee]

[spitsnrovers]

and - I put mine on just as they came out of the box. Had to crimp the corners a bit to get them to lie correctly at the rear point of the top, but no problems in 4 years.
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'88 VW Westfalia
'75 Triumph Spitfire 1500

[stevey88]

BushChicken,
Thanks for the explanations. I will cut mine out as I think the top will sit better that way besides water drainage. The turn at these two corners is quite sharp so cutting the "tube" out will help.

Just did the luggage rack seal and realize half way through there is an inside/outside face. Have to pull it out and reinsert. A lot easier to push the new seal in if I loosen the four screws and four nuts and move the rack forward a bit.
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Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed

[hiram6]

I did new top seals last year and DID NOT cut out a chunk of the weatherstripping there. I get the whole drainage idea, but the concern for me would be wind noise. At highway speeds it seems to me gaps in the top seal right at those two front corners would be just asking for a new wind noise.

I've also never had a problem with drainage. Most water runs out the back of the luggage rack area, and the little bit that's left sneaks out of those front corners even with the intact seal.

I also make it part of my spring time clean-up of the van to remove the luggage rack, and wax the painted roof underneath.
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1985 Westy, 1.9L automatic (Daisy)
1996 Mazda Miata
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited

You can't lie around on the beach and drink rum all day.................unless you start first thing in the morning.

[spitsnrovers]

Hiram - I notice you say

[hiram6]

Hmm, maybe I'm confused by the last lines in the original post.

The inner lip were also cut off at the forward part of the seal that joint the flat seal between the luggage rack. Two and a half inches was cut off before the flat seal starts.

And also the picture seems to look like the front seal, not the rear seal.


Anyway, I'll cover both bases by saying I did not cut in either place, and have had no problems.
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1985 Westy, 1.9L automatic (Daisy)
1996 Mazda Miata
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited

You can't lie around on the beach and drink rum all day.................unless you start first thing in the morning.

[BushChicken]

Yeah, like many of you have experienced, it is not strictly necessary to make these cuts. Just didn't seem like a bad idea and it was quick and easy.

As for wind noise at the front corners: If you cut the bulb so it ends right where the rear edge of the luggage rack begins, the U-channel sits cleanly on the luggage rack and the bulb takes up the gap just as the luggage rack ends.

I think it actually makes a better seal this way and would reduce wind noise. Of course, I didn't do any testing or comparisons, I just liked the way it looked better. In practice I'm sure it makes little difference either way and it just comes down to personal preference.