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Rgl1100 Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2020 Posts: 57 Location: Boston
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Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:01 am Post subject: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Ok guys, I’m literally getting my ass kicked attempting to put in the seal and vent window on both sides of my 67 split. I’ve reconditioned the frame, bought new seals(which I admit are Brazilian which came from WW. When I purchased them I assumed they were German and that WW wouldn’t be selling Brazilian stuff but the reality is I was wrong) I will say that all other seals and felt in my door kit seems and works fine. It’s simply the vent window just doesn’t go in smoothly at all. The vent window frame and glass themselves are brand new from WW also. They came completely assembled. I looked at them closely and they are exact reproductions of the originals which I also have. I simply need some help and advice. I spent 3 hours on one door and only that seal. I finally put it down and walked away. I would have broken it out of frustration if I had continued. Any advice would really be helpful. Before everyone chimes in and it turns into a complaint session about Brazilian stuff let’s just not. I’ve already ordered supposedly OEM seals from MetricWest but I really feel there’s got to be some better way of putting these in. I can’t imagine it’s this hard. I’ve scanned YouTube and found a few videos but nothing specifically about these vent windows on a bus. Thanks for any help you can provide. |
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Who.Me? Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2014 Posts: 2211 Location: UK (South)
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Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:22 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Do you mean the glass seal that goes in to the channel on the vent window, or the seal for the vent-window-to-door frame?
It's best to make a jig for the glass seal, https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=341651&highlight=vent+window+seal
If the vent window hasn't been assembled correctly it can be impossible to fit that seal though. I had to ditch it and use glazing sealant because whoever assembled the vent window used too much glue to fit the 'swoosh' wind deflector, so there wasn't enough space in the channel to take the seal. (It was painted when I got but they'd just wedged the glass in to the frame with a couple of tabs of rubber.)
The chunky vent-to-door-frame seal is a bitch to fit, but it just takes patience. Use lots of french chalk or talcum powder on the frame and the rubber. Use plastic trim tools to push the seal in to the frame. It'll go eventually. It helps to have a second pair of hand to hold the seal in as you work round the frame, once you've got it started, to stop it popping back out. Your fingers will hate you for days though.[/url] _________________ Andy
Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786 |
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Rgl1100 Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2020 Posts: 57 Location: Boston
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Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:25 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Thanks Andy. I’m talking about the chunky seal that fits in the frame not the vent window assembly itself. Your certainly correct about my hands. They’re killing me right now and I never even got the seal in………I guess I’ll just keep trying. I’ll definitely use your suggestion of the talc powder. Thank you. |
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HappyTheMan Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2008 Posts: 72 Location: PNW
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Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:58 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Did you thoroughly remove excess rubber before install? Every one I've done needed about an hours worth of prep before its ready to go in. Surely there's many threads on this topic cause it can be frustrating. Try searching the word vent in titles of this sub forum. |
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Who.Me? Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2014 Posts: 2211 Location: UK (South)
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Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:20 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Rgl1100 wrote: |
Thanks Andy. I’m talking about the chunky seal that fits in the frame not the vent window assembly itself. Your certainly correct about my hands. They’re killing me right now and I never even got the seal in………I guess I’ll just keep trying. I’ll definitely use your suggestion of the talc powder. Thank you. |
The things I remember about fitting those seals are...
You have to cut a slit in the seal to lip over the vent window pivot bracket at the top of the frame.
The seal has two outer lips that seal against the frame when installed and a central section made up of two rubber flanges that lock in to the channel in the frame.
I found that I had most success offering up the the seal so the inside edge (the side facing in to the cab) was in place, then working from the outside, lifting the outer side lip and using plastic trim tools to work the central flanges in to the channel.
I started at the top, so the slit for the pivot bracket was in the right place, and worked down and round the frame. I used talc on the lips and the flanges, as well as the frame.
As I said above, a second pair of hands is a big help to stop the flanges pinging back out of the channel as you manipulate the seal in to place.
An alternative to talc or french chalk is to use water-based lube from a plumbing store (the stuff used for seals in drinking water systems). Don't use petroleum-based products - they'll eat the rubber over time. _________________ Andy
Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786 |
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BonTonRoulet Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2020 Posts: 363 Location: Mississippi
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Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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There are quite a few threads on this forum you'll find in a "search" on how others have fought this seal/task.
As my friend used to say "It's harder than putting panty hose on a bobcat in a phone booth!"
3 Hours to do one side isn't out of line. I'm sure I spent at least that much time on them. My seals were Brazillian, and they had sat in their bags on top of a shelf in an outdoor storage room for 27 years. I bought them from WCM back in 1993. They were still like new but had cycled from very hot to near 0F a few times here in Mississippi for a long time.
Tips I can afford with the task:
I used liberal amounts of baby powder. Looking back now, I think a tube of
Sil Glyde from the local NAPA store would have worked better.
I installed my vent wing seals with the frame in position on top of the door. I'm 6'-3" so it was a good working height and a fixed position of the frame for me. Of course once the seal was installed, I had to remove the frame assembly to actually fit the vent window in the frame and then reinstall the entire thing on my bus.
The tools: You want something stiff and plastic so it doesn't scratch the frame leading to more rust. Lucky for me, my other hobby of nearly 50 years was R/C model airplanes. So I have hard plastic propellers. Lots of them. Wooden ones as well. A hard nylon plastic propeller IS the ticket on getting this job done. The little 6" props we used on the Cox 049 engines is THE swiss army knife of my toolbox.
Painters tape. You'll need a roll of blue painters tape. The stuff that comes off easy and won't lift your paint. Pull off several strips of about 6" each and have them handy.
The method: Get one side started from the front lower corner and work up and back. Get it started on one side, say the side closest to the cab. Using your plastic tool, lift the outer seal lip and poke and prod the inner flange of the seal into the inner flange of the frame. Once you have a spot started, wrap around the seal and frame at that spot with a piece of the painters tape to hold it in place. Keep going a few inches, then wrap that next spot with the tape. Repeat all the way up and around the top. You should wind up with wraps of tape every 2 or 3 inches. Then you can now focus on the other side of the seal. Get it seated in the spots between your wraps of tape. Then you have the option of using your fingers really hard to seat the seal under the wrap of tape, or wrap the spot that is fully seated and remove the tape where it isn't and seat that spot. It's a process. And it takes quite a while with a LOT of patience.
Now, once you finally conquer the seal, do NOT attempt to close and latch your new vent window. Chances are you WILL break the latch! Just push it closed without latching it and leave it for a day or so. Then the next day push it closed just a bit more, maybe enough to get the latch tab on the "ear". Leave it like this for another day or so. Push hard and rotate the latch further closed and leave it again for a day or so. Eventually everything will seat and you'll be able to latch the window closed....but.....don't rush it or else!
Unfortunately, none of us got the opportunity to meet the little lady in the VW factory that did these on a daily basis in under 5 minutes!
Good Luck! |
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EDragnDean Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2005 Posts: 1148 Location: Vancouver, WA
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hitest Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008 Posts: 10296 Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Check the Sticky thread for the best info. Sometimes an expert has already ruled on the matter and gets tired of doing it over and again... _________________
EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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mr. warehouse Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2001 Posts: 5001 Location: Nor Cal 707
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Lind Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000 Posts: 9915 Location: idaho
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 7:15 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Those are the solution. _________________ .
Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
. |
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npbusguy Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2006 Posts: 1658 Location: Budapest, Hungary
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2022 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Lind wrote: |
Those are the solution. |
Has anyone tried installing these with the vent window and frame still bolted to the door? |
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LJay Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2007 Posts: 584 Location: Arbroath,Scotland
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 1:13 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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I bet those fit an absolute treat compared to the other plain flat style ones so I bet you could,I’ll be buying these when I do mines,thanks for the link. _________________ 1962 Turkis Westfalia so34.
My build thread.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=742279 |
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mr. warehouse Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2001 Posts: 5001 Location: Nor Cal 707
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 6:20 am Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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npbusguy wrote: |
Lind wrote: |
Those are the solution. |
Has anyone tried installing these with the vent window and frame still bolted to the door? |
I have a few times when replacing broken or missing glass.
Silicone spray and a couple hand clamps do the trick. |
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BonTonRoulet Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2020 Posts: 363 Location: Mississippi
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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mr. warehouse wrote: |
npbusguy wrote: |
Lind wrote: |
Those are the solution. |
Has anyone tried installing these with the vent window and frame still bolted to the door? |
I have a few times when replacing broken or missing glass.
Silicone spray and a couple hand clamps do the trick. |
So, which specific silicone spray would you suggest and which specific method of installation would you suggest?
A) Fit rubber to edge of glass and lube rubber/frame and fit glass with rubber into the frame, or
B) Fit rubber to frame and lube rubber/glass to fit glass into the rubber? _________________ Never argue with an Idiot. They'll only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience. |
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mr. warehouse Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2001 Posts: 5001 Location: Nor Cal 707
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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BonTonRoulet wrote: |
mr. warehouse wrote: |
npbusguy wrote: |
Lind wrote: |
Those are the solution. |
Has anyone tried installing these with the vent window and frame still bolted to the door? |
I have a few times when replacing broken or missing glass.
Silicone spray and a couple hand clamps do the trick. |
So, which specific silicone spray would you suggest and which specific method of installation would you suggest?
A) Fit rubber to edge of glass and lube rubber/frame and fit glass with rubber into the frame, or
B) Fit rubber to frame and lube rubber/glass to fit glass into the rubber? |
Pick your favorite silicone spray. I'm not sure there is a difference.
I put the rubber on the glass, lube the frame and rubber then slide everything together.
Others may do it differently.
You can't screw it up. If you try one method and it doesn't work, try another. |
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House Minutia Militia
Joined: June 13, 2001 Posts: 1770
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: Need help with vent window install…… |
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Although I can respect the silicone crowd, I prefer WD40 because it is slippery yet will actually dry after a while unlike silicone. It is also easier to clean up after the job. I have seen some people use a water based “personal lubricant” before too… Like Greg said, so many choices, no real wrong way. |
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