I'm planning to replace my window seals on a converted panel van. As you can see from the pictures my seals look nothing like the standard one offered by jk, vwh etc. Outside the trim is the same but inside it laps over the interior wood paneling. Any one know where I may be able to get some like for like replacements? I have replaced the seals for the windows in the doormobile roof and these are exactly the same as all seals for panel vans. But my windows require something a little different. any ideas?
I had the exact same fun with our panel van windows. Because everyone seems to cut the holes differently and the windows vary in size across vans I found the easiest thing to do was send a cross section of the old channel to a rubber company. I used the Martins Rubber company. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank for the reply. Martins Rubber company looks very high tech can you remember if they are expensive? a single window using standard panel van seal is around £25
Ah just took a look at their site. Looks like it’s changed a lot since I used it. Try a google search for ‘rubber extrusion window seals’. There are quite a few about. Someone else may know of a good one they’ve used. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've found seals direct helpful in the past: http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/seals-products.asp?intDepartmentId=8 If they don't make it they can often suggest a way of combining the seals they do stock to make a composite section to do the same job. Normally pretty cheap.
Not sure as your photo is a little blurry, but this lot do something similar - standard claytonrite seal with an extra bit to go over the wood panel inside.... https://shop.deltarubber.co.uk/rubber-extrusions/rubber-window-seal-weatherstrip/de1100ws.html
Thanks for the info . They are a lot cheaper than the usual VW suppliers. I should be able to get this to work by using a combination of parts. The only problem now is once I take out those old leaky seals I know there will be loads of rust waiting for me. only had the bus 6 months so not done any rust or body repairs yet.
The only thing to watch is minimum bend radius - the VW suppliers should (but sometimes don't) have ones with moulded corners, with the generic ones you have to force them round the corners. Some aren't flexible enough to go round the corners, they kink up.
I think the moulded corners are for factory fit windows? There are so many aftermarket window sizes for converted panel vans that the seal is supplied on a lenght. I may be wrong though. My sliding door has a factory fit window and the seal is completely different.
well I got the old seal off over the weekend. new seal on the left old seal on the right. you can see the old seal had slots that are way too wide for penal van metal or for the glass to sit into. I suspect water has been leaking into these things for a long long time. iv attached a few photos of some of the rust I have found. Am I ok to run and angle grinder over the rust take it back to bare metal. then paint with some fast drying 2k out of a spray can and then put the new seal in? not done any body work yet so thought I better ask first.
It depends on what’s left after you have cleaned the corrosion up You may find you need to weld some fillets of steel in as repairs.
Thanks for the info. Im guessing cut out the really bad rust. Weld in a repair fillet grind the welds back to being smooth and then get some paint on it? have you used 2k paint? iv been using rustoleum with great success but it takes days to fully dry. Iv read 2k requires all sorts of breathing masks and even eye protection. I don't have storage so need to complete any repairs within a day.
You need good metal, rust treatment, etch prime, primer then top coat to give you the max amount of time before it’ll need doing again, small repair with 2k out of a rattle can isn’t the worst thing but still wear a mask
If your outdooors and doing it yourself I’d use this Then use your rustoleum as a top coat If you put a coat on and leave it for an hour to flow out and settle you can then use a heat gun to speed up the drying time
Finally got this sorted. Ground off all the rust back to bare metal. Painted with rustoleum apperantly it's fine to use on bare metal. New seal fitted. I found out with my doormobile roof windows that these panel van seals leak. My step dad is a shipwright and they use the same seals on boats. to make them wave proof you need to run a bead of silicon between the rubber and glass. And the rubber and the metal then fit your filler strip. Iv done this and my van is now leak free. One question. I'm told using the side of a grinding disc in an angle grinder is a bad idea as it may shatter. Is this true? I'm told to use a flap disc on rust and poly disc to remove paint. Any ideas? I am new to all this.
I brought the roof windows from dormobile they are expensive considering the short length. Rubber is very hard and hard to press into the corners and hard to fit the glass into. However they fit nice and flush and the glass is very secure. The rubber in the picture is from vwh cost £35. Very very soft easy to fit and get the glass into. But not very secure I think i could easily push the glass out from inside the van. And the glass doesn't seem to fit quite right. Could be bad cut glass or hole though. Iv got some new seals from jk I think £20 each on a vat free day. They seem to be a good mix of hard and soft. Not fitted yet so can't comment.
Some angle grinder discs are for cutting (ie use edge-on) and some for grinding (ie use flat side). Zirconium flap disc are best for smoothing down welds as grinding discs are quite crude and aggressive.
I have some rattle can 2K. The paint suppliers refused to sell cellulose based paint when I asked for it and said it had to be 2K these days.
