Windscreen rubber - sealant or not?

Post by **alzax3** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:39 pm

I've just removed the old (cracked and perished) screen rubber from our van, a job made difficult by HUGE quantities of black silicone that had been pumped between rubber and cab frame. The frame is sound, and will be repainted before I refit the new seal. Is there any need for a sealant between frame and rubber, or should it seal happilly on its own? (and if a seal is recommended, what should it be?) Thanks in advance, Alex

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:44 pm

No sealant required!

Post by **alzax3** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:55 pm

OH GOOD!! Thanks!

Post by **MoggyTech** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:56 pm

Yup no sealant, and be sure to remove all traces of the old stuff or the paint wont take if it was indeed the dreaded silicon guff. In fact you will probably need to go to bare metal and scrub that clean.

Post by **alzax3** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:59 pm

You're right, it went right back to shiny steel before I started painting, I've met silicone before!

Post by **jaekl** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:51 pm

I've seen many cars with all sorts of sealant on the outside of the rubber seal trying to seal a leak. The problem is the leak typically is between the glass and the rubber seal. Even the top side. Water can be driven up the windscreen, under the seal then runs down the channel and out at the bottom. I find with old rubber seals, sealant injected between the glass and the rubber all the way around slows a leak and sometimes stops it. A new seal put an end to it.

Post by **RogerRust** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:29 am

For what it costs buy the superior item offered by the main suppliers.

They list a standard and a higher quality rubber.

Post by **aupickup** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:43 pm

is the rubber from bull motif

Post by **alzax3** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:15 pm

No it came from ESM........

Post by **RobThomas** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:44 pm

How many hours to replace the seal on an MM front screen? The, ahem, silicon has not done the trick and I have pulled a new seal out of the box of bits saved for the lowlight resto. Bearing in mind I'll be solo but am a semi-retired eng, how long should it take? (inc those bleedin' chrome strips)

Post by **rob1954** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:06 pm

Did mine last week. Screens popped out easily in about 10 mins. Replacement took hours of trial and error

. Definitely recommend a helper. Final attempt only took about 20 mins of frantic bashing and lots of swearing.

Oh, and it still leaks

Post by **aupickup** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:40 pm

auto glass put sealer in the rubber next to the glass