body and interior Vent Window Gasket Install Advice / Tricks

[saaron]

I'm trying to install new vent window gaskets - the rubber piece that sits in the vent window frame all around the vent window.  I've searched around an not really found anything spot on.

 

Has anyone done this recently?  

 

Specifically I'm wondering if there is a place that is best to start it - it is tricky in that it is a triangle.

 

Also on the bottom along the top of the door, the gasket is not sitting down in the channel all the way, not matter how hard I try to press it in.  This is of course causing a chain reaction of the gasket not fitting anywhere else.  

 

Should I be lubing the rubber gasket somehow, or something like that?

 

Any advice appreciated.  

 

Scott

[eurotrash]

Edited June 27, 2014 by eurotrash

[Beaner7102]

 

Cricket sound 8 hours of nature forest sounds 

Eurotrash, your post can be read two ways. 

Either you need to be in a Zen state of mind to get the darn thing on or there has been nothing but crickets in response to this post

Which is it?

Sorry Scott I am no help, I've never replaced those. Dishwashing liquid can be a good lube for rubber if you think that will help.

Beaner7102

[saaron]

Well Beaner, it is a bit of a specific kind of job.  Being there were no real posts I could find, I wasn't expecting much from the gang, but I figured what the heck.  

 

Eurotrash happens to live 10 miles from me, and he makes me lattes at his place, Fuel.  So we're pals.  So he is being funny.  And the zen thing is probably applicable to this job, too.  It is just not a fun one.  I might have to take the entire vent window frame out to do it.  I'm about to give it another go...armed with some dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle.

 

Scott

[JAS]

Hey Scott - If I recall correctly, there are two rectangular rubber tabs at the bottom that need to be pulled through slots in the vent window frame - I say pulled through because I replaced mine with the frame out of the car and that was the easiest way. Might be able to push them through from the top if you had the right tool. Don't recall whether there is enough room to reach up from below with the door panel off. 

 

A bit of dish soap is always a good idea with rubber trim to help it slide.

 

Good luck. 

John

[eurotrash]

It was the fact that no one responded.. Lol.

[2002haus]

Pulling the 2 tabs through the frame and getting the gasket to seat in the oval slots is the key.

 

There is not much (if any) room to pull them from below while the frame is installed in the door.

 

They tend to fold up on themselves as they contact the horizontal door bracing.

 

It *has* been done while the frame is in the door, although trying to force the tabs through the top requires some patience.

 

Silicone (spray or paste) is one of the keys also to the installation.

 

Good luck.

 

R

[jgerock]

Scott (and others)...I haven't responded since I haven't done this part yet.  The quarter windows look to be similar to the VW (Beetle) ones except the VW upper pivot is riveted to the frame - BMW just has a pin set-up.

[saaron]

Pulling the 2 tabs through the frame and getting the gasket to seat in the oval slots is the key.   There is not much (if any) room to pull them from below while the frame is installed in the door.   They tend to fold up on themselves as they contact the horizontal door bracing.

 

This is true.  My progress thus far:

 

-Took out the vent window.  Followed the blue book instructions.  Took out old gasket.  There is no adhesive.  It just presses in, so you just pull it out.  Cleaned out the channel.  

 

-Since I am doing this with the vent window frame still in the car, I trimmed the two rubber tabs on the gasket (the ones you would pull through the frame if the frame is out of the car) down to a reasonable length, since there is no way they would go through the horizontal part of the frame from above - too much flexible material (probably an inch) trying to go through a tiny slot.  I think it would be easier to do this whole thing with the frame off the door.  But I've read on the faq that realigning the frame once it is off is challenging.  

 

-Used a spray bottle with dish-soap and water to help lube the gasket.  Mix-wise, maybe one quarter soap to three quarters water.  HUGE help.  The gasket, with patience, went in.  I used a butter knife to press it in.  Have to watch the frame itself - it is the softer metal that marrs and scratches really easily.  Putting some of that blue painter's tape on it prevents you from accidentally giving it a nice scratch.

 

-I started in the corner nearest the front fender, since that fat piece that fits in that corner is huge...seems like that piece has to go in any order but last - I don't think it could go last.  You'd never get it in, I don't think.  

 

-I then tried to press the two rubber tabs into the slots on the horizontal part of the frame.  I think one went in, the other, I'm not so sure.  Maybe partly.  I then worked my way up the side with the window's hinge, then the vertical side, doing the top corner last.

 

-I have the gasket in and the vent window back in.  But I think I need to find a way to jam that one rubber tab farther into the slot.  It feels more sensible to me to have the door closed when I really put some weight on it - just a tip.  Also was good to have my passenger side still together to consult re how it is supposed to look.  I also kept my old gasket to eyeball - glad I didn't toss it right away.  

 

Scott

[jgerock]

Scott-  did you take any pictures?  I'd like to see how you did the installation.

[saaron]

 So, I got the gasket in.  It seems like it fits well.  

 

Strangely, now the vent window is not fiting.  The problem is at the trailing edge of the window - the top of the window is almost hitting the frame.  Pics:

 

 

 

 

 

Any idea what happened?  It is the same vent window.  Could the chrome frame on the vent window itself have shifted?  If anyone has thoughts on it let me know.  I'm not sure what to do.

 

Jim, I will take some pics when I do the other side.  IF I do the other side.  I'm pretty stuck at this point, and may just bail on this adventure.  

 

Scott

 

 

['76mintgrün'02]

that is the same problem I have on the passenger wing window.  It is like it is pushed back at the top and it snags on the seal trying to close.  Makes a lot of wind noise.  Takes a little special persuasion to make it close just right.  The logo on that piece of glass is different than the rest of the glass on mine.  I will be watching this thread closely.

[saaron]

After a few more hours of fiddling and swearing, questioning why I was here, what my true purpose in life is, because it seems like working on cars isn't my "thing", I was able to make some difference.  Close the gap, if you will.  

 

- I noticed that the gasket in the chrome channel around the vent window glass wasn't seated properly on the bottom.  The glass was sitting on top of it in one area.  This just made the glass not fit snugly in the chrome channel, effectively making the glass/channel assembly slightly larger.  Which is bad.  I re-set the glass in the chrome channel, making sure the gasket (which is in reality more of a hard, black plastic) was actually around the edge of the glass properly.  

 

-I bent the post on the window frame that fits into the window regulator mechanism a little, in such a way that it moved that top corner of the glass more forward towards the front of the car.  I did this by opening the window, and bearing down on the downward corner of the triangle that was on the inside side of the car.  I could take the window out and do it in a vise, I suppose.  I may do that.

 

It is really close now, but still not closing.  Mike Miller suggested I park the car in the sun and let the UV beat down on the gasket.  It can't hurt.  

 

There is a glass company I know here locally - I might call them and see if they can take a little off that trailing edge of the glass.  I know that would fix it permanently.  Just worried about whether they could round off the edge properly.  

 

I'll keep updating if I have worthwhile news.  I'm done for the day.  

 

Scott

[mo02]

Trim is one of the hardest parts to get right...sometimes it goes like clockwork, other times its a bit of a struggle.  There is lots of trial and error to learn what works best for any given situation.  I hope the gasket settles in nicely...

 

MF

[saaron]

Thanks for the support.  I do appreciate it.

 

Scott