Club 80-90 Forums

Trying to fit the chrome surrounds on the window seals and so far I have split the seals on the corners of 2 windows.
Any tips on fitting this. Or should I just go with no chrome seals? It’s a caravelle and it had them originally so I would prefer to have them.
Seals are from Alan Schofield
Any hints tips greatly appreciated!

Most likely down to technique, the black is fitted the same way, you can’t force it you have to tease it in, plenty of lube and on a hot day of possible

Thanks David, wasn’t the fitting of the windows, although what a pain especially the sliding windows! It is more of the fitting of the chrome insert that split the seal as I was trying to fit it around the corners.
Gone with some non-chrome seals from BW, then it’s just the pia of fitting the windows…. Only had the 2 rear and non sliding door fitted so not so much of a loss of time….
It’s slowly getting there

I get you mean the chrome insert , I assumed you were asking about the black insert but you meant rubbers with no insert , splitting the rubbers on the corners will be down to
Technique, need to tease them , it’s slow and fiddly

The Claytonrite tool will make this job a million times easier. We fit windows all the time and I bloody hate them , use plenty of diluted washing up liquid in a squeezey bottle and they should go in with the tool really easy. With them being caravelle windows it might be a bit more of a bugger to do, but as David says, make sure its a warm/hot day you do it as it will make the rubber more forgiving.

Always soak the rubbers in hot water before fitting. It is a miracle cure for window fitting!
 

keynsham1 wrote: ↑31 Mar 2025, 06:55 Always soak the rubbers in hot water before fitting. It is a miracle cure for window fitting!

And do you dry them out before fitting or leave all the water in the grooves ?
 

The water doesn't stay on rubber. Just give them a good shake!!

Some will stay in the grooves, if you want to warm them up use dry heat, and use sealant to ensure a leak free fit.

multisi wrote: ↑21 Apr 2025, 08:12 Some will stay in the grooves, if you want to warm them up use dry heat, and use sealant to ensure a leak free fit.

Not really true. Using boiling water is an age old method for fitting window seals and works perfectly. Window seals will have water in the grooves the first day you go out in the rain anyway. They are not a perfect fit and never were, hence the rusty window surrounds we are all used to seeing!!

Are you serious ! The window seals are there to keep the water from entering the frame recess, they need to be fitted dry and with the addition of non setting sealant a perfect waterproof seal can be achieved. If you want to heat the seals up using hot water just put the window rubbers in a plastic bag then put it in the water, but just easier to warm them in the sun. Over 30 years ago i removed and refitted the seals using 3M sealant as recommended by a classic car shop i was working for at the time, 20 years later when the van got rusty the windows were removed and there was zero rust issues. If you read the VW factory workshop manual it states that in the late 80,s the seals were fitted using adhesive, im not sure how many vehicles this happened to and not as good as a quality non setting sealant.

Errr........  you have the wrong stick, not just the wrong end of it!
The hot water is for the inserts not the seals - the post is about the inserts not sealing the rubber to the van.
Read the posts before answering! There is a big clue in the title.

Nobody has got the wrong stick, i was responding to a member stating that the window rubbers should be soaked in hot water. Read the replies.

You just perpetuated that wrong answer to a large degree! Read the posts in sequence.
 Chrome insert surrounds on windows  is the title. Not fixing rubbers to body.

I know what its all about, as ive already stated that i replied to a member suggesting that fitting wet rubbers is a thing people do . Just look at his statements.