Windscreen seal

[axel]

Hi guys, been a while since I last posted. Time has come to get my hands dirty to get the '78 GLD on the road.

There's some rust at the base of the windscreen that will need to be fixed, then the floor....yeeesh.

My question is I have always replaced windscreen seals when the windscreen was removed in other cars. Because I'm a cheapscate now and assume a new seal will cost more than the car or be hard to find - can the seal be reused with some silastic or is a new one the only way?
It sounds like a stupid question really because the rust obviously started when the seal failed....any comments?

[gldgti]

windscreen bloke tole me that the mk1 golf seals are fine to re-use so long as it isnt "too perished" or cracked.

basically, if is still supple and not cracked i'd say your fine. i've re-used mine plenty of times.

as for sealing - thats up to your ability. i just fixed a bunch of rust around the windscreen in my LS and put the winscreen back in by myself. i didnt use any sealant because there wasnt any in there before, and it already leaked anyway (hehe) but also i'm going to take it out again soon enough (car off road for some serious resto work)

when i do put it back in after the next time, i was thinking to do this:

> clean the rubber thouroughly to remove all contaminants to provide a good sealing surface.
> after replacing windscreen, run a decent bead of sealant (the black non-drying stuff) around the underside of the outer part of the rubber, and allow the rubber to squish the sealant outwards as the bubber returns towards the paintwork (hopefully sealing it)

i think that as long as you put enough in, and do it in one try only, you should be successful.

good luck

aydan

[gldgti]

It sounds like a stupid question really because the rust obviously started when the seal failed....any comments?

not necessarily... unfortunately, mk1's like to rust out the base of the a-pillar from the INSIDE, where they put the FOAM.

duh! who knew that foam holds water, and holding water on the inside of the chassis would be a bad thing for rust? i guess this logic eluded vw when they decided foam in the a-pillars was a good idea. PFFT! i suppose it would've been ok if they had bothered to make the fresh air plenum behind the dash sealed, instead of opeing into the pillars.


GRRRRR

[Jarred]

perhaps???

http://www.germanautoparts.com/Volks...bit/Body/333/1

hardly costs and arm and a leg....


more like trimming ones nails really...

[axel]

Great info.
Until I get the rubber off it's hard to tell if it's worth using yet. There are old school methods to "rejuvenate" the rubber. I'll try and re-use.
The price on a new one is impressive. I was expecting >$100.
Thanks guys.

[paulie71]

Just make sure if you use a sealant of any sort it is a neutral cure as some sealants can corrode metal.

Also if the seal is replaced the amount of sealant needed should be minimal. I had the Mk1 93cab in the shop a few months ago to put in a new windscreen and apparently the guy either used so little sealant it's not visible or didn't use it at all.

Good luck

[Jarred]

I had mine done in like feb/march, and he didn't use any sealant. I'm pretty sure they didn't come with sealant from the factory..

[gldgti]

I had mine done in like feb/march, and he didn't use any sealant. I'm pretty sure they didn't come with sealant from the factory..

i agree - but the o'brien guy who did mine a few years back used sealant after he re-used my old seal - i guess it just depends

[Jarred]

I'm not sure if i mentioned, but the jims guy reused my old seal, it was still in good shape

[axel]

Yes from my experience a new seal will require no sealant as long as the body is in good order. I had a dodgy windscreen fitter once use tonnes of sealant which still leaked and ruined the seal for good measure. In my case I need sealant, oh yes.