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window rubbers, can they be stretched?

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bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#850239
Bought a brazilian set of window rubbers 12 months ago, been sitting around till i came to the day of eventually needing them, which was today.

We barely got the windscreen rubber on...

the rear window and both rear quarter rubbers are rediculously tight and too small to fit.

the kit was for a 65-71 beetle, and came from a bag labelled such.

I know i should have bought german, but lets just say the heading of "Premium quality' is widely used regardless, and hence thought it was ok.

I'm a bit down about this. fitting the windows after all these years of them being off was going to be a milestone.

Chris.
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

h fractals - an ever changing lifestyle

7,671 posts · joined Feb 2005 ·

#850241
being winter they are prolly cold n contracted a bit, so maybe leave em in the sun for a few hours n they will be more flexi n will prolly fit up nicely
give that a go before whacking em in a moderate oven for about 30min 🤪
fractal geometry; the inner most limits of mind altering abuse

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bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#850247
😂

thanks, will give that a whirl tomorrow. we got one rear quarter done... the rear window is being a real mungrel. we tried some hot & soapy water and many colourful words 😀, almost had it... then we called it a day as the bottom popped off. will try again tomorrow.


I guess a tight fit means it will be a good seal i spose 🙄
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#850249
They all can be Very hard to fit Chris...

My rear window was terrible./..
My Son hits it with the palm of his hand to push it in..

Windscreen was hard as too...

the rear was a Brasillian rubber... looks great...
been in since 2004..

others were made in the USA... CIP1 rubbers..

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

REDKG Officially Full-On Dubber

327 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#850257
agreed, they are meant to be very tight. sit it in the sun for a while

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 ·

#850266
Warm them in some (not quite) boiling water and they should soften up a bit.


Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.

vw54 Administrator Always Waiting 4 Friday

16,723 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#850269
Thats what you get when you buy crap you have explained it perfectly
I read it on FACEBOOK so it must be true


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=91278&page=1#pid848630


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=63561&page=1#pid624099


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=4832&page=1#pid452603


http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=60650&page=1#pid574409

Gracey Wolfsburg Wizard

511 posts · joined Feb 2003 ·

#850273
vw54 wrote:Thats what you get when you buy crap you have explained it perfectly

Yeah right!!

I recently installed new side and rear window rubbers on one of my bugs and they were extremely tight, oh yeah they were West Coast Metric rubbers!!!

As others have said warm then up, makes a huge difference.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#850278
bajachris88 wrote:Bought a brazilian set of window rubbers 12 months ago, been sitting around till i came to the day of eventually needing them, which was today.

We barely got the windscreen rubber on...

the rear window and both rear quarter rubbers are rediculously tight and too small to fit.

the kit was for a 65-71 beetle, and came from a bag labelled such.

I know i should have bought german, but lets just say the heading of "Premium quality' is widely used regardless, and hence thought it was ok.

I'm a bit down about this. fitting the windows after all these years of them being off was going to be a milestone.

Chris.
The rubbers may be incorrect for Your year model Chris

I bought a set of top quality USA made rubbers and the rear one was for a 71> rear window which was too Big

hence the Brasillian rear...

there are many factories in Brasil making these bits so the quality can vary a lot...

My Brasilian door rubbers aren't good quality but I have a new set of USA made ones...

its the luck of the draw... lol

LEE


PS: and many of Us don't have money to burn... lol
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

waveman1500 Also rides a Honda

1,346 posts · joined Dec 2009 ·

#850295
Heat them up, there's nothing wrong with heating rubber seals up prior to fitting. I work at the Holden factory at Elizabeth and they have radiant heat lamps hanging over all kinds of rubber parts on the side of the line to make them easier to fit, everything from door seals to rubber hoses.
1972 VW S-Bug - For Sale!
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zocstar Officially Full-On Dubber

279 posts · joined May 2010 ·

#850311
You can use glass cleaner to lube them up a bit also.
'69 Squareback

beetleboyjeff Custom Title Time!

1,790 posts · joined Feb 2009 ·

#850328
I worked for a window company a number of years ago, and we always had old deep fryers full of hot water (but turned down low so they didn't boil) with a drop of detergent in it to soften the rubbers before glazing aluminium windows.

I have been out on re-glazes where the old rubbers were hard and brittle, but a soak for a few minutes in hot soapy water, and they would be flexible for a few minutes untill they cooled down again.
From your ole' mate Jeff

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#850361
waveman1500 wrote:Heat them up, there's nothing wrong with heating rubber seals up prior to fitting. I work at the Holden factory at Elizabeth and they have radiant heat lamps hanging over all kinds of rubber parts on the side of the line to make them easier to fit, everything from door seals to rubber hoses.
interesting...

the Cruze is looking very good...

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#850430
Thanks guys,

the soapy hot near boiling water soak technique did the job... still was alot of effort... hands hurt so bad.

the windows are now installed 👍
wipper snipper line for the way 😂

now to doors.... dam if i can get these door windows and regulators out!
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#850453
bajachris88 wrote:Thanks guys,

the soapy hot near boiling water soak technique did the job... still was alot of effort... hands hurt so bad.

the windows are now installed 👍
wipper snipper line for the way 😂

now to doors.... dam if i can get these door windows and regulators out!
Good one Chris

The windows and regulators etc are easy the tenth time You do it...lol

Just keep counting... lol

I have read where many people do actually break the window glass trying to remove it.... lol

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---