Aussieveedubbers · Tech Talk

what is this inside my door? (pics)

https://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/threads/86426/what-is-this-inside-my-door-pics

majorharden ·

Hi Guys

Just wondering what this is inside my door and what its purpose is? Is it only sound deadening material? Or is it meant to stop the water as well? I am wanting to replace it as it is falling apart and clogging the drainage holes at the bottom of the door. Thinking about getting some dynamat or something similar and cheaper.

Note: in the last picture, at the bottom inside the door. There is a rubber strip suck stuck to the bottom, which I am currently pulling off. Thinking I might put some por15 all around the base to make it water proof.

Also should I have a plastic sheet which is meant to stop the water from getting on the back of the door panel?

Sides ·

Yup - sound deadening... annoying stuff ain't it !!!

😵‍💫

It's there to partly to stop the door skin flexing (drumming), and partly to absorb noise once it's gotten inside the door. No it doesn't stop water at all... that's what the seals and scrapers are about, and probably originally a plastic sheet glued across the opening before the door trims were put on like you've already figured out.

Later bugs (like 68+) used stick on rubber sheet instead... it doesn't fall apart like the horse hair stuff does, but also doesn't deaden the sound as much.

Dynamat would work no probs.... expensive, but in my experience it's pretty damn good.

👍

68AutoBug ·

majorharden wrote:Hi Guys

Just wondering what this is inside my door and what its purpose is? Is it only sound deadening material? Or is it meant to stop the water as well? I am wanting to replace it as it is falling apart and clogging the drainage holes at the bottom of the door. Thinking about getting some dynamat or something similar and cheaper.

Note: in the last picture, at the bottom inside the door. There is a rubber strip suck stuck to the bottom, which I am currently pulling off. Thinking I might put some por15 all around the base to make it water proof.

Also should I have a plastic sheet which is meant to stop the water from getting on the back of the door panel?
YES THE PLASTIC SHEET IS MOST IMPORTANT...

and painting the bottom of the door to stop rust is a good idea..
I painted the bottom of My doors about 4-5 times with fish oil.. let it drip thru the holes...
can catch and reuse...lol

LEE

Joel ·

The stuff in later beetles is a bitchumen based pad like in the engine bay and is sticky gooey horrible crap but both it and the fibrous stuff used in early bugs are shocking for causing rust

Once the scrapers fall apart which is a given after 40 years and/or cheap brazillian replacement the water gets in and sits trapped behind it.
Looks strange when doors rust from the inside out smack bang in the center but thats what it is


As Dave siad it sound deadens and stops panel reverb but it gives the doors than solid "thunk" noise when they shut that vws are so well known for.

Dynamat is the best material for the job but there are cheaper copies out there that work just as well like E-dead etc

majorharden ·

Cheers guys!

Edead? I might have to google that! I am not really worried about sound, as long as I can get as good as what that horse hair did I will be fine.

Fish oil is a good idea too and I might buy some plastic sheet type stuff to protect the back of my door panels.

The new scrapers do suck!! They don't even come close to the window to stop the water and they aren't even proper chrome! Although, the original ones don't seem to sit that perfect either.

cam070 ·

Joel wrote:The stuff in later beetles is a bitchumen based pad like in the engine bay and is sticky gooey horrible crap but both it and the fibrous stuff used in early bugs are shocking for causing rust

Once the scrapers fall apart which is a given after 40 years and/or cheap brazillian replacement the water gets in and sits trapped behind it.
Looks strange when doors rust from the inside out smack bang in the center but thats what it is


As Dave siad it sound deadens and stops panel reverb but it gives the doors than solid "thunk" noise when they shut that vws are so well known for.

Dynamat is the best material for the job but there are cheaper copies out there that work just as well like E-dead etc
Do you reckon all the bitumen pads should be removed? I've seen people use dry ice to get it off as heat and solvents just make a sticky mess.

Joel ·

If it's there and in good nick I'd let sleeping dogs lie unless you wanna upgrade to dynamat or similar.

It's no disaster if theres nothing there, I don't have it in my drivers door anymore and it does sound a small but tinnyier when closing but that's about the extent of it

Heres the main problem I dont like about

Sonic got it bad in the passenger side door
Notice right in the middle of it

The rats had chewed off all the scrapers so the water got in and sat beteen the pad and door skin and rusted from the inside out

They also filled the doors up with macadamia shell and husk which blocked the drains 🙄

bummer cos it was a good door other than that

vwsteve ·

each to their own but i always pull all the crap out of my doors and leave it out as it causes rust and i really hate rust!

h ·

looks like a forgotten about donut.. hmmm donuts.. 😂

Sides ·

Mmmm... ally checker running boards... me like....

😉