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.

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

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

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

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

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


Smiley

Thats what you get when you buy crap you have explained it perfectly

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.

You can use glass cleaner to lube them up a bit also.

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.

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!

Quote:

Originally posted by bajachris88 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!