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Sealant for windscreens?
Quincy1874 - October 24th, 2005 at 02:30 PM

Just removed my front windscreen of 75kombi. It has a hell of a lot of black icky sealant.... Do I need to re-apply another sealant? or can a new rubber be used without it?

Cheers Craig.

koolkarmakombi - October 24th, 2005 at 02:45 PM

Install without it, personal lubricant is great for rubber ;)

add the sealant if it leaks after

Quincy1874 - October 24th, 2005 at 04:25 PM

Does the black sealant have a name??

Craig.

VWCOOL - October 24th, 2005 at 04:36 PM

Gorilla Snot. Any car shop will know what you mean ;)

Or Butyl Mastic if you want to be boring. Only use it IF the screen leaks AFTER installation

Quincy1874 - October 24th, 2005 at 05:07 PM

Cheers VWCOOL...
cant wait to ask for some gorilla snot...!!:)

helbus - October 24th, 2005 at 05:10 PM

I beg to differ on the matter. Unless you have a brand new surface free of any imperfections whatsoever, and a rubber that is exactly the right profile, and the screen is exactly the right shape, then it will work.

The rubber has several small lines on the flat side that actually touch or sometimes nearly touch the window opening. These lines are on the rubber and inherent in it's design to put mastic sealer on. It only needs to be a bead approximatley 5mm in diameter. It is a position that you cannot put sealer on after the screen is fitted. If you are lifting the ouside edge to put sealer after the screen is fitted, then you are only getting the sealer on a section of the rubber that has less pressure on it.

A screen should not leak AFTER installation

Quincy1874 - October 24th, 2005 at 05:15 PM

Hellbus,
I dont have a flat surface, its a bit rusty and slightly boggy. I will repair as best i can. Are you suggesting puttin the sealant on regardless?

VWCOOL - October 24th, 2005 at 05:33 PM

I use Goriila Snot for body/floorpan. Never used in on VW screens - never had a leak in any of my rebuilds/restos! Only use it IF you have to - after installing

1303Steve - October 24th, 2005 at 11:27 PM

Hi

I dont use any sealant, but the body needs to be in good nick, at the bottom of the windscreen opening you will see some holes, this is for trapped moisture to esape, if you fill it up with sealant the moisture will be trapped, causing rust. If you must use sealant, make sure its non acidic.

Steve

vw54 - October 25th, 2005 at 07:24 AM

make sure you clean the crap of the glass as well before fitting the new rubber, use a safty edge razor blade to scrap it off and clean with some paint thinners as well

Also cut away any excess trim from the window opening and this wont allow the rubber to sit properly in the bodywork

Quincy1874 - October 25th, 2005 at 10:32 AM

Thanks for all the info.
The previous owner had bogged up the drain holes...! So i will be smoothing and cleaning some more, before i refit.. so is there drain holes near the ground that let the moisture, from the window sill out as well?

Craig.