Weatherstrip glass seals - muley method

[muley]

Following on from Toby's excellent video, I thought I might create my own door seals.

I was using some Screwfix galvanised steel strip for another project and I thought..

Needed are

1 metre of weatherstrip seal part no FWT from Carbuildersolutions

1000 x 23.5 galvanised strip from Screwfix cut into lengths of 67cm. 15cm. and 17cm. GBP 1.99

Epoxy glue

Patience

...

1. Cut the steel strip up
2. Create a paper template of where the holes are in the door
3. Drill holes in the strip - centre ones in the centre strip are approx. 7mm, from the bottom edge
4. Screw metal strips to the door
5. Trim weatherstrip to length and offer up weatherstrip - mark where the holes line up on the weatherstrip. I used Tippex.
6. Remove the metal strips and weatherstrip.
7. Glue the weatherstrip to the steel strips
8. Screw the whole contraption to the door (I had to (carefully) redrill a couple because they did not line up so well.)

[Steve A]

Good effort, not the easiest job to take on, quiet stressful as I remember
I did mine years ago and there still looking good, although I want to do something along the lines of what Jamie has done eventually

[clemo]

Have you fitted them yet Jim ?

[tb10]

Good job!

BTW, what size screws are needed to attach the weatherstrips to the door without going actually through the door (as I once read someone on the forum had done?)


regards

John

[dapinky]

BTW, what size screws are needed to attach the weatherstrips to the door without going actually through the door (as I once read someone on the forum had done?)

John,

Although the parts book says that they are #8, 1/2" long, i found that they were just a tad too much and on one it started to deform the outer shell before it tightened. I was fortunate enough to notice as I was inserting it before breaking through the skin/paint.

I decided that a shorter one would be too short, so simply used a thin M4 washer on each screw.

Now, whether this was due to the fact that the screws I bought were a 'metric equivalent' or not, I can't say....or it may be that PNM used a slightly thinner steel strip than Lotus.

Either way, it wasn't a big issue as I noticed in time, but it could have turned into a bit of a problem.

[muley]

I just used the same screws as per original.

See http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/n ... rs-50-pack

HTH

Jim

[muley]

Have you fitted them yet Jim ?

Yes, glass will go in next week (I'm on holiday this week..)


Jim

[tb10]

Dave, Jim,

Brilliant. Thanks for the advice. Now I have 'another' job for Saturday!!

regards

John

[chrisP]

in case you are interested, stainless steel screws of the original size are available online

[muley]

Driver's side was completed a while back.

Working fine.

Just about to refit passenger side window.

Extra tip; cover the weatherstrip with masking tape whilst you are working on it. This will avoid getting the odd bit of glue on the seal.

HTH

Jim

[lotusflasherman]

Thanks for bumping this thread Jim. I was looking for it but couldn't find it..

[muley]

Ah well.

We are now using method 2. (the weatherstrip fell off whilst I was trying to get the glass in.. . )



1. Cut the steel strip up
2. Create a paper template of where the holes are in the door
3. Drill holes in the strip - centre ones in the centre strip are approx. 7mm, from the bottom edge
4. Screw metal strips to the door
5. Trim weatherstrip to length.
6. Glue the weatherstrip to the steel strips with Sikafkex or similar.


Jim

[Rambo]

Less than a week to get it all ship shape Jim

[muley]

Less than a week to get it all ship shape Jim

I know. Mild panic creeping in

Now concerned I might have to use the MX-5 and carry a LOT less stuff!

Jim

[muley]

Ah well.

We are now using method 2. (the weatherstrip fell off* whilst I was trying to get the glass in.. . )



1. Cut the steel strip up
2. Create a paper template of where the holes are in the door
3. Drill holes in the strip - centre ones in the centre strip are approx. 7mm, from the bottom edge
4. Screw metal strips to the door
5. Trim weatherstrip to length.
6. Glue the weatherstrip to the steel strips with Sikafkex or similar.


Jim

* it turns out that modern Araldite doesn't stick to plastic like my 20 year old Araldite!!

[Steve A]

Have you tried Q Bond - I used it on my weatherstrip years ago still holding strong

[muley]

Have you tried Q Bond - I used it on my weatherstrip years ago still holding strong

No, not this time round. Good call, though.

Rgds

Jim

[lotusflasherman]

Have you tried Q Bond - I used it on my weatherstrip years ago still holding strong

Good info' Steve Just ordered some. A bit worried about aligning things properly in time with their "Rock hard in 10 seconds!" (that's much better than Viagra .. ) but have used Sikaflex-221 on something else and it's an hour or so to become 'tack free' and then days to cure fully so won't be using that on the Elan.

[dapinky]

Perhaps a combination of glues would work...... a small dab of cyanoacrylate (superglue) to provide initial possitioning, and a blob of PE (Sikaflex) to cure in time and provide a strong bond which is less likely to shear than just the superglue on its own????

I've done similar in the past with superglue and araldite on small plastic parts which need to be solid, but strong enough to bear weight.

[lotusflasherman]

Perhaps a combination of glues would work...... a small dab of cyanoacrylate (superglue) to provide initial possitioning, and a blob of PE (Sikaflex) to cure in time and provide a strong bond which is less likely to shear than just the superglue on its own????

I've done similar in the past with superglue and araldite on small plastic parts which need to be solid, but strong enough to bear weight.

Dave,
Q-Bond is a 'superglue' . qbond.net/, but It comes in packs with a coloured filler so you can repair things and fill in where small bits have gone missing.

Data sheet says ..
Hazardous Components :-
Chemical Name CAS No. Concentration EU Classification
Ethyl Cyanoacrylate 7085-85-0 99.8 % Not listed
Hydroquinone 123-31-9 0.2 % Xn; R20-51/53

£4.90 on ebay ...Q-Bond-QB2-Ultra-Strong-Adhesive-Black-Filler-Powder-10-Second-Cure