Window rubbers

[lesrollins]

I have just seen the excellent thread on how to fit an headlining which is one of my jobs to do.
Also I need to fit all the window rubbers how difficult is this job ? The car in question is a two door split screen model does this make changing the front rubber easier.
Can anyone suggest a previous thread that may show me how its done.
Cheers

[mike.perry]

The front windscreen rubber surround is a pig of a job. Your best bet is to find a fitter with plenty of experience at fitting split windscreens. That does not include the ones that say " Of course I can do it, no problem" as mine and other people's experience is that they cause the biggest problems

[lesrollins]

Surely fitting window rubbers can,t present such a problem. How about the back and two side rear windows. All help appreciated as its a job I need to do.

[GeorgeHurst]

I had a fitter come out and fit all my screens after respray, there is a definite knack to it... you have to thread rope into the rubber all the way round, offer it up to the window and then peel the rope out to pop the edge over the lip of the window aperture.

I'm sure it is easy enough to do with the right know how, but bearing in mind that you want the seal to be perfect I would err on the side of using a pro.

For reference I think it cost about £80 cash for windscreen, rear screen and two rear side windows from a mobile screen fitter (national windscreens).

[mike.perry]

Fitting M1000 windscreen rubbers and glass is easy. Split screen windscreens are definately not and all those who say "How difficult can it be?" obviously have never tried.
There are undoubtably Minor owners who have mastered the art but if you don't know anyone then I recommend you take the course of action as in my previous statement. Not helping matters is the poor quality of some pattern windscreen rubbers.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

The side rubbers are the easiest, try these first. Clean everything really well and fit the rubber to the glass. Thread a good quality heavy string in the gap and fit from the inside. A bit of lubricant can help ease it into place. You need a helper inside to push the glass, start it off with a screwdriver. Put heavy gloves on when you pulling the string so it doesnt cut into your hands. Take your time and if the rubber starts to rip slow down and assist with a wee screwdriver.

I would try the back screen next, a very tight fit. Same as the side screens fit from the inside. One side always goes in easy then it gets more difficult as it pulls into place. Keep the screwdriver handy and take it slow, be careful of the paintwork with that screwdriver!!

Now the front screen is difficult. The way I fitted mine in the lowlight was to cut about 1' off an old spare pillar and join the 2 peices of screen and fit the rubber. again fitted from the inside, 2 helpers are better for this one on each screen! Once in place remove the cut down pillar and refit the new one.

Im afraid this requires a bit of patience and is really trial and error. When refitting the traveller screen a few weeks ago ( one side was laminated the other ordinary glass) we got the whole thing in place and managed to crack the laminated side on the final push into place................. New screens have arrived but its been tooooo cold to work at

[mogbob]

Rather than just "tug" on the string ( nylon cord is better in my opinion..a wipe of vaseline, slips easier ) tie a short piece of round dowel to the end.You can exert more controlled pressure on the "gentle pull ".If you tug and it catches, through lack of lubrication, the rubber will tear/ split.
Gently does it with glass fitting.
Bob

[kennatt]

Surely fitting window rubbers can,t present such a problem[quote]\yes well just wait till you try I think one of the worst jobs on a splitty.Been discussed many times over the years with various methods.(do a Search) The biggest failing being that the new rubbers are crap and do not fit the bodywork.I would only do another if I could scource new old stock rubbers. Yes you can fit the new rubbers and glass via various tricks but the corners of the rubbers and lips at the top do not sit anywhere near to the bodywork and need sealing/ filling with silicon.If your old rubber is in good condition try to salvage it,I just cut mine out not realising what a I was letting myself into.Wish I'd saved it and cleaned it up and refitted it.Good luck with it though,I would also try to get a spare glass just incase,I broke one of mine on the third attempt to get it to sit flush.By the way .I found the best method was the one described where you fit the rubber to the car then the glasses and slowly pull the glasses apart with straps over a period of a few days untill they have separated enougth to fit the central strip.Again good luck with it.

[mike.perry]

I have heard that using wooden wedges between the screens helps to push them in to the corners.
The 1st cowboys (a NATIONAL windscreen company) who tried fitting my screens did not bother with the central rubber seals, they filled the gap between the screens with black mastic and stuck the chrome centre pillar and inside pillar straight onto the mastic. They did not get paid for the job.
I contacted a local windscreen fitter who came to my house and we spend over 2 hours fitting the screens. He was not happy with the fitting so had me take the car to his workshop where he had more equipment and was able to do a reasonable job despite the condition of the new rubber.

[lesrollins]

What a price diffrence I just thought I would ring round to get some prices on fitting the rubbers to a back window, two rear side windows and the front split screen. I would be getting the parts prices came back from £150 - £320 eek. Would I need to use a sealant around the glass and rubber and also the body and rubber and if sowhats the best stuff.

[mike.perry]

My local friendly fitter did my front split screen for £80 and took a long time to do a good job.

[alanworland]

I fitted my screens some time ago - and still remember it fondly!!
Just thought you might like to know (or not) how I got my splitscreen screens in.
You know how it is, bodyworks all painted, new seal, nice clean glass and been told by ESM that it's a bit of a pig!.
Drivers side first, glass in the rubber and some rubber lube around the body groove. Located the bottom over the flange and pushed down firmly as it wants to pop off, I used a small screwdriver (about 3/16 blade) I gradually eased the top outside over the flange (without paint damage) I was then able to slide the glass/seal assembly outwards onto the windscreen pillar flange helping the rubber to go the right way with my trusty screwdriver. The only trouble was that it wouldn't stay there it wanted to slide back, so I used one of those nylon webbing ratcheting straps around the pillar (with rags) and the screen.
Little did I know this was the easy one!
Same again for the passenger side but this time I was unable to push and tease the rubber flange out at the same time.
Help was required so I enlist wife Sue, she's pushing for all she's worth from the inside and I'm 'teasing' on the outside, still not enough push, as this side is turning into a bit of a nightmare.
She says I could push much better if I put my feet up the windscreen!
I thought (no never mind)!
Anyway feet up with a much more controlled push I teased away and it was in! but once again the screen wanted to slide towards the other one, another ratchet strap until I cut up some wooden spacers for the gap. I went round the rubber removing as much rubber lube as I could then left it for a couple of weeks to dry off.
The whole seal was sealed externally glass/rubber and rubber/body with a black neutral cure silicone, I found I had to hold the external flange down with insulating tape until it cured. Left for about a week the tape was removed to reveal, a mess! although it was stuck ok it had squeezed out, I found the best way of removing this was the old thunbnail!
My newly rechromed trim was next in, but it wouldn't stay in, there was so much mould release agent in the groove. This was cleaned out with panel wipe (good stuff that) and I managed to get it to stay in.
Centre pillar seemed to long, because I think the screen rubber isn't exactly the same as the original. Rather than just wind away at the pillar screws in the hope that it would be water tight I 'potted' the whole lot in the old nuetral cure silicone.
I the went around the chrome trim outer with the same pulling a nice radius fillet with a cut down silicone applicator. A couple of days later it was all cleaned off with the old thumbnail, I then used a silicone filled syringe to fill the joint round the inside of the trim to rubber, this was wiped off while still wet with a petrol dampened cloth as I'd run out of panel wipe.
Fitting the screens has got to be fairly high up on the list of worst jobs.
I had replaced the back window rubber years ago with my dad and I can always remember using a jack (yes a jack!) on the floor cross member to get the window in, and I was dreading doing that again, but this time it slipped in lovely.
Anyway just thought I'd voice my 'method of assembly' as it might help some other poor soul!, I will get back to the other minor jobs.
Alan

[lesrollins]

Well I hope mine go in a little easier I will let you know when the weather picks up. Brrrrrrrrrrr roll on the summer

[lesrollins]

I got some parts yesterday and these included the front rubbers for my split screen moggy. I was given two separate rubbers for the front one for each glass, but when I looked at the existing rubber on the car it appears to be one large rubber around the two pieces of glass with the metal strip up the middle. So which is the one I need ? one large rubber or two seperate rubbers I didn,t know wether the full rubber had been fitted wrong form the start. Cheers

[alanworland]

Mine was a one piece rubber, the same as wot came out.

[mike.perry]

You should have the following parts for the split windscreen:- 2 x glass screens, 2 x chrome windscreen surrounds, 2 x centre chrome clips, top and bottom of pillar, 1 x windscreen surround rubber, 1 x chrome centre pillar, 1 x rubber backing strip, 1 x rubber sealing strip, T shaped to fit between the screens, 1 x painted metal centre strip, 4 x set screws, 1 x interior mirror on stalk.

[lesrollins]

My mistake on the rubber it was only the one, I blame the way it was folded. Anyway just waiting for the weather to pick up so I can start, I seem to have everything for the jobs headlining, window rubbers etc but I cannot find the centre screen rubbers tried bull motif morris spares of birmingham so perhaps I will have to use my old ones for now.

[mike.perry]

Try Minor Developments 01562 747718 and leave a message on the answerphone. They keep a good stock of older parts.

[alanworland]

I would have thought it would be ajob for the warmer weather? or a cosy garage!

[lesrollins]

Do I need to use any sealants when fiting new rubbers and if so what sort and looking through the threads I can,t decide if I need to fit the metal chrome strip into the rubber first or after it as been fitted into the car which is a split screen. Anyone living n Gloucester fancy a job one weekend tea and biscuits on hand.