Date:         Tue, 2 May 2000 08:40:48 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Subject:      Re: Luggage Rack Seal
Comments: To: "ThomasD. Hanlon" <hanran@EARTHLINK.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <390EA256.42973C79@earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> I've obtained from a List Vendor, a replacement seal for the luggage
> rack. The seal is unlike the OEM item in that the replacement has the
> configuration of the additional attached "tubing" like the replacement
> seal of the Pop-Top, rather than the simple "U" of the original luggage
> rack seal.  It appears that the new seal may seal too perfectly, and not
> allow drainage of accumulated water from below the luggage rack.


You are right that potentially this may impede rainwater drainage, since is
in fact a seal rather than a trim piece as originally intended. The only
reason to use a seal with a bulb on a luggage rack is if your rack has
loosened over the years and is suffering from wind whistle with a non-bulbed
seal - and even then you are better off tightening the rack or lowering the
seal slightly than using a bulbed seal.   The reason that many vendors sell
luggage rack seals with bulbs like that is that they are actually selling
you a length of poptop seal, cut shorter.  This allows them to stock only
one seal and cut it into two different lengths (for poptop or luggage rack
use) rather than stocking two different seals. Some go even further by
selling the identical seal in place of the "flat" seal between luggage rack
and poptop, even though it is clearly incorrect for the application.  I sell
three different seals for the three different applications, as originally
intended.

Now that you already have the seal, however, there is probably no need to
return it.  You should be able to remove the bulb with an exacto knife prior
to installation.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  http://www.busdepot.com
  (215) 234-VWVW