Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:20:10 -0400
Reply-To: Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@HEWITT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@HEWITT.COM>
Subject: Re: Poptop Seal adhesive
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>Hello all...
>
>I ordered the poptop rubber seals for both the poptop and luggage rack
for my '86 westy, but it didn't come with >an adhesive. I didn't really
occur to me that it wouldn't. Anyway....does anyone have any
recommendations for >what I should use?
>
>Also, tips from anyone that has done this would be great...I am not
looking forward to it so any job simplifying >advice is appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>Jason
Hi Jason ---- some insructions I used to have posted on a webpage.
Cheers,
Doug
CHANGING THE POPTOP SEALS
I bought the 'complete' kit from the BusDepot. There are three seals; main poptop, front edge of poptop and luggage
rack.The most important tool involved is a rubber mallet --- buy one if
you don't have one.
Main seal:
Remove the old seal and prep the edge to your satisfaction. The new seal
just slips on (held by its internal clip) so you want the edge clean, but
you don't have to make it spotless and perfectly smooth.Raise the poptop.
Find the mid-pont of your new seal and mark it lightly. Now find the
mid-point of the back edge of the poptop and mark it. The seal is
generously long but may as well be careful. Put your midpoint marks
together and start tapping the seal onto the poptop edge with the rubber
mallet (the 'bulb' goes in incidentally).This is easy and fun.....pick a
direction and go for it. When you get to the funny curves at the back
corners you'll find that a piece of wood a couple of feet long will hook
into the poptop hinge and make a fine lever to help you push the seal on
the back corners. Everywhere else it's straight and easy going with the
rubber mallet. Leave the front ends hanging about a foot back from the
front corners until you get ALL three seals on. You'll want to see them
all together before you decide how to do the final trim.
Front seal:
(Apparently Ron will ship either of two front seals, one that glues on and
one that clips on. I had the glue-on version. If you have the one with the
internal clip grab your rubber mallet and have at it.
Otherwise..........clean and prep your edge --- this one's glued on (no
internal clip) so you'll want to take a little more care with prep. I used
a foot long chunk of wood to prop up the poptop at a comfortable working
height for someone (me) sitting in the luggage rack. Use your choice of
adhesive. I used Weldbond white glue because I'm familiar with it and it
kept the (formerly) flapping ends of my raggedy old front seal stuck down
nicely for 2 years. I put a light coat of glue on the front poptop edge
and let it set up (essentially a prime coat). I marked both mid-points
again --- laid down another generous bead of glue on both the top and the
bottom of the edge and pushed the front seal on. A cloth and some water
took care of any excess glue (and I had it handy when I started the
gluing). You'll find that this seal is also generously overlong --- don't
trim it yet!
Luggage rack seal:
My Westy is an '84 (white top) and I think VW went to the coloured tops in
'86 so this procedure may vary for 86 and up --- check your Bentley. You
have to drop the back of the headliner first. Remove the two screws and
one bolt that hold end cap onto the storage shelf above the stove/sink.
Now remove the 7 (8?) little screws that hold the headliner to the roof.
It should drop enough so you can slip your hand in. Raise your poptop and
crawl up on your luggage rack and remove the 4 plastic caps covering the
nuts and washers between the back of the luggage rack and the hole for the
poptop (Now that I think about this you could do it through your open
screened window in the poptop canvas).Now remove the nuts and washers ---
you may or may not have to slip your hand above the headliner to prevent
the boltheads from turning --- you will for sure when you go to
re-tighten. Now remove the 4 large-headed slot screws from the outside of
the luggage rack (one on each side and two at the front). I thought from
the looks of these screwheads (rusty) that they'd be a PITA to remove;
they came out easily though -- the threads inside were in fine shape....
Now close all the doors and windows to your Westy and get a helper to
assist you in lifting down the luggage rack --- it's light but awkward.
Why close the doors and windows??? --- I found that a rather astonishing
amount of leaves and dirt had been lurking under the luggage rack for the
last 15 years. Way too much of this garbage fell inside the open windows
of my van. If you've got the thing off anyway you might want to replace
your luggage rack tie-downs. This seal has the internal clip so grab your
rubber mallet and go for it. Once you've got the seal on lift it into
place and decide how you want the three seals to come together and from
there you'll know where to trim the luggage rack seal --- I used a pair of
good quality sidecutters to trim this seal -- they went through both the
rubber and the internal metal clip nice and cleanly. Once you've trimmed
the luggage rack seal; the re-install is pretty much the reverse. With
your helper -- get the luggage rack seat on the four protruding bolts
ahead of the poptop opening. Put the nuts and washers on very loosely ---
enough just to keep from knocking the bolts back down. Now start the 4
large-headed screws in their respective holes. You'll find that if you
shift the whole rack slightly (as needed) it is relatively easy to line
them up and get them started. When they are all started --- tighten up the
screws. Now tighten up the 4 nuts --- sliding your hand under the
headliner to hold the bolts as necessary. Put the headliner/shelf-end back
in place when you're done this.
With your luggage rack back in place --- now trim the remaining seals. A
utility knife does the job on the front poptop seal. Now sit on the porch
and have a beer --- well thats what I did anyway :-)
(FWIW --- this was written 2 years ago and my seals are still perfectly in
place. GDA March 2003
)
