Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 03:41:44 EDT
Reply-To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: OEM Pop Top Seals
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 7/19/2004 10:16:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
gipsyflies@COMCAST.NET writes:
> OK! I read enough about how stupid the Westfalia OE seal is
I too think the OEM seal is getting a bit of a bad wrap.
My OEM seal from the factory lasted 15 years with no problems. My longest
relationship was about five years and loaded with problems. The OEM seal had the
internal metal spring. There was some spring in the relationship at the
beginning. I'm not sure what this spring was made of, possibly false hope.
I replaced the original seal after 15 years of dedicated service because it
began to rust and as a result, sag. After three years of dedicated service the
woman did not rust, but I was faced with the same problem.
I installed an aftermarket seal on the bus which has performed fine for 5
years. I'll let you know in another 10 years if it has the same longevity of the
OEM seal.
Here is what I liked about the original seal, and why I might use it if I had
the money to spend.
The front piece of the OEM seal--that is to say the piece that crosses the
roof at the front of the pop top area--had a metal clip mechanism--let's say
spring clip--the width of the pop top. This made it more secure in its mounting
than the aftermarket piece in my opinion. The Aftermarket front piece has no
metal and no clipping mechanism at all. I think I may have used some adhesive on
this aftermarket front piece in the installation. As a result of no metal in
the front cross over piece on installation the aftermarket front piece did not
want to make a seal to the luggage rack when the pop top was closed. I had
to shim the luggage rack up so it would meet the rubber. This was a huge
two-day PIA to get it right. My experience in this may have been unique to my bus. I
don't know if others encountered this.
The OEM front piece with the metal clip within also seemed to seal better
because the internal metal forced the front part of the seal down--or allowed it
to stay down, whereas the aftermarket piece with no metal inside was obviously
less rigid.
That brings me to the second thing I liked about the OEM seal--the luggage
rack seal. In my opinion the OEM luggage rack seal is infinitally better than
any after market luggage rack seal I have seen. In fact the after market luggage
rack seals I have seen and have installed on my bus is not a seal at all. It
is a trim piece only. It does not get snug to the roof. My guess is if I took
the bus in a wind tunnel this lack of sealing would create poorer
aerodynamics. But we all realise we're talking about a Vanagon here, so aerodynamics may
not be a chief concern.
Now this aftermarket luggage rack seal looks fine. But I think it worked in
consort to make the seal from the front of the closed pop top to the luggage
rack poor. I think the OEM luggage rack seal would hold the luggage rack up
slightly higher--enough to allow me to avoid all the shimming. And then with the
internal metal of the front cross over piece--I think the seal would have come
from there and been superior.
I had no real trouble or complaint about the pop stop seal as far as mating
the the three side wrap around part to the separate cross over the top piece
piece. I measured and cut carefully and in the tiny, tiny gap between the two I
used black silicone sealant to "calk" the gap and it looks pretty darn stock.
This part was really quite easy.
So I would say the OEM pop top seal lasting 15 years is really a pretty good
run. I would have used one for the second 15 years except that the price is
prohibative. But I mean really, let's all take a step back here in condemning
the OEM seal. 15 years seems a fair longevity for a piece of equipment that
performs the function the seal performs. And whether the seal had aluminium or
steel inside is it really gonna last more than 15 years?
If I run into some money I would get the front OEM luggage rack seal in a
minute, because to me it looks and functions better than the aftermarket luggage
rack seal.
That's my 2 cents.
I was kidding about the relationship stuff, mostly, so no one need take
offense.
Best
Jeff
83.5 Wesfalia
LA,CA
