Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:43:43 -0400
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: popup top seals
In-Reply-To: <BLU0-SMTP736283DCE692BBEC8CEEE9B8AC0@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> I'm in need of a new poptop seal for my 85 Westfalia and am
> wondering if anybody has knowledge of Go Westy vs Bus Depot
> replacement seals. They seem quite different.
>
> My luggage rack seal is in ok shape and I'm not sure if i
> want to replace it - why make things worse! So I wonder
> which aftermarket seal matches better?
>
> My memory is fading but don't you have to remove the luggage
> rack to replace the seal? And some have reported wind noise
> afterwards?
There is a HUGE difference between our poptop seal kit and GoWesty's. Theirs
is off-the-shelf generic weatherstrip that they simply cut to length. Ours
is specifically designed for VW campers and made to our specifications. It
was our very first in-house designed product nearly 15 years ago, and is
still the best on the market, for a number of reasons:
1) It is the only kit that does not require you to glue anything to your
poptop. Even the flat seal between the poptop and luggage rack just clips
on.
2) Our kit seals better. The location of the poptop seal insulation bulb
more closely matches that of the original insulation flap, providing better
insulation and better protecting your canvas from rainwater intrusion during
wiindswept rain when the top is closed.
3) The finish is smoother; closer to the stock look.
4) The luggage rack seal is designed not to impede rainwater drainage, as
per the original design. The other vendors sell an additional length of
poptop seal and call it luggage rack seal. Bad idea; the two seals were
originally different for a reason, as they serve completely different
purposes. The poptop seal is supposed to block rainwater; the luggage rack
seal is actually more of a trim piece and is supposed to ALLOW rainwater to
drain past it into the rain gutters.
5) The luggage rack seal can be installed without removing or loosening your
luggage rack. You still may choose to remove it if you want to clean under
it, but if you'd rather a quick-and-easy 10 minute installation instead you
can go that route. (Sometimes loosening or removing the luggage rack creates
new problems, because when you retighten it it doesn't snug down as well and
you get wind noise.)
Link:
http://busdepot.com/details/canvas.jsp#seals
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
_____________________________________________
Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
