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Date:         Sun, 31 May 1998 11:42:36 -0100
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Subject:      Re: Bus Depot luggage rack seal and wind noise
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
In-Reply-To:  <35704AE5.B1668D3E@worldnet.att.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> Anybody notice an increase in wind noise after installing the > luggage rack seal sold by The Bus Depot? On my installation, > the seal doesn't quite seem to contact the top of the van--there's > about a 1/16" gap. Seems to be more wind noise when driving 55-60 > but I haven't driven enought yet with the new seal to be absolutely sure. > I'm thinking maybe the luggage rack seal should be the same as the > pop top seal--with a "bulb" to seal against the roof. > > Otherwise, the seals are great--their appearance is very much like the > original seals.

With many hundreds of luggage rack seals sold, my complaint rate about this has been less than 1/2 of 1 percent. The seal is the way it is by design, although I can provide a different one on request.

The original Volkswagen luggage rack seal used a small lip rather than a "bulb," which did not seal tight against the body and did allow water to drain past it from the drainage holes in the luggage rack area. No aftermarket seal uses such a lip, but many do use a large bulb similar to that used on the poptop seal. Such a bulb does seal the area tighter than originally intended by Westfalia, and while I can't say that it does interfere with the drainage, I also can't say that it doesn't. It certainly is not needed for insulation like it would be on the poptop area (which opens into the interior of the van), and it does make the seal slightly more expensive. So I opted not to incorperate it (although I do incorperate the bulb on the poptop seal).

The fact that 99-1/2 out of 100 people who buy them have had no problems tends to make me think my decision was right. I can't figure out what is different with the other 1/2 percent; the seal they received is the same as everyone else's, and supposedly their luggage rack is the same. But if anyone would prefer a luggage rack with an insulation bulb (as sold by West Coast Metric, etc.), I can provide that for $19.95 instead of the $14.95 price of the standard luggage rack seal. Mark, if you do find that you are getting some wind noise, I'm sure we can work out a trade, but first try repositioning the seal slightly lower on the luggage rack and see if it solves the problem. If so, you will probably be better off.

As for your comment that my poptop and luggage rack seals look very similar to the original, I am proud to say that they are closer to original than ANY other aftermarket seal, in both finish and functionality (and with the improvement of a rustproof impregnated clip). These are not off-the-shelf generic seals; I have them custom-made to my specs, unlike RMMW, JC Whitney, etc who do simply sell a cut length of generic weatherstrip. And the flat seal that I sell which goes across the top of the poptop (where it comes down and meets the luggage rack) is an almost exact duplicate of the original. Nobody else has this seal except for West Coast Metric, who charges much more for it; the others simply sell a short length of the main poptop seal for use across the leading edge, which is obviously not the correct seal. I sell this flat seal for $19.95 listmember price (when purchased with the 3-sided poptop seal, which is $49). Poptop seals were my first foray into custom made Bus parts, in my pre-Bus-Depot days (as many longer-term list members may recall); I spent some effort researching the design I'm pretty proud of what I came up with.

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


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