Got the vent windows latches in my BUG!!!
Kirk
Henry posted about replacing his vent wing latches. He had built a jig for
the frame so that the window could be tapped in with a rubber mallot and the
dimensions would be correct.
Well, I got replacement latches and a strip of rubber from West Coast
Metric. Being the Scottsman that I am, I was able to fit it so that I was
able to get both driver's and passenger's windows done using one strip of
the rubber seal material.
The surprising thing was that fitting the window (with the seal) back into
the frame was EASY!!!! I put soapy water on both sides of the rubber and it
went in, no problems! Just goes to show ya that when properly lubed.....
Anyway, I was glad that a friend had a bunch of extra pop rivets! The ones
provided by WCM were too small.... also too expensive.
But anyway it is GREAT to FINALLY have the mysterious leak fixed! Yep, all
this time I thought that there was something wrong with the seal between my
pan and the body on the passenger's side...... then FINALLY one day I saw a
trail of water on the door panel after a hard rain. Since both latches were
broken (driver's and passenger's side) the vent windows would not close
tightly.
Gee, my '65 is getting so "normal", if she only had AC I would not mind
keeping her as a daily driver for another 5 or 6 years. Can't beat the
mileage: 32 when I flog it. 36 when I take it easy, and a consistent 45 mpg
(US) when I drove rediculously slowly breaking it in (a mud dawber nest in
the airfilter helped a LOT attaining that mpg.... but I believe you can look
at the usenet archives to come across that story)!
KWW
65 Beetle (Jenny the IOC)
64 Beetle (work in progress)
Karl
trapped to cause rust from the inside out.
Mercedes uses an alcohol based assembly lube for installing rubber seals
because of this.
"Kirk" <kwalker et ac doht neyt> wrote in message
news:47692023$0$1353$4c36...@roadrunner.com...
Kirk
Germ-ex or something that has alcohol - or KY jelly?
"Karl" <auf...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:Bxcaj.80787$Um6....@newssvr12.news.prodigy.net...
John Willis
Here's how I did it...
1959 Beetle Vent Window Latch Replacement and Seal Renewal
ŠBy John Willis
Have you ever needed to replace the vent window latch or renew the
seal between the vent window glass and the frame? Ever consider how
they get the glass into its frame with the water tight rubber seal in
between? At the factory they use a special jig and press to mate the
two without breaking the glass. Chances are none of us have these
tools at hand in our garages! So how do you go about replacing the
seal between the glass and frame if it fails or if you need to replace
the entire latch assembly?
Replacing the latch is relatively simple and easy. You can buy a
replacement part just for the moving portions of the latch, the
installation of which does not require removal of the window. It does
require some sort of fine pin punch, and in a pinch a small drill bit
the correct size can be used with a small hammer to tap out the pin
which holds the moving portion of the latch. Installation of the new
latch is the reverse of removal, just take care not to lose any of the
small parts such as the spring or the pin!
Complete replacement of the entire latch requires removal of the vent
wing window and further, it requires removal of the glass from the
frame. I'm assuming most of the people reading this know how to remove
the vent wing window, which requires taking the door panel off. If you
don't feel comfortable with this, stop now and consider taking the car
to a competent mechanic.
After removing the glass from the frame by the method of your choice,
drill out the old rivets with a suitably sized drill bit and remove
the latch. Stainless steel pop-rivets, available from WCM at an overly
inflated price, are then needed to install the new latch assembly.
Home Depot and Lowes and local hardware stores do not seem to carry
stainless steel pop-rivets. I have yet to find a local supplier for
these, but I haven't looked very diligently. Next, you need a new
window seal and the correct jig to use with your press to re-install
the glass into the frame...or you could use the following method...
On my 1959 Beetle, when I was installing the new door rubber on the
driver's side door, I noticed the vent wing window was not tight in
its frame. The original rubber had dried up and shrunk to the point of
nearly letting the glass fall out! In this case, removal of the glass
from the frame was a simple matter of a slight tug. After making
inquiries about how to fix this properly, I decided to try a different
method. The difference between the following repair and the correct
factory repair is not noticeable!
There are a number of great caulks and sealers available today. I try
to never use commonly available silicone based sealers, except on very
specific applications. Silicone based caulks usually do a poor job,
peel off, and typically can't be painted. On the other hand, have you
ever walked down a city street and noticed the sealer used in some
kinds of construction? The joints between pre-fabricated concrete
walls used in tilt-wall construction require a seal. This seal
consists of a backing and then a caulk, both of which are urethane
based. Urethane based caulks cure by absorbing moisture from the air.
When cured, they resemble rubber quite closely and they are available
in a variety of colors. They cost about $3.50 a tube. A standard
caulking gun is the only equipment you need. The brand name of one
sealer locally available is NP-1. It is not available at Home Depot or
Lowes. You can find it at some roofing supply houses and before they
went bankrupt and closed their doors, Payless Cashways carried it as
well.
Remove the glass. In order to insure a good seal, clean the window
frame very well, first by scraping out the old rubber. Take care to
use a tool that will not mar the window frame. Next use a fine wire or
stiff bristled nylon brush to remove all the dust, dirt, and grime.
Use a solvent like lacquer thinner to remove any and all oil residue
and dry off with compressed air. Place a small bead of caulk inside
the frame and install the glass, taking care to make certain it is
centered in the frame on all three axes. It is very important to
position the glass correctly in the frame. Once the caulk cures there
is no possibility of repositioning the glass. Fortunately urethane
based caulks cure slowly so there is a long working period. Take your
time. Check and re-check the position of the glass in the frame. Once
you are satisfied with the orientation of the glass in the frame use a
fine scraper to remove any excess and dress down the edges. No one
will notice this is not a correct vintage repair without looking
extremely closely! Before re-installing the window, allow the caulk to
cure completely. The time required for the caulk to fully cure varies
depending on the humidity level, but a couple of days ought to be
sufficient.
This seal is superior to the rubber you could buy to do this repair
by-the-book. I use this sealer in my work, usually in exterior
applications here in Texas with all the extremes of heat and sun. With
over ten years of using this kind of product, I have yet seen it fail.
Conversely, I've had other rubber seals, bought from a reputable west
coast supplier for this specific 1959 Beetle, fail to the point of
splitting and falling off in as little as one year! The quality of
after market automotive rubber seals varies widely based upon the
composition of the rubber. Some will last years, some only months. In
this application, using a high grade urethane sealer takes the
guesswork out of the process and insures a good seal for years to
come.
So, you can replace the entire latch assembly and renew the seal
between the glass and the frame at home without any fancy tools,
presses, or jigs. All that is required is a caulking gun for the tube
of urethane sealer, a tool to dress down the caulk, and a drill and
pop-rivet gun to remove and install the new latch into the frame.
Oh, and you need to be able to take the door apart and put it back
together!
On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:44:00 -0600, "Kirk" <kwalker et ac doht neyt>
scribbled this interesting note:
--
John Willis
jdwill...@airmail.net
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)
jjs
> water
> trapped to cause rust from the inside out.
>
> Mercedes uses an alcohol based assembly lube for installing rubber seals
> because of this.
FWIW, alcohol-based hand disinfectant that you can find in squirt bottles is
good for that. It is alcohol so that it evaporates, but has just enough
lubricant to keep it wet long enough to push the windshield in.
Dennis
Great job done. Dennis