[alfatastic]

I've just spent the last couple of days cleaning of some surface rust from the floor of my junior and have painted it. The reason for the rust was that water had been left standing inside by a previous owner. I checked out prices for these door seals as they seem to be perished and have no spring and for £28 each they seem a fair price to keep dry.

Does any one have any experience of fitting them, are they a job for a skilled mechanic or could anyone with a screw driver and time do it? The cars going for a gearbox rebuild a week on Monday so, if this is a serious job I'll get the mechanic to sort it but if not I'd quit like to try it myself.

Apart from the door seals are there any other materials special tools I'll require?

All advice will be greatly received

Cheers

Nick

 

[papajam]

Pretty simple job really. Just insert a small screwdriver between the gasket and retainer the pry the gasket out in that one spot. Then the gasket can be pulled out of the retainers by hand. Start the new gasket in a corner (the upper rear) and work your round the door opening. A silicone lube will help the installation. If a tool is required to help push the gasket into the retainer, avoid anything too sharp that could puncture the gasket. Also, avoid 'stretching' the gasket as you work your round otherwise the gasket will end up being too long.

 

[alfatastic]

Thanks Papajam, I think I'll give it a try myself then

Nick

 

[VeloceMitch]

This is weird, I have just spent a happy hour today fitting a door seal to mine. When I collected it the seal was in the Boot, the guy just said there's no seal on the door but I bought one and never got around to fitting it.

It's a pig of a job, the thing was about 3" too long!!
I had no choice but to cut a section out. Trouble is the Damn door won't close now...
I now know why it was in the Boot. :rant:

Not sure what to do next, take it back out, try to trim the bit's that are too tight, or adjust the door itself.
Doubt the later will work tho, seems to be too far out too even lock.

 

[papajam]

Sorry to hear you had a hard time of it. There's a bit about door seals in this AlfaBB thread. It might help some.

 

[VeloceMitch]

Er Thanks Jim, nicely off topic that one...
It might be the inner door 'Board' I will have a good look, but I suspect I will have to cut the seal down near the hinge end, it is way out of alignment, half an inch or so at the rear post.

 

[Hoygaard]

Thanks Papa... Wonderfull thread you pointed us at. Those AlfaBB boys are quite good at going OT aswell.

Anyway, Mitch...- give it a couple of weeks in order for it to settle. I have seen it a lot of times on older cars. Once you fit a new door seal, the door needs a regular slamming to shut. At times so hard it could be mistaken for a violent act against your troublesome Italian bella.

Of course, if the door isnt proprely adjusted, or the doorcard is caught in the middle of the misery, that's another ballgame.

Cheers

Hoygaard

 

[oxhouser]

I've just spent the last couple of days cleaning of some surface rust from the floor of my junior and have painted it. The reason for the rust was that water had been left standing inside by a previous owner. I checked out prices for these door seals as they seem to be perished and have no spring and for £28 each they seem a fair price to keep dry.

Does any one have any experience of fitting them, are they a job for a skilled mechanic or could anyone with a screw driver and time do it? The cars going for a gearbox rebuild a week on Monday so, if this is a serious job I'll get the mechanic to sort it but if not I'd quit like to try it myself.

Apart from the door seals are there any other materials special tools I'll require?

All advice will be greatly received

Cheers

Nick

 

[oxhouser]

I have fitted a door seal and it is a pig to fit you have to pry the rubber seal into thin metal channels that are riveted to the door frame. I found a large flat screwdriver with all the sharp edges filed off the best tool for the job. As you fit the seal be careful not to stretch the seal as the channels hold it like that and when you get to the last foot there is too much seal left. If there is a lot of rust it could have spread to the metal channels, I think alfaholics sell these

 

[VeloceMitch]

I have fitted a door seal and it is a pig to fit you have to pry the rubber seal into thin metal channels that are riveted to the door frame. I found a large flat screwdriver with all the sharp edges filed off the best tool for the job. As you fit the seal be careful not to stretch the seal as the channels hold it like that and when you get to the last foot there is too much seal left. If there is a lot of rust it could have spread to the metal channels, I think alfaholics sell these

Hi Oxhouser
Your experiance mirrors mine, the seal ended up about 2 inches too long, and I had to cut a section out.
Then of course the Door wouldn't shut.....not even close
In the end I butchered the seal, by splitting most of the bottom cill and the lower half of the door jambs, (Wrong term I am sure), to reducing the thickness of it.
It still does it's job, and the door closes OK now.
Perhaps a professional could have done better, but I aren't sure, you can't alter the laws of Geometry, and Physics.
Welcome to AO BTW, what year/model is yours?.

 

[oxhouser]

Hi Oxhouser
Your experiance mirrors mine, the seal ended up about 2 inches too long, and I had to cut a section out.
Then of course the Door wouldn't shut.....not even close
In the end I butchered the seal, by splitting most of the bottom cill and the lower half of the door jambs, (Wrong term I am sure), to reducing the thickness of it.
It still does it's job, and the door closes OK now.
Perhaps a professional could have done better, but I aren't sure, you can't alter the laws of Geometry, and Physics.
Welcome to AO BTW, what year/model is yours?.

Its a 74 1600 GT junior with a modified motor, whilst were on the subject I have a problem with the gearbox/clutch. The clutch won't disengage so it crunches when you select 1st and you have to double clutch to change gear on the move. The problem is getting worse. I have checked the slave cylinder travel and thats ok
I am resigned to pulling the gearbox but any sugestions would be welcome. I am thinking along the lines of a worn link between slave and thrust bearing. Clutch, pressure plate and thrust bearing are less than 4000 miles old

 

[alfatastic]

It's taken me a while to attempted the door seals but, I bought both seals last week. I fitted the drivers door on Wednesday and it took over 1 hour and I ended up with about an inch to much and very sore thumbs, the silicone lub works helps alot though so thanks for that Advice Papjam. So I too cut the seal to make it fit . Left the other one in disgust, the door didn't shut too great either. This afternoon I passed the other door seal and decided to try again. This time I tried even harder to not stretch the rubber and used a blunt flat screw driver more than my thumbs, and within 30 mins I'd sorted it and if fitted perfect without having to cut the seal, the door also shuts with just a firmer push than before.

Unfortunely though this evening the drivers door refused to shut properly even with a slam that felt like it might break the glass. On closer inspection part of the seal around where the door catch is had come out of the rails. Repositioning it allowed the door to shut but again the door wouldn't shut when I put the car away and since the garage owner appeared to be in bed I've left it for the evening.

Don't know if I should take the drivers door seal off completely and replace and glue in the extra inch.

I washed the car after fitting the seals and very little water entered the car, so all in all this work is a result.

 

[VeloceMitch]

Sounds you did better than me, I think I would have another go, it would be worth it in the end if it goes in correctly.
It sounds like it's one of those Jobs you just have to get the 'Knack' of.
BTW, Are you going to NORAD, Lotherton Hall 15th August?

 

[alfatastic]

I did retry the drivers door yesterday and added the piece I cut out (will rubber glue that back in, later), I also altered the position of one piece of rail and now the door shuts alot better, it was that or moving the door latchs on the frame and door, out a bit which could have gone a bit Pete Tong.

I'm not sure about NORAD yet, its me dads birthday that day so might have family things to do.