Argh! Warped brand new RS door panels from water leak!! Help

[IslandHopper]

I recently installed a pair of the appbiz RS door panels, and also changed quarter windows at the same time. I apparently failed to install some sort of gasket or filler at the base of the quarter windows, based on what I have read after searching (there was none on the old ones either but it had not been in the rain) so I didn't know it was supposed to have something there.

So, the car was outside for a week or so in this freskishly mild winter we have been having, and it actually rained one day... Well, I went to go drive the car a day afterwards and it was wet inside, and the door panels are all wavy!!! I JUST installed them, and now the prices are even higher than when I bought them, argghhh.

Is there any way to flatten the panels out after they have gotten wet??? and what the heck goes at the bottom of the quarter windows?

[Ian Comerford]

Not exactly sure about the seal but try PET to see what is fitted. With the door panels you could always buy some ply wood and use the originals as patterns for cutting out new bases. Then re-use the Appbiz foam and vinyl. Good luck

Ian

[timmy2]

Go to the local hardware box store and pick up some thin white rigid sheet plastic and cut it to the right shape and use it as the base instead of using a wood based product.
Re-install the foam and vinyl.

If you ever get another leak it won't warp!

[juanbenae]

if the wood is still moist put then between a couple pieces of plywood to press flatten them with brinks or dumb bells. put towels and/or news paper to absorb the water remaining in the material, changing daily at least. I bet they will be flat enough to reuse. if already dry, rewet then press?? what is there to lose at this point? don't drop them in the tub, but a decent spritz with a fern sprayer..

[Tippy]

I'll trade you mine and I'll take your stock panels....

[grizzfan]

I put in RS door panels from Pelican and they also sold me a waterproof membrane that goes in there first to keep the water out. Call Pelican. Their RS panels are only about $255 a set of two and the membranes a little more.

I replaced the quarter window seals as well. No leaks but I never drive this thing in the rain or snow either!

Tom

[blucille]

The appbiz panels come shipped to you in a heavy clear bag. The instructions state to use the bag as the membrane between the door and the door panel. Also, the appbiz door panels are made of a material that shouldn't warp like a wood product would. Suggest you call bob at appbiz and see what he recommends.

[IslandHopper]

Thanks all. I did install the membrane (the shipping bag can be used as mentioned above, but I actually ordered the extra plastic membranes that are perfectly cut to fit. They did not appear to help. I guess I can call bob at appbiz and see what he says, as regardless of the material they most definitely warped like crazy after a day parked outside in the rain.

Still trying to figure out what seals the base of the quarter window assembly where it meets the door, doesn't appear to be any seal that I can find. Am I missing something? I think I saw in another thread that it is made out of tape or something??

Thanks for all the help so far

[javadog]

The factory used some sort of caulk, similar to 3M strip caulk, to seal the quarter window frames. If you pulled the frames out, you should have seen a black, soft putty-like substance all along the bottom edge. If a previous owner pulled the frames out and replaced them without caulking them, not much you can do except fix them.

I'd get them caulked and water test them before putting the door panels back in.

JR

[cabmandone]

Wow! this thread just helped save me some grief. I am making new wood panels for my car and have the 1/4 windows out. I removed that black gooo and wasn't going to replace it as I thought it was something the P.O. had put in there.

[tirwin]

The black goo is called dum dum. I've had trouble finding it in the past but if you can find an old school glass guy they usually carry it or know where to buy it.

[wayner]

3m sells ribons of caulking strip in black or grey

Also, for doors you souls install a vapor barrier behind. Just a sheet of poly film attached with accustaseal caulking from Home Depot or the 3m strips already mentioned

[wayner]

As for 1/4 window, check out the situation mid way down this thread

Why windshield trim should be a regular maintenance item.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by wayner

3m sells ribons of caulking strip in black or grey

Also, for doors you souls install a vapor barrier behind. Just a sheet of poly film attached with accustaseal caulking from Home Depot or the 3m strips already mentioned

I did have a vapor barrier behind, the one that appbiz sells...

I will look into the caulking strips, as there doesnt seem to be any kind of "gasket" for the base of the quarter window (mine dont open they are fixed quarters) that exists, to seal it to the door....

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by wayner

As for 1/4 window, check out the situation mid way down this thread

Why windshield trim should be a regular maintenance item.

Thanks, yeah ALL the rubber on the entire car was replaced last year during a full glass-out repaint. EVERY single piece, even the body seam gaskets between the fenders and the body, all window/windshield trim, headlights etc.

Apparently though nobody replaced whatever sealing tape/putty/unicorn snot was used at the base of the quarter windows. So there is a small gap between the quarter window and the top of the door

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by javadog

The factory used some sort of caulk, similar to 3M strip caulk, to seal the quarter window frames. If you pulled the frames out, you should have seen a black, soft putty-like substance all along the bottom edge. If a previous owner pulled the frames out and replaced them without caulking them, not much you can do except fix them.

I'd get them caulked and water test them before putting the door panels back in.

JR

HA! no thats what was missing, either the PO or the body shop that did the full repaint never put this back on. There was nothing like it on the ones in the car or the chrome ones I bought to replace them with!

[RSTarga]

Even if the dum dum was missing, if you have the plastic vapor seal in place the panel should not get wet. There is plenty of water that gets past the window seal. Are your door drains clear?
The app biz panels are closed cell foam so they should not warp.

[wayner]

Do you have RS door pulls ?

If so make a flap over the vapor barrier so that water doesn't follow the door pull.

I did this with some poly sheet and attached it with red vapor barrier tape used in joining vapor barriers in houses

[IslandHopper]

Even if the dum dum was missing, if you have the plastic vapor seal in place the panel should not get wet. There is plenty of water that gets past the window seal. Are your door drains clear?

The app biz panels are closed cell foam so they should not warp.

Hmm I think they're some kind of fiberboard type material actually, maybe I'm wrong, but it's definitely warped lol, and they are appbiz panels

[IslandHopper]

Do you have RS door pulls ?



If so make a flap over the vapor barrier so that water doesn't follow the door pull.



I did this with some poly sheet and attached it with red vapor barrier tape used in joining vapor barriers in houses

Yes I do have rs door pulls, wonder if that's what did it... They are all warped along the bottom only, water definitely got in there somehwrte, or also perhaps the seal failed at some point of the vapor barrier? I'll have to pull it apart to tell, just want to figure out how to make them flat again so I'll have to see if they can be flattened