Any tricks for triangle window install.

[Rich Hilgersom]

The front metal pressure plate is a real pain!

On the new seal its so stiff I have to fight to get it through.

I have not been able to mount the window in the seal and then slide it down over the plate.

Do I need to warm the seal first?

The factory manual states I may need to pound the seal home with a hammer and wooden block but Im hoping for an approach that has less risk of tearing the seal.

[philinjax]

Richard,
How about explaining the problem a little more clearly, I just finished installing two new triangle window pieces in the last two days with little difficulty. What do mean by "pressure plate"?

Phil

[Rich Hilgersom]

[philinjax]

Rich,

There is a slot in the bottom of the seal to stick the metal tab into. The glass piece can then be assembled into the seal. I used glycerin, an excellent rubber lubricant, to help installing the seals. Once the glass is in the seal, you can feed the bottom of the vertical part of the seal into the dual slots on the top of the "front guide channel" and slide the glass and seal down until the bottom of the horizontal seal meets the slot in the top of the door. From there on, it's pushing, shoving and squeesing until you can get everything seated.
The final struggle is installing the "protective cap" on the top of the front guide channel. It's a *****, but you can do it.

Here is a pic. I just took of the driver side of my car.

http://images.prosperpoint.com/1070/54506-94.jpg

Phil

[Rich Hilgersom]

Thanks Phil,
I was trying to install it dry..Ill will use a lubricant from now on.

The metal tab is seperated from the glass. Should it be glued to the glass first?

Did you have a new paint job? Looks great! What sidemarkers are going into that hole?

-Rich

[philinjax]

The metal tab is not glued to anything, far as I can tell. I think it is just there to prevent anyone from pushing on the front edge of the triangle glass in order to break in to the car. The tab is, of course, bolted to the the door structure.

Yes, it's new base coat, clear coat, Signal Orange. Rubber windshield trim, semigloss blacked out all bright work on the car. Black early bumpers, valances and rockers.

The side markers are shaved off, I'm using the VW sidemarkers lke my wife has on her 1.8T GTI, except that they are wired as turn signals. The front turn signal buckets have forward focused 10 Watt halogen day running lights in the bottom section of the buckets. The top of the buckets use the amber 1157 lamps for parking lights and turn signals. The front and side lenses are clear with amber bulbs.

I still have a bunch of detail work before I get the car on the road.

Phil

[maf 914]

Phil,

The car looks good!

That side marker/turn signal is interesting. I've never seen that done before.

How did you black out your bright trim? Powder coat?

Mike

[philinjax]

Mike,
I degreased the trim, etched it with a mild acid then painted with one coat of a satin black bumper paint.
Phil

[Rich Hilgersom]

Thanks again Phil,
It went in fine after I removed the tab from the door and stuck it into the rubber with the window before installing it.
I checked the other seal and it turns out I the one I was working with was not cast correctly and the slot for the tab had some extra material still stuck to it.
You were right about the cap, it went on, but not without a fight!

-Rich

[philinjax]

BTW, I am replacing all of the rubber seals on the car. So far, the most difficult was the main windshield seal, the one that goes up the A pillers and across the top of the windshield. Took me about a half hour to figure out how to do it and about 4 hours to struggle through it. A real learning experience.

Phil

[GPRparts]

If you need any advice, i've done many seal replacements... both factory rubber(expensive but perfect) and aftermarket (a bigger pain in the arss). Feel free to ask. Thanks, Don