Door cards stopping them rotting

[Watty]

Hi Team. I got new door cards in 2021 from Proud2pop in Newcastle but they are now rotten. The van has to sit in the road with a slight camber. When I open the door water has pooled in the step up. I have changed the door seals. the window scraper rubber is new and water does not ingress through the small venting window. I do not have any plastic film between the door cards and the door but note the "ventilation" holes on the inside of the cab door by the door hinges which could let water in. Also what is the tube for that Im holding in the photo? It seems part of the window wind mechanism but looks like a drain of some sort? Any advice on how I can stop water getting in and stop this happening? Cheers

 

[67panel]

The tube is just a cover over the end of the window rack, VW do not try to stop all the water coming in the door, that is why you MUST have the plastic liner and make sure the drain holes in the bottom of the door are clear. A coat of watered down (what do you call the glue you can seal walls with?) would help water proof new cards.

 

[james_stan]

The water is being suck up from the bottom where it gathers - peraps sit in it and get someone to play a hose over each side to see if you can trace the point(s) of entry

 

[Walt]

Hi,

Basically what @67panel said;
Water will get in - It's designed so that any water inside the door runs down and exits via the drain holes in the door bottom. Originally there will have been a plastic membrane (like you mention) between the door card and door - Options are either replace this or (probably not an option anymore based on the damage) coat the back of your door cards in something that seals/protects the card from moisture.

Also, as @james_stan said; With the doorcard removed, sit inside and have someone pour some water over the window; You should see some run down into the bottom of the door.

And an old thread here - few of the links are now dead, but gets you close to the pages you'd be interested in...
https://earlybay.com/threads/door-card-film.73555/

 

[Clem]

Thats some fast deteriation on those panels in 3 years! Not much bringing them back but maybe try replacing the plastic membrane and testing in before you replace the door cards. You could/should coat the panels with a PVA mix before refitting.

 

[67panel]

Yes PVA was what I was thinking off. I made my own membranes , sheet of clear plastic and glue the edges to the door. What happens is the water runs off the bottom of the window and due to surface tension "flips" onto the door card, thats why you need the plastic.

 

[ozziedog]

All the above ideas will definitely help. Adding extra drain holes isn’t a bad thought either. Can you have too many drain holes ? If you drill from underneath, you’ll need to clean up the other side of the hole with a large drill bit or similar then coat it inside with whatever you like. But definitely need to make that plastic membrane work and test driving it without the door cards on with a hose or similar to make sure it’s working nicely and not puddling anywhere ,,,, great idea.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,like it like it like it

 

[sparkywig]

Where are you going to drill the other drain holes?
If you drill them towards the rear of the door the water will sit on the top of the wheel arch and rot the door and wheel arch, that's why there's a bigger gap at the bottom of the cab door. Ask me how I know.

Originally the door membrane was two pieces, one large piece that covered the whole of the door behind the door panel and a smaller piece that was attached to the door frame just under the inner handle and tucks into the bottom of the door to stop the water rotting the bottom of the door card.

 

[ozziedog]

Where are you going to drill the other drain holes?
If you drill them towards the rear of the door the water will sit on the top of the wheel arch and rot the door and wheel arch, that's why there's a bigger gap at the bottom of the cab door. Ask me how I know.

Originally the door membrane was two pieces, one large piece that covered the whole of the door behind the door panel and a smaller piece that was attached to the door frame just under the inner handle and tucks into the bottom of the door to stop the water rotting the bottom of the door card.

Yes yes yes and yes. But as mentioned in the original post, something about parking on a camber and opening the door to a puddle or pool of water on the step up. And while I was there, I’d pop a few in the bottom of the lower section of the door too because I’m guessing if it’s pooling on the step, it ‘may’ be pooling in the bottom of the door. The main issue here though is the lack of waterproof membrane behind the door card. I don’t have any on mine either but my van lives in a garage mostly. Another thought I may try is to use breathable roofing membrane inside the door. A,,, is because I’ve got some and B,,, it may dry inside a lot quicker as it’s permeable especially if you had to park on a camber or even sloping on a campsite.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,I’m inspired Wig