Leaking front Windscreen seal.

[milfredo]

Hi all

I went camping last weekend and I was quite heavy rain and I noticed a big puddle in the front of the camper. I’ve just done the hosepipe test and can see the water coming in via the windscreen seal, pulling in the passenger side and I guess filling up and then coming over the inside of the seal. I can see it clearly on the top of the dash and then it pouring down the back of the inside panel.

It’s a brand-new window seal doesn’t look like either it’s been fitted very well or that it’s a very good fit. I’ve used a rubber mallet and banged it home a bit and pushed it back with my hand and it looks better but I was wondering if there are any tips and tricks to make sure it no longer leaks other than buying a brand-new window seal.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to the best seals for these old windows? I was wondering if you could get oversized rubbers that would account for any of any repairs over the years?

Cheers,
Will

 

[sparkywig]

I always have my window rubbers fitted with a liberal application of butyl sealant.

 

[Ben72Bay]

I always have my window rubbers fitted with a liberal application of butyl sealant.

Was going to ask for a recommendation for the window sealant.
Am about to start swapping in some new glass!
@sparkywig - brand of choice?

 

[sparkywig]

Can't remember what I've used, it's at the lockup. Any non-setting butyl sealant in a tube should be OK.

 

[Graham L]

Hi all

I went camping last weekend and I was quite heavy rain and I noticed a big puddle in the front of the camper. I’ve just done the hosepipe test and can see the water coming in via the windscreen seal, pulling in the passenger side and I guess filling up and then coming over the inside of the seal. I can see it clearly on the top of the dash and then it pouring down the back of the inside panel.

It’s a brand-new window seal doesn’t look like either it’s been fitted very well or that it’s a very good fit. I’ve used a rubber mallet and banged it home a bit and pushed it back with my hand and it looks better but I was wondering if there are any tips and tricks to make sure it no longer leaks other than buying a brand-new window seal.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to the best seals for these old windows? I was wondering if you could get oversized rubbers that would account for any of any repairs over the years?

Cheers,
Will

Lots of different qualities of windscreen seals out there, where did you buy it from?
We only use front window seals from Schofields having had issues with other suppliers.
Also if you’ve had work done in that area, new front panel or bulge section the profile is wrong on repair panels and has too wide a step where the windscreen sits so allows water to sit at the base and then allows it past the seal so it could be a number of things.

 

[milfredo]

The window chap is coming back today. I have some 3M and some Captain Crack Sealer so hopefully I can make this work.

The seal on Schofields has the same description and price point as Custom and Commercial.

If the bulge is wrong, am I doomed? The new panel looked as odd a design as the old one which looked original.

 

[Ben72Bay]

The window chap is coming back today. I have some 3M and some Captain Crack Sealer so hopefully I can make this work.

The seal on Schofields has the same description and price point as Custom and Commercial.

If the bulge is wrong, am I doomed? The new panel looked as odd a design as the old one which looked original.

How did it go today?

 

[Graham L]

The window chap is coming back today. I have some 3M and some Captain Crack Sealer so hopefully I can make this work.

The seal on Schofields has the same description and price point as Custom and Commercial.

If the bulge is wrong, am I doomed? The new panel looked as odd a design as the old one which looked original.

They might have the same description and price point but I doubt they are the same, we will no longer buy seals from C&C after they started making their ‘own’ seals.

 

[milfredo]

I honestly thought that it sounded like a bonus point.

 

[milfredo]

How did it go today?

So far, so good. But I need to clean the black bits left behind from the gunge. I feel a little wrong knowing its there, but then again, the van is very much far from perfect.

 

[milfredo]

 

[J4yman]

View attachment 2389

What are your wheels, they are pretty cool.

 

[Crazyratgirl]

Can't remember what I've used, it's at the lockup. Any non-setting butyl sealant in a tube should be OK.

I have a leak but mine is a rust patch that is raised. Not in a position to replace the front panel yet. Can I put some butyl sealant in that or is there something better?

 

[milfredo]

I have a leak but mine is a rust patch that is raised. Not in a position to replace the front panel yet. Can I put some butyl sealant in that or is there something better?

mine was a little bubble and I needed the entire front scuttle replaced.

What are your wheels, they are pretty cool.

These are Cosmics in need of some TLC

 

[ozziedog]

I have a leak but mine is a rust patch that is raised. Not in a position to replace the front panel yet. Can I put some butyl sealant in that or is there something better?

If you know there’s a leak and obvs it’ll need some real attention at some point , but for a temp repair to stop it leaking for now and drowning the inside of your bus then by all means use some of this non setting butyl. But before you career headlong into shoving it in, it might be good to do a bit of prep. If it’s in a garage and in the dry, try to lift the rubber a fraction between the rubber and the body and keep it prised up in multiple places perhaps with the wrong end of a clothes peg every four inches or so. Unfortunately the design of the lower screen section means that an old rubber screen seal will hold water into the little stepped bit right at the bottom and this is mainly what causes the problem because once in it can’t get out. This little one inch step also tilts backwards which exascapates the problem by letting water pool there hence the rust that you have. So lift the rubber as much as you dare all along the bottom, then dry it as best you can with kitchen roll and maybe kitchen roll over a scraper or something thin then maybe use a vacuum cleaner to air dry it as much as you can but don’t use hot air like a hair dryer or heat gun. Move your pegs as well so you’ve cleaned in between. Once you’ve cleaned up everything you possibly can, it might be a good idea to use masking tape to just protect the metal of the bodywork that don’t need sealant. Squidge. your sealant in and release your clothes pegs as you go along to ensure you’ve made a continuous bead all along the bottom, I’d maybe go up the sides as well or even all around, then any excess will be on the masking tape once you’ve wiped it as clean as it’ll go, don’t forget this is non setting so try not to touch it If your van lives outside, then try and do the above but on a dry day. I’ve got a little Karcher window cleaner cordless vacuum that would do this great I think, so see if you can borrow one from a friend if you don’t have one.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,good luck , and report back if it goes well

 

[philstar]

After much deliberation before fitting my new screen and seal a few months back, I used Arbomast Autograde Sealant for windscreens, the cheapest place I found is here:

https://www.dortechdirect.co.uk/arbomast-autograde-sealant-for-windscreens.html

1 tube is plenty.

 

[neilswheels]

My screen leaked, good quality rubber, but the screen wasn't fitted properly, not centred in the hole. Answer was to take it out, another good quality rubber, (same make as before) and refit, no leaks.