The 'E' Type Forum

Ok. I thought this would be easy, but NO. My series 2 FHC needs the rubber on top of the window frame replaced on both doors. I attempted inserting the new rubber into the channel that accepts the “bottom of the T insert. It was almost impossible to push the rubber into the channel with a screw driver without damaging the rubber. I tried a lubricant that that didn’t help. I am a retired surgeon-you’d think I could figure this out. Help?

Get you anaesthetist to do it.

It usually slides in fairly easily from one end. Maybe try some silicone spray and double check that the channel doesn't have any leftovers of your old seal.

I did this recently on my 2+2
I used a rounded off on the edges small screwdriver to push it in
Went in ok but took ages
Have a selection of screwdrivers at hand and feel which one works best
Joe

The trick is to pull it, not push it. By pulling, the section decreases and it slides in easier. Allow a bit extra before cutting off so it’s not too short when it springs back.

WARNING: True story, suitable for surgeons, other readers may find too gross...

When I was a student I used to clean up after a not-very-good surgeon who used removed varicose veins as fishing bait. Make an incision, slide what was effectively a sterilized motorbike throttle cable into the vessel and bring it out again beyond the varicosity. Grip tight and and pull it through when the rounded nipple went subcutaneous. Out came the cable with six inches of vein bunched down to an inch or two against the nipple, which the scrub nurse would then slide off the cable into the kidney dish. Depending on the total length of affected veins this would be repeated as necessary and the ‘worms’ given to Mr A in a specimen pot for his post-list fishing time. Wrap compression bandages from ankle to groin and wheel in the next patient... Gross or funny? I think both :-)

The surgeons operated an emergency out-of-hours rota and one night when Mr A was on call a young lady was admitted with facial injuries after a road traffic accident. The theatre nurse in charge that night happened to be Mr A’s very experienced scrub nurse. Knowing he was technically the one who should attend, I watched her call three others beford she found someone who was free to come in and operate on the girl’s not terribly serious injuries. Next time I saw her I asked her how it had gone and why she’d had to phone around? She said she knew Mr A was available and would have come in, but she also knew he would have just done a normal ‘average’ job and she wanted someone else. Why? Because the girl was pretty and she wanted her to have the minimum possible facial scarring. Interesting ethical question whether she would have done the same for a less attractive young lady...

I love this site. I was expecting replies that I would be criticized for posting such a shallow problem as “ having difficulty with rubber seals”. Thank you for the suggestions and the support. I especially enjoyed Peters story of vein ligation using a “fish-hook apparatus “ in the US? Really? BTW, I restricted my practice ONLY to beautiful women.
I referred the window seal repair to my wife, who has a delicate touch and will not destroy the rubber seal. I’ve also instructed her to “pull” and not “push”.

The vein stripping was done without fish hooks, only Bowden cables. The hook baiting happened later when Mr A went coarse fishing. That story and many more happened during my student days in the late Seventies in North West England.

BTW, french chalk or talc helps the rubber strip slide along the groove.

What Peter says, but I found it much easier to fit the seal with the window frame out, feeding it in from the front.
Also I recommend getting one of these:



It is hard nylon type of material which is soft enough at the edges not to damage the rubber. I have used it for numerous jobs on the interior and the windscreen rubbers.

It is much better than trying to use a screwdriver and I have found it invaluable.

I got mine as a free gift from Frost (Eastwood) when ordering other items.

Unfortunately I cannot find it on their site at the moment, but I am sure there are many more types out there.

Paul