Door Seals.

[nang]

Sorry, I know this has been discussed before but I can't find anything relevant.
Got a new seal from Rimmers but it's almost impossible to fit. Started going around trying to push it into the groove with a blunt screwdriver. It's going to take forever especially around the curved bits.
Anyone found a better one ?
I tried emailing Bains but they weren't very helpful, suggesting I try Rimmers.
Thanks in advance.
Tony.

[Andy Borris]

I did all four on my car, used Chris Witor ones.

And yes, it did take forever....

[Tim Bancroft]

I reckon on about 1.5hrs per seal!!

PITA!

[mikew]

Some silicon lubricant  8) significantly speeds the process, helps it slip into the grove faster, I get them done in about 40 minutes this way, but still my most unfavourite job

[piman]

Hello all,

I made up a little tool out of some 1/16" steel sheet, broadly a triangular shape but with the base rounded which I roll along the seal. It does about 2" at a time, I suppose a refinement would be to make a wheeled version? Back to a screwdriver for the tight bits of course.

Alec

[Pete Lewis]

I ordered SRS 071  from CO Baines  came next day


http://www.coh-baines.co.uk/

even had their local Rep Call round to see how it all worked ,  

the SRS071 is a hard Tee  with a  sponge  profile section,  fits around the door   C channel in less than 5minutes ,  90deg corners need to be cut  but seems fine

the section is maybe a little larger  where the shut gap is tight it can trap the seal lip, but a squirt of silicon solved that

think this seal is as used on many classics and also TR4  but not listed by  Baines at T2000/2500,  i did ask them to ammend their listing .


if you want some  ones that really wont fit I have some in bag  going spare


Peter

[dazzer]

Sounds like a good idea Pete.

I got four door seals five years ago spent a day fitting two... and never fitted the drivers side to this day!

[nang]

Thanks folks, looks like the Baines one is the way to go.
I'll measure the length and order one.
Tony.

[Pete Lewis]

You need to make sure the C channel has not been closed , nipped to stop seal creep and
check the joins where the channel doesnt always seem to line up
and wwith a squirt of silicon or some soft soap you can feed the seal around thebwhole door in one
go very quickly,  the problem with most widely available is the tee to fit the C is a oversize dove tail
section and this is just too much.

having a spare pair of mates hands  so one feeds and one  pulls is an obvious advantage as the snake unrolls.

start at the top  corner  run along the top down the front , round the bend under the dor andnback up to the top corner,   cut square or mitre the cornern to suit your preference
ifnthat helps
pete

[nang]

Thanks Pete.
Channel seems ok. I've ordered a length from Baines.
Rimmers one sort of fits along the straight bits but I can't see me getting it around the bendy bits.
Tony (angry)

[Ridgetone Triumph]

Oh, looks like I will have a job then fitting new rubbers to the 2 dr  ??)

[CRAJ]

I did the estate ones whilst in plaster pete, not an easy job, but doable still. I wouldn't use silicon to ease them in with though! I don't need to tell you the effect it has if you want to do any painting in the future.

Colin

[TedTaylor]

Thanks for the pointer on the Baines ones Pete, just ordered enough for the front doors.  

Got fed up with the whistling from around the non sealing door seals when the windows and quarter light were closed - nearly drove is mad on the RBRR and we had to leave the front windows open a bit to stop it! ??)

MUT

[thebrookster]

Good luck Tony, not a fun job.

I have replaced both front doors and the bootlid seals so far in the last couple of weeks, just got the two rear doors to go.

Take the door off the car BTW! Far far easier, I did the drivers door in situ and it was a nightmare!

Ohh, and welcome to the world of new noises! I am building up a long joblist of bits to fiddle with now I can hear all the rattles!!

Cheers,

Phil

[Ridgetone Triumph]

We used to stretch the new rubber with brute force and slip it in around the door, never broke one and the secret was to press the rubber together to help it shrink back into itself. Worked well on the genuine factory supplied rubbers, wouldn't try it on used or aftermarket ones.
Mind you it didn't save that much time, but when you had a few to do every little helps  ;D  Where have I heard that before  (dizzy)

[Pete Lewis]

attempted to show the Tee profile and ease of fit.
the Tee is a solid neoprene and wornt escape the C channel

sorry its a bit ragged in view ,

I nearly took the doors off to fit the orig supplied section but having been in truck manufacturing for over 40 years felt there has to be another way this fight is not as designed .

[thebrookster]

Interestingly enough, after I had struggled with the drivers door, I then had occasion to visit Chic Doig's on my way up to Aberdeen.

I was speaking to Iain there who has been playing with Triumph's for a fair number of years, and asked him for any tips in fitting the rubbers. He simply waved a large screwdriver at me, and said "I really WOULD like to know how they did these in the factory, they simply can't have used a screwdriver on every car!"

My rear doors are still waiting.......................... (though that may have slightly more to do with a lack of 1/2" socket in Aberdeen than unwillingness, I only have spanners here and they don't fit on the bolts on the rear doors!)

Cheers,

Phil

[Pete Lewis]

in manufacturing in the  days these designs were used it was common to make or have made a screwdriver cut down and fitted with a
about 25mm penny washer to make a wheel to roll the seal into the  'C'  but you need the right profile t do this

most of whats out there for sale is some  idea of a look alike , they are not like the OE  

   doesnt take much to search the manufactures to find a correct profile ,  
           do you realy think on the Trim line that triumph workers would run a piecework  payment pool with a door seal fitting that took hours for each door it had to be quick snappy and easy to get it right first time , not faf around poking and prodding  let alone taking the doors off after paint

buy the SR 071 from baines and its done in seconds not hours

just some ramblings

Pete
    

[TedTaylor]

Had a delivery of the seal from Baines yesterday and now to have a go at fitting them .......with a second person to help ....... Gordon where are you!

MUT

[willows40]

I always fit the seals with the doors on the car, about 20/30 min per door. The original ones are a lot quicker and easier to fit than the new one

Cheers Andy

[josh18]

I did mine with the crappy repro ones and a couple of screw drivers. I think the secret is lots of soapy water and just take your time- its not like you will be doing it again any time soon. Are there any straight forward jobs on a 2500 anyway?

[Pete Lewis]

I prefer coffee to soapy water,  easier on the body functions   ... but have found tyre pressures are pretty simple       Ha !
        perhaps we need a page of jobs we hate  ?


Pete

    

[heraldcoupe]

There were two different profiles used as-original, one with a curved lip as shown below.
The second type was very similar, except the lip closed off to form a bubble.

I'm surprised by the contempt shown for the reproduced the lip type seal. When I needed some for our cars about a decade ago, I was rather impressed how well it matched against the original profile I sampled against. Not easy to fit, but that's what Autoglym's Vinyl and Rubber Care is so useful for.

Cheers,
Bill.

[cnicholson]

this was the worst job ever when I did mine a few years ago, i took me about 4 days to do them. the seals where of such a poor quality that they never quite sat right, and now they need doing again as they have snagged in the door. will be trying the seals from baines!

[TedTaylor]

1700 wrote:

this was the worst job ever when I did mine a few years ago, i took me about 4 days to do them. the seals where of such a poor quality that they never quite sat right, and now they need doing again as they have snagged in the door. will be trying the seals from baines!

Come up and help me fit my fronts ....... we can see how well the Baine's ones work!

MUT