Rear window chrome strip

Flat 4 · Post by **Flat 4** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:52 pm

Ok, who design the chrome strip that fits into the rubber seal??????

Who ever they are I hope they were sacked

Ok whinge over, how do you get the chrome strip into the rubber? Does the glass need to be in or out, do I need a special tool, or is just lots of soap and elbow grease.

Any help on this would be great.

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 1:56 pm

Hung drawn and quartered would be too good for them!

It will only go in with the seal & glass out. Whatever you do don't bend it! If it's not perfectly profiled to the rubber seal it will pop out again once you put the screen in. After six goes at getting my rear screen to go in with the top corners of the chrome still seated in the rubber I gave up. It's now on the 'get round to one day' list i.e never! It's all in apart from the top corners, I just try not to look at it!

To get it into the rubber you need to put the screen face up on a workmate or similar, fit the rubber then gradually work the chrome into the seal pulling the outer edge down with one hand whilst pushing down lightly on the chrome. With lots of soapy water it drops in quite nicely. However all the soapy water then lubricates it quiet nicely to pop out again when you are fitting the screen!

It's a bitch. No short cuts, just hard work. You can forget trying to get a windscreen company to do it. I had the RAC round for 3 hours, they then gave up declaring it too difficult...

Good luck...you'll need it!

Flat 4 · Post by **Flat 4** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:11 pm

Thanks for the info, not what I was hoping you would say. I was after "just do this .......its easy".

Alan @ CanfordClassics · Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:17 pm

If the trim is NOT a good fit, that job can be a right pain in the back side. I have done this many times now, and if the trim is not fitted properly then you may find your self introducing your head to the nearest wall.

First fit the rubber to the glass and then offer up the trim, make sure the trim fits (ie the shape is good). Then fit the trim in the rubber, I don't use any lubricant as it will only help the trim pop out as the glass is being fitted. When fitting the glass make sure the trim does not pop out as it is very difficult to put the trim back in once the glass is fitted. I have even made up tools to help to do this. The lesson learn is really to look after the trim when it is first taken out of the window and make sure it is a good fit when out into the rubber. If it’s a good fit the job is very easy.

HTH

Alan.UK

Ian Donkin · Post by **Ian Donkin** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:40 pm

I've had my replacement rear seal sat on the rear seat of my car for the past 6 months and it just hasn't got around to fitting itself!

How difficult is it to get the actual seal / glass / trim assembly into the aperture once it is all assembled? My fear of this job is actually preventing me tackling it but I am going to need to have a go pretty soon (it'll be out in the rain lots once we hit 'summer') as the old one is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

Don't mind driving a couple of hours (each way) if any brave and capable soul would care to give me a hand with it..... please.

Lightweight_911 · Post by **Lightweight_911** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 6:56 pm

As Alan said - if the aluminium insert is not bent & you take your time when fitting it to the rubber seal (without any lubricant) then the whole process is fairly straightforward.

One thing that some people disagree on (& I've done it both ways) is which edge to fit first - I have found that putting the top edge in first works much better.

Incidentally, I would always treat this as a 2-person job - one to 'pull the cord' & the other to apply slight pressure to the aluminium trim (particularly in the corners) to stop it popping out of the rubber seal.

Flat 4 · Post by **Flat 4** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:41 am

Ok, thanks for the info. The next obvious question is what is the best way to make the chrome strip the correct shape? The one I have is significantly out of shape, I have tried light pressure to sort it out, but don't want to snap it in half

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 12:01 pm

Buy a new one...

I spent hours tweaking and bending my bent strips by hand, it all looked fine, appeared to profile to the rubber, but still didn't fit.

Worth a go before you commit the money, but don't expect miracles!

As Andy mentioned ignore my lubricant advice!

This may have saved me effort getting the strip in, but it certainly allowed it to pop out again just as easy!

Maybe if I had done this then it would have fitted correctly... That's a job for next winter though.

912uk · Post by **912uk** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:04 pm

I was silly and bent my trim by accident and I had to reshape it. I did it with using the vice to ( not squash it !! ) shape it again. it worked but lots of pataience ( SP ) if you slightly over do the bow it still sat in the rubber ok. I had one bit pop out and I fixed using a pick set I had and puting the flat bladed screw driver under the trim further back and slightly bending it to shape then use the pick to pick the rubber out and in to the grove a real pain in the ASS but it worked ok.. not an easy one have to say...I do agree with Alan and lightweight you can't do it with the glass in with the rubber it has to be when you have the rubber on the screen then trim then fit to car...... I stopped the local RAC screen guy......sweet smell of a few £20's under his nose and he followed me to my work shop like a lamb to the slaughter and I locked him in the Work shop till it was done whist I had a cold bud in one hand

no we did it togeather hard work.......don't think he will volentee to do it again .......