I need to remove the rear hatch window and one of the side rear windows on my 84 300TD wagon in order to repair a few rust spots under the rubber. The rubber is in very good un-cracked shape....I know, I know....I should use new rubber....well, I am going to replace the windows with the original rubber seals.

Here is my question....the mercedes manual is unclear on this....the manual says to apply mercedes window sealant to the "pinch weld" (metal body to rubber). It does not say to apply sealant in the groove in the rubber that holds the window (glass to rubber).

Does the glass fit into the rubber gasket with no sealant? Or is sealant applied both metal to rubber, and glass to rubber?

Thanks,

Mark

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

You were able to remove the window while leaving the seal intact and untorn? That's amazing.

You usually don't need to apply any sealant from window to rubber as there is enough pressure to hold it tight. Never heard of applying sealant between metal and rubber, can't really think of how you could apply the sealant without smudging it all over the place when you're sealing the window.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

[QUOTE=justinperkins;1381409]You were able to remove the window while leaving the seal intact and untorn? That's amazing.

I didn't say that I removed them.....I am going to remove them without damaging the seals! The power of a positive attidude!

Mark

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

[QUOTE=MarkM;1381418]Dude, unless those seals were put in recently or your car has been in a cave the last 20 years, there is no way you'll get those seals out intact. Unless you break the glass.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

[QUOTE=justinperkins;1381435]Seals are original....in fact, the car spent most of its life in Santa Fe in the sunny southwest, and those seals are completely crack-free, very rubbery and pliable both inside and out....I think they will come out perfectly intact, without breaking glass. How much you wanna bet??

When I do this I will take a few pictures. I looked at these seals in great detail a short while ago to see where sealant compound was applied, and there is actually sealant both along the pinch weld (rubber-to-metal) AS WELL AS in the rubber channel that holds the glass (rubber-to-glass). The 20+ year old sealant at this point old broken window glazing compound....it flakes out very easily. So I dont think the window will stick as if it is glued in. We'll see.

When I get the glass out, I will clean everything up real nice, fix all rust along pinch weld, and reinstall with a bead of 3M Windo-Weld ribbon around both metal-to-rubber, and rubber-to-glass.

Fingers crossed!

Mark

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

Get new seals just in case. If you don't need them after all, you can return them.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Those seals might be a dealer item, have you asked Phil about pricing?

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Mercedes Benz has a specific sealant available. Window Sealing Compound part# A 001 989 31 20 I used it on my rear window seal install and it worked great. RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

The coolest seal is the windshield seal on the later cars, ... has a wire in it to apply 12v and soften the seal material for installation and removal.

Helps to carry a booster box to the u-pick yard if you want to remove a 124 or 201 windshield with OE seal.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

i would caulk the joints with black silicone when reassembling it, whether i used new seals or not.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

IIRC, silicone caulking has acid in it and it will eat the paint and cause rust after a time. There are other windshield sealants from 3M and such that will work too. I just used the MB stuff as thats what they called for and the tube has a special applicator end that allow you to slide it under the rubber and squirt in the sealant without making too big a mess. If you own a caulk gun (@$5) it pretty simple. RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

Listen to RT !!!

Justin, not only do they usually have sealant on those surfaces...but many cars of the last couple of decades actually consider the windshield part of the structural strength of the top in a rollover... and require that the glass be cleaned AND primered before applying their sealants...

If anyone will check with their local 3M factory rep they can get a wealth of great information sent to them...

I'm not doubting the structural benefits of the glass being in the car, I'm just a little confused how you add sealant to the surface between the rubber/body BEFORE the window is in place.

If you lift up the seal AFTER the window is in place (like RT noted above) from the outside and simply apply some sealant, then I guess it's possible but how good of a job are you really doing? And what purpose does that sealant serve?

I know that sealant is used, I've seen evidence of the black sealant even on 60's cars...just trying to figure out how you get it in there without:

a) making a mess on the vehicle exterior
or b) doing such a poor job that you might as well not even bothered with the sealant in the first place

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

I have a leak on my wagon's passenger side rear window, you can actually see the water coming in between the glass and the gasket. Lots of crumbly stuff inside that joint.

The rear glass (side and hatch) on my junk wagon both came out with the seal intact, pushed out real easily. I think the hatch had been replaced recently, but not the side.

Manual says add the sealant after the installation. I would wait and watch for leaks first, the new rubber may seal without the goop.

Let us know how it goes, I will be doing mine soon.

BTW, what kind of rope will you use and where can you get it?

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Peter
1985 300TD 4-speed 212K
1992 400E 343K
2001 E320 72K

Even professionals often make a mess while doing a job..
it is just that they are also professional in the CLEANUP process...
Also, the careful application of Masking Tape ( called "planning ahead").... really simplifies a lot of jobs....
but solvents like 3m makes for ureathane mean you can carefully wipe very sticky stuff off even close to the rubber without contaminating the sealing goop.... just keep turning to a clean section of your rag or paper towels... and work in a well ventilated place...