New Window Seals R/R 450SL - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

meltedpanda · #1 10-23-2007, 08:43 PM

ANy tricks to get these on, I am replacing all the side window seals on the hard top and soft top. Took the old ones off and they just seem to run in a channel of sorts. Is a special tool needed?
Also the ones I took off on the ragtop were 2 part, split at the hinge .The new one is one part and all the parts catalogs show one piece ,so what gives here?
Anyone been there done that , that cares to share expertise

Graham · #2 10-23-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meltedpanda

ANy tricks to get these on, I am replacing all the side window seals on the hard top and soft top. Took the old ones off and they just seem to run in a channel of sorts. Is a special tool needed?
Also the ones I took off on the ragtop were 2 part, split at the hinge .The new one is one part and all the parts catalogs show one piece ,so what gives here?
Anyone been there done that , that cares to share expertise

No, but I am thinking about it. Where did you buy the seals? I also need the felt strips that go on the doors to seal the windows.

Graham

ScottinSoCal · #3 10-23-2007, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meltedpanda

ANy tricks to get these on, I am replacing all the side window seals on the hard top and soft top. Took the old ones off and they just seem to run in a channel of sorts. Is a special tool needed?
Also the ones I took off on the ragtop were 2 part, split at the hinge .The new one is one part and all the parts catalogs show one piece ,so what gives here?
Anyone been there done that , that cares to share expertise

I've replaced hard and soft top seals on two 450SLs. I used a very large screwdriver. Set the seal so it's sitting properly in the channel on the back and then use the screwdriver to push the front in a little at a time.

The only real trick is to make sure the seals line up at the body (at the rear of the window) and where the A pillar and hard/soft top meet. If you make them too long it distorts the seal and you get wind noise. If you make them too short there's a gap and you get wind noise. They have to be just right. There's a lot of stretch in those seals, so it's perfectly easy to make them too short or too long.

Gurunutkins · #4 10-24-2007, 12:30 AM

just as an addition to ScottinSoCal the top seal for the soft top is one piece and once it is installed you just push a razor through the rubber at the hinge otherwise it will pull out everytime you fold the roof.

also remember the very soft rubber (more like sorbo rubber) seal that goes between the soft top and the top of the folding hinge. this one is glued onto the roof and then you use the 1/8th inch wire that runs from the screw in the front of the softop to the sticky out bit of hinge just behind your head to tension it. then everytime the roof is locked down and tensioned the wire pulls tight and pulls the top sorbo ruber down onto the top of the hinged section.

gets rid of any remaining wind noise
cheers
Barri

meltedpanda · #5 10-24-2007, 08:27 PM

Barri
"softop to the sticky out bit of hinge just behind your head to tension it."

not quite following you there
My soft top locks down in the back using the window crank affair behind the drivers seat, is there something in addtion to this that perhaps I am missing?

ScottinSoCal · #6 10-24-2007, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meltedpanda

Barri
"softop to the sticky out bit of hinge just behind your head to tension it."

If your soft top is installed and you're not re-installing it you don't need to worry about this. This is the thin steel cable that connects to the phillips head screw you can see on the soft top from the outside of the car.