Adjusting door glass seals: Which to adjust first and aftermarket

[KCM]

I am in the process of adjusting the seals around the door glass and the glass itself to seal up air leaks on a 1989 560SL. According to the MB repair manual, the glass is to be adjusted with the roadster top (soft top) installed, then the seals on the coupe top (hard top) are to be adjusted to match the glass. First, this seems totally backwards to me since the hard top should be in a much more fixed position than the soft top. Does this seem correct to any of you out there? Also, I cannot find any adjustment for the seals on the hard top, but have on the soft top. Is the repair manual backwards on what they state and the seals should be adjusted for the hard top first?

Also, I have heard very negative things about aftermarket seals. I purchased seals from a non-dealer source assuming they would be OEM, but think they are aftermarket instead. What a pain in the butt it has been. I cannot get the glass to properly seat in the seals at the top of the glass (especially on the hard top), and have had consistent trouble on both doors with the glass catching on the A-pillar seals as the door closes. It looks to me like the A-pillar seals are just too bulky. There also does not appear to be enough space between the A-pillar seal and the rear glass seal for the glass to fit when raised and sealing at the top. Has anyone else had similar issues installing the A-pillar or hard top glass seals? If so, was it the seals or some other problem? Do I need to bite the bullet and buy some OEM seals?

I know everything will seal as it was air tight with the hard top before I replaced the seals. Any input appreciated. This thing is driving me nuts.

[ScottinSoCal]

Originally Posted by KCM

Also, I have heard very negative things about aftermarket seals.

Count another vote against aftermarket window seals. I installed aftermarket A pillar seals and they were a constant nightmare. I finally went to my local dealer and paid the money for the MB seals. The original MB seals are much softer, hollow, and conform perfectly to the window and A pillar. As soon as they were replaced my door problems disappeared.

If you're replacing them yourself, be aware that getting the A pillar seal and the hard/soft wop window seal to line up properly is a little bit of a hassle. I had to tweak them a couple of time before I got them to line up so there was no wind noise or trouble. You can install the front around the chrome strip, but don't glue down the window side of it until you're sure you've got it lined up right.

[KCM]

Originally Posted by ScottinSoCal

I finally went to my local dealer and paid the money for the MB seals. The original MB seals are much softer, hollow, and conform perfectly to the window and A pillar.

ScottinSoCal,

Thanks very much for the response. My aftermarket A-pillar seals seem awfully hard and stiff too, which seemed odd to me. Priced the seals from the dealer and they would run me $115 each and that's even after a generous discount they give me.

How did the aftermarket hard top glass seal work for you? Did you replace with OEM too?

[ScottinSoCal]

Originally Posted by KCM

How did the aftermarket hard top glass seal work for you? Did you replace with OEM too?

OEM on the hard top, and I'm going to wind up replacing the aftermarket seals on the soft top, too. If the window isn't rolled down a little bit - not much, just a crack (but enough to cause wind noise on the freeway) - the window pokes out instead of settling into the groove like it's supposed to. And like it does on the A pillar seal.

I didn't worry about it through the summer because the soft top was never up, but now that it's getting cooler here in SoCal, I like to have the top up in the mornings.

[KCM]

Thanks ScottinSoCal for the input. Sounds like I am a little better off in respect to the hard top seal as it looks like mine will seal and seat fine if the glass will get past the A-pillar seal. Just need to get the glass raised by another 1/8" or so for a proper seal at the hard top. I know what you're saying about a small gap making noise, doesn't take much.