W116 Rear Window Seal

[Mad Mick]

Can anyone help with instructions to replace the rear window seal on my '75 W116. I have done a search and found some useful info, however I'm still not 100% on procedure before I start this job.
Do I remove the bottom chrome trim from the seal before I start and if so does it pull through from one side or is it lifted directly out of the seal.
It seems the top and side trim need to be left in the seal during removal. I have looked under a small joining trim clip where the bottom trim meets the side and the side trim is rivetted to the body at that point.
Is replacing the trim in the new rubber straightforward, or is there anything to watch out for.
Any help greatly appreciated.

Mad Mick.

[250 Coupe]

On my 1976 450SEL W116, the trim is held to the body with clips pop riveted to the body. It is not attached to the rubber trim at all. I just sealed the metal/glass joint saturday, no leaks!

To remove the trim, slide the little cover piece at the top center to one side.
Gently pull the trim away from the body at something around a 45 degree angle to level, pulling rearward and up. It should pull off of the clips fairly easily but take care to not let it bang into the body. You may have to pry a bit at the gap under the little cover to get it started.

Take the two upper pieces off first then the lower one which pulls off more to the rear than up.

Rear windows are not fun to remove due to the defrost wires which are very delicate. You may be able to seal the window with a bead of sealant applied between the body and the rubber. Scrub everything first for a good bond. A small bead is best, just enough to seal the rubber to the metal. Don't forget to put a dab on the head of each rivet to seal them, every one of my rivets leaked.

To seal the rubber/glass area, use windshield bedding compound. It's a black mastic type goo that will do a much better job of sealing.

Use a plastic tool and a hose to clean it out first, then force the nozzle of the bedding compound tube into the gap and run a bead all the way around. It will make a nasty mess that cleans up with lots of foaming glass cleaner and paper towels.

If you must remove the glass, carefully cut the rubber all the way around so that the edge of the glass is exposed. It should then push out.

Michael

[Mad Mick]

Thanks Michael,

I bit the bullet and changed the rubber window seal.

Not too bad a job thanks to your help in taking off the trim.

The new seal went on to the glass ok and then re-attaching the window with seal back to the body was fun, as I initially tried to pull a cord through the seal starting from a point at the bottom middle area of the window. After four attempts this was obviously not going to work, so tried the same only this time starting with the cord at the top centre and she slipped in first try.

I did have a helper on the ouside gently pushing the window into place, as I removed the cord from the seal on the inside. I also used some washing up liquid on the seal; after it was attached to the window, to help make the seal more pliable.

Happy now with new seal and no leak from rear window.
Next jobs will be sunroof and windshield.

Vincent.