Rear Window Seal Project - Suggestions - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

79-240d-project · #1 12-09-2004, 03:24 PM

My rear window seal was leaking pretty good into the trunk. The PO had the rear window replaced about 4 years ago and they used the old seal. They used lots of putty and silicon sealant to attempt to get the old seal to not leak.

I have the window out and have the new seal. I have cleaned up most of the old putty and silicon. I found a couple areas with pits(gouges) but with no rust(see pict.). I have a couple of coats of POR on the areas. I am going to put a coat enamel paint over the POR as well.

The top portion of the window frame has limited putty but it looks like the orange colored material is adhesive used to attach the headliner. I am having a hard time removing it. Should I even attempt to remove it? Does the frame need to be super clean? The putty on the top of the frame has been very tough to remove.

Can anyone think of anything else I should address while the glass is out? Anything to consider about the headliner?

Is installation a DIY or should I just get a pro to do it? I have the (67-200 Removal and installation of back window) from the manual. The directions call for use of MB window sealing compound(PT. # 001 989 31 20) to be used between the glass and rubber frame as well as body and rubber frame. How difficult is it to get the new assembly in around the headliner?

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

gutefahrt · #2 12-09-2004, 03:51 PM

I need to do that job also. What was the secret to remove the liner panels from the roof pillars?

boneheaddoctor · #3 12-09-2004, 04:03 PM

Same here, been needing to do this on my 116 since I got it................

rs899 · #4 12-09-2004, 06:30 PM

I did one of these myself reasonably successfully. I hope you were extremely careful with the aluminum becase if its bent it will never lie flat. I'm not sure about the headliner glue- I suppose if MBZ put it there and it didn't leak for 20 years its OK.

As for using a "professional" - sure - if you can find one who will guarantee he won't break your window. I doubt you'll find one. What incentive does one of those guys have to be careful?

That said, this is a difficult piece. I have done 4 windows in my amateur career and this by far was the scariest. The glass is very thin and pretty curved. Stretching the rubber around the window was frightening. If you do it, I would line up a replacement window in a boneyard before you start. I did not use any MB sealant afterward and it doesn't leak (although it did for a month or two after I replaced it). Good luck.

And Boneheaddoc- stay tuned as I will be doing my W116 in the near future. I already have backup glass I got cheaply from the boneyard.

#5 12-09-2004, 06:30 PM

Not an easy job to replace. I bought a rear window seal and had a local glass shop replace it. They charged me $60 to do the labor.
To do it yourself first grind away the rusted spots and treat them with a rust stop agent. Find at a body shop supply house. If rust is deep enough should be filled with bondo after treatment and sanded out level.
To reinstall the glass, you put the rubber seal around the window and then tuck a string cord into the channel in the rubber, use a little heavy grease to hold it in place Press the window and seal against the channel and start the rubber onto the ridge. Then carefully pull the cord from inside the car to get the lip to slide over and onto the ridge and set into place. If done right it goes fast. Don't know about any seal, the grease usually helps the rubber slide into place and not bind and thus leak.

kip Foss · #6 12-09-2004, 07:40 PM

I have done 3 of these windows. One in a 107 and the front and rear in a 115. A couple of points that may help.

If you are going to get a shop to install the window, and I would recommend it since they have experience handling glass, find out from the local MB dealer who installs their glass. Chances are good that the dealer has a glass shop do it. Ask the shop to go through the steps that they will use to install the glass. There is a sequence to follow and if they don't follow it they can break the glass. Since the glass is not supplied by their shop they don't care if they break it. They will tell you before they start that they will NOT guarentee the installation since the glass is customer supplied.

The steps are; install the rubber seal around the glass. Install the aluminum trim into the groove on the outside face of the seal. Install the entire unit into the car using the rope method described above. If you don't put the trim in first you can not get it in the seal once the window and seal have been installed in the car.

If you are going to install this yourself I highly suggest that you get atleast 2 helpers. When you fit the unit into the car you will nees one person inside to pulol the cord around, 2 people to set the glass onto the frame, and one of those people to push down on the botton of the window to seat it along the botton edge of the body opening.

Since you have already removed the window I assume that you took out the trim. If so be careful with it. It is very soft and you can easily kink it. If the trim is bent you can straighten it with a rubber mallet and by gentally bending it. The easiest thing is try not to bend it in the first place.

I didn't use any adhesive or grease but that doesn't mean that they are not useful. Mine haven't leaked yet but there is still tomorrow.

Since you have the window out use the opportunity to reglue your headliner in the back.

As I remember the B pillar liner on my 107 (the 115 doesn't have them) slides forward to release. They each have two clips that fit into slots in the body.

rs899 mentioned about the window trim 'lying flat'. This trim is curved to match the curve of the window an is not supposed to be flat. You can recurve it if it is bent but don't over work it since it will work harden on you.

Good luck

rs899 · #7 12-09-2004, 08:00 PM

Sorry -poor choice of words on the trim. It should lie flat in its groove in the seal- if you haven't bent it.

I wouldn't be using grease on the seal. Use silicone or dishwashing soap. Grease isn't compatable with rubber- and who wants grease oozing onto the paint ?

Bayside30 · #8 12-09-2004, 11:06 PM

Thanks for information. I'm currently restoring a 82' 240d and just popped the rear window out this last weekend. I had to cut the gasket from the inside and it released fairly easy. I noticed that there was putty all around the mounting flange and that it had plugged the two small drain holes, so you know the rest of the story, small rust had started on both sides about 3 inches from the drain holes.
When I gain confidence with the rear window. I'll start on the front. Does anybody know where I get the clips or splices for the alumium trim on gaskets?

82' 240d Suzy wifes
82' 300dt Lizzy mine

79-240d-project · #9 03-05-2005, 03:41 PM

Well, the rear window seal project is done. It was really pretty simple. The toughest part was getting the new seal on the glass. That was pretty scary, the new seal is a tight fit and I was very concerned about busting the window. A little tip, put the seal on from the bottom of the glass, that is from the inside curve of the glass. I hope that makes sense.

The trim was the next hardest part. My hands were pretty sore by the time I got it all in place. Roping the assembly into the car was by far the easy part. It took more time to align the assembly in the opening. Take your time in doing this part. I used parachute cord, place in plastic bag and added some talcum powder. Put the cord in the seal and you will need a helper to place the assembly in the opening. Take care to get the lower lip of the seal placed correctly and have the helper apply pressure. Pull the cord very slowly. Start at the bottom and pull one side about 6 inches and then go to the other side. Make sure you have glued the headliner into place. I used rubber cement. After you have rounded the bottom corners make sure you hold on to the upper portion of the cord as you pull the lower or it will pull back thru seal channel. As you approach the headliner, take it easy. Again, glue the headliner very very good! If the cord pulls the headliner from the lip, stop and remove the assembly and re-glue. You will never stuff the headliner back under the seal once you have pulled it in. I was left with about 3 inches of seal that had to be pulled in with my fingers. Not fun!

I used 3M glazing and bedding compound to seal the job. The body to the seal joint requires lots of sealant. You will not be able to just put a thin bead in this area, especially at the corners. Masking off the body makes cleanup a bit easier. This sealant is pretty nasty stuff.

The glass to the seal joint is ugly. The plastic tip of the caulk tube will not push into this area. I had to use a small putty knife to open the joint and follow along with the tip to put a thin bead into this space. Here a thin bead is all that is needed. Again, masking off on the glass is useful.

In the beginning I was very tempted to get a pro to do this job. I did not want to spend the money and I am pretty stubborn about doing all the work on my car myself. In the end, I am glad I decided to do it myself. This job is actually pretty easy.

gutefahrt

I need to do that job also. What was the secret to remove the liner panels from the roof pillars?

See the attached picture. The liner panels are pretty simple. Push the cloth trim away from the front edge and the panel has recessed notches that push out of slots in the front edge of the pillar. The hard part is the clip in the upper back corner. I had access to a tool that is basically a medium length screw driver with a hook on the end and a tapered point. Sorry I do not have a picture of the tool, I had to return it. I pushed down on the top of the clip on the body and levered the panel out. I have yet to re-install the panels, I want to re-glue some of the material to the panel.

Hatterasguy · #10 03-05-2005, 03:45 PM

I just did this on my W126, it was a pita of a job but not that bad. Just follow the advice above and take your time.

Use only an OE seal as well the aftermarket ones are junk. You will also need some sort of window sealent. I used the MB stuff.

JumpinJehosipha · #11 04-24-2008, 08:05 PM

Well, did I do enough homework before removing my rear windshield on my 126? Apparently not. I thought I had, but then I had one of those "Oh to hell with it, just frikking DO it" days and pulled out the trim, then cut away the gasket. I seem to have bent the trim to some extent, and even though I thought I got it back to the shape it needs to be, it just isn't right. I wish I had figured out to cut the gasket from the INside and left the trim in place. I'd say live and learn, but I always seem to miss that second part.

OK, so I guess I need to know how to get this trim flexed back to shape properly. It's as if it's twisted or something. The outline fits the window, but when I try to put it in the groove, it wants to rotate the seal upward (e.g. toward the outside of the car) How is the trim supposed to sit in relation to the glass itself? Is it flat in the same plane? I know I didn't bend the trim much when I took it off, but it seems all wahooed out of shape now.

Suggestions? (other than pull my head out of my A$$ BEFORE I start work next time) Can I use the flange around the car as a guide?

Hatterasguy · #12 04-24-2008, 09:58 PM

How did you pull the rear window? Cut the seal, yank it out, than take the trim out?

First you work the gasket around the window, and than insert the trim, wrap a string around the gasket and install. If you bent it that badly you need to find a replacement. If its milky and faded new trim isn't that expensive. I think the dealer quoted me like $150 for all of it.

JumpinJehosipha · #13 04-24-2008, 10:06 PM

Quote:

How did you pull the rear window? Cut the seal, yank it out, than take the trim out?

Sadly, no. I pulled the trim first, found I couldn't get the thing out anyway, then cut the rubber. So the trim got a little flexed. I'm feeling very stupid for that move, I can tell you. And I'm not buying any new trim for this craptastic mobile. Nope, not gonna do it. It just needs to be put back into shape. There are no kinks, I was being as careful as I could, but it did get flexed some.

So do I bend it until it will lay on the glass (with the vertical of the "T" section just off the glass) or what?

Hatterasguy · #14 04-24-2008, 10:18 PM

Well it seems to be pretty close in shape to the glass so go for that.

Or you could try to lay it in the channel that the window sits in, that should be pretty close to the right shape.