Door rubber question | FerrariChat

Door rubber question

Discussion in '308/328' started by Crowndog, Jul 22, 2019.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Crowndog

    Crowndog F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 16, 2011
    7,042
    Fairfield,Pa
    Full Name:
    Robert
  2. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    Dunno for sure, Robert, but having glued a new one to the driver's door of my '89 GTS, I can say for sure that the replacement ones might be cheap, but they are very difficult to glue properly, as the "back" of the seal, the side that receive the glue and is pushed onto the metal of the door, is not flat as it was on the older seals: it is slightly bulged, which makes gluing an absoulute nightmare; I ended fabricating a serie of metal "clutch/springs" in a kind of "snail" shape to keep the rubber pressed against the door, and let the glue set and dry for 24h. Devilish thing to glue properly, always snaking, etc...air was turning full purple. Took me two hours to glue that snaking seal properly. Whereas the old one on my '89 GTB door that unglued itself was put back and glued in five minutes.

    Rgds
     
    Crowndog likes this.
  3. Crowndog

    Crowndog F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 16, 2011
    7,042
    Fairfield,Pa
    Full Name:
    Robert
    Thank you I guess I have a project. What glue did you use?
     
  4. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    I tried different glues for rubber I had on some spare pieces of the rubber seal itself: you receive a length which is greater than what you need, rolled on itself like a marine rope (which, by the way, explains the snake-like behavior of that d.m..d seal when you try to glue it...) none was satisfactory; until I found with great surprise that an unmarked glue I had kept intended for gluing new rubber circles on old speakers membranes gave a superb result! Still holding well after nine years.

    The seal itself is rather useful at keeping water from entering under the doors/on the sills if you have to drive under rain. Remember that it has to be cut (further complicating the gluing process...) to clear the two drain holes in the bottom of the door. Doesn't make a noticeable difference regarding the cabin temperature in winter, but 3x8 do have a very efficient heating system...

    Rgds
     
    Crowndog likes this.
  5. lm2504me

    lm2504me Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 26, 2004
    1,086
    Nipomo, CA
    Full Name:
    Richard
    I purchased the correct OEM style from Mr Fiat for my 78 308. Matched the original.
    I used the yellow super weather strip glue to attach.
    The ones from Ferrari do not work and are not correct.
    Leave gaps for water drain holes in bottom of doors.
     
    Crowndog likes this.
  6. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    Agreed: if you have access to the correct OEM style, this is the route to follow; those from Ferrari are not correct (the shape of the section is wrong) so very difficult to fit, believe me. They can eventually be coaxed in place, but it is much better to use the OEM ones. I agree also on the gap to be left for the drain holes.

    Rgds
     
  7. Crowndog

    Crowndog F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 16, 2011
    7,042
    Fairfield,Pa
    Full Name:
    Robert
    Got tubes of that. Thanks for the tip.
     
  8. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2012
    3,322
    Tallahassee, FL
    My 85 GTS does have that seal.
     
    Crowndog likes this.
  9. Andrew McCrae

    Andrew McCrae Formula Junior

    Jun 5, 2016
    250
    Ireland
    The "official" seals from Maranello do not match the original shape. Superformance do a seal that is flat backed and right shape but wrong type of rubber (solid) but actually OK. Cicognani in Italy do right shape if picture is to be believed but unsure of rubber.
     
    Crowndog likes this.
  10. Andrew McCrae

    Andrew McCrae Formula Junior

    Jun 5, 2016
    250
    Ireland
    When I say solid I meant its not the spongy Epdm rubber. Maranello also are aware that their rubber is incorrect.
     
    Crowndog likes this.
  11. Ferraridoc

    Ferraridoc F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 20, 2012
    16,057
    Gold Coast, Aust.
    Full Name:
    Patrick
    I think it should have. Mine has one on the passenger door, but not on the driver's. More likely that one fell off, rather than one mysteriously attached itself. After a wet drive, the driver's door sill collects wet gravel from the road - yucky. Another project.
     
  12. lm2504me

    lm2504me Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 26, 2004
    1,086
    Nipomo, CA
    Full Name:
    Richard
    Be sure to use a green scrub pad to remove any release agent from the area of rubber you are applying the glue. It is a thin film and you will see the difference in the rubber when you scrub it off.
     
    Saabguy likes this.
  13. Martin308GTB

    Martin308GTB F1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2003
    4,212
    Black Forest Germany
    Full Name:
    Martin N.
    #15 Martin308GTB, Jul 24, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2019
    Bruno,
    I don't get it what you performed there.
    And that glue for the speakers; is that a kind of cyanacrylic super glue with special rubber elastic properties?
    I ask, since these gaskets are on my to do list too since a few months. Mine got unglued at a few spots and before the gaskets, which are otherwise still in good shape will distort completely I removed them completely. The glue I used 15 years ago was not the best.
    Therefore I would also be interested in additional glue recommendations. But what makes me curious more is how to lock the gasket into position till the glue is completely cured.
    And beforehand I have to clean the gaskets and the door bottoms thoroughly.
    Would love to throw the gaskets into the washing machine, what works perfect with the more common door gasket materials. But I'm not sure, whether it would harm the cellular rubber/foam pad gaskets, we have there.

    Best from Germany
    Martin
     
  14. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    Well: I tried (and succeeded) to put in place the "wrong" seal, the one nowadays offered by the usual providers as "the original factory one", which it isn't. As said above, it has a rounded back, been shaped like a "U" (curved on the side were you have to glue it on the door) instead of having a flat back, which would make gluing easier. Considering that it has a curved back, its adhesion surface is small and insufficent. By manufacturing a serie of metal things like an "@", "clamps" if you like, pushed against the door's side (cardboard to protect the paint) at 10 cm intervals, keeping the seal firmly onto the inside of the door, I managed to keep the seal straight and strongly in place for a sufficient time for the glue to set.
    Now what I have today is an incorrect shaped seal in cross section, but very firmly glued in place.

    As said by Andrew McCrae above, the ideal is to source the original seal, which are an "U" also, but with a flat bottom, not curved; these are much easier to glue.
    But at the time, I would never have imagined that seal sold under the correct reference would have been incorrect in shape (= cross section). Nowadays, I know better! Some parts sold as "true replacement" are not.
    Again, those sold by the usual providers of Ferrari parts are incorrect. Source the originals, it would be much easier, believe me.

    Rgds
     
  15. Martin308GTB

    Martin308GTB F1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2003
    4,212
    Black Forest Germany
    Full Name:
    Martin N.
    What's that 'green scrub pad'? Would cleaning solvent on a cloth rag work as well?

    Best
    Martin
     
  16. 4redude

    4redude Formula Junior

    Jan 13, 2005
    726
    Fungus Corner
    Full Name:
    Brian Keegan
    Rutlands has miles of the proper rubber in stock.
     
  17. Martin308GTB

    Martin308GTB F1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2003
    4,212
    Black Forest Germany
    Full Name:
    Martin N.
    So I'm glad, that mine are still in reusable condition and simply have to be glued back. They are perfectly flat on the back. That was 15 years ago from FerrariUK (Maranello Conc.)
    Just have to find the perfect glue.
    How did you cut them at the drain holes. The whole gasket or just both flanks of the 'U', keeping the back of the gasket?

    Best
    Martin
     
  18. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    On that car, with the new "incorrect seal/gasket", I cut the whole gasket to clear the drain holes: that damn.d thing was behaving like a snake, having been delivered rolled in circles like a naval rope. Considering this, and that it has insufficient adhesion surface, keeping it in place against the door was really difficult, it kept spiralling onto itself. So cutting smaller pieces helped somewhat...
    I'll check the correct, original one on my GTB this week-end to see how it is done around the drain holes. If I'm not worn out by the heat, that is: 43° (= 110 Fahrenheit) expected in Paris tomorrow afternoon, the worst being that it does not cool down in the night in the city...

    Rgds
     
  19. Martin308GTB

    Martin308GTB F1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2003
    4,212
    Black Forest Germany
    Full Name:
    Martin N.
    Weather forecast; Lorraine on Sunday: 24 centigrades. Look forward to it :)

    Best
    Martin
     
    nerofer likes this.
  20. lm2504me

    lm2504me Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 26, 2004
    1,086
    Nipomo, CA
    Full Name:
    Richard
    Martin308GTB likes this.
  21. Martin308GTB

    Martin308GTB F1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2003
    4,212
    Black Forest Germany
    Full Name:
    Martin N.
    For glueing the gasket, I just got an idea. On my shelf I found an ultra strong and ultra thin double sided adhesive tape. Could be a proper and clean method. I once purchased it for glueing the under door weather protectant foil on my daily driver but it's also for glueing rubber parts, etc.
    Too bad it's a few mms too wide, so I will have to cut it lengthwise or fold across the invisible edge.
    It's some years over the shelf-life, but still seems to work. Will test it beforehand.
    BTW. Looking at the section of the gasket and how it seals against the opposite side, I'm almost sure, it has to be glued onto the door bottom (horizontal surface) and not onto the door leaf (vertical surface).


    Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Best
    Martin
     
  22. lm2504me

    lm2504me Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 26, 2004
    1,086
    Nipomo, CA
    Full Name:
    Richard
  23. Martin308GTB

    Martin308GTB F1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2003
    4,212
    Black Forest Germany
    Full Name:
    Martin N.

Share This Page