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Hi Guys

I bought a windscreen rubber off ebay and I have just noticed that the 2 drain holes in the bottom are not cut out. Do you think I should attempt to cut them out myself (could be tricky) or will it be better to leave it? I don't wanna wreck the seal trying to cut them out but they must be there for a reason.

Any help appreciated

Thanks

David

not seen drain holes in mine, sounds like a good idea though to have them. A windscreen fella supplied and fitted mine saying they were supposed to be a dry fit but leaked worse than the old one - inside. I have since refitted it with black gunk and has been much better. Next time will look for these drain holes you ask about. Got a link to your ebay item?

This is from the same seller, Rotary Products New Old Car Company:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SUBARU-BRUMB ... 1e6104e0b5

item no. 130476728501.

I can see where the holes should roughly be, around where the holes in the windscreen surround are, but I'm worried about making a mess of the rubber if I try to cut them out.

David

My advise would be to leave the holes along and fit the screen with plenty of windsreen mastic. They are origanaly dry fit but that is why they end up rusting around the screen opening. Sit the screen with the rubber on it in the windsreen frame and goop it up. Put heaps on so it squeezes out as the screen is pulled in, makes a hell of a mess but you have to do it again. Must use Mastic not silicon or anything else.

Spoke to Rick in Gympie about this when I was up there last year and he said that the rubbers on ebay without the drain holes were the main cause of rust in that area. He may be able to tell you more about it.

hmm interesting, because I knew they were a factory dry seal and just assumed my one had perished previously as it was leaking from everywhere and had been patched up a thousand times with sealant.

I also bought the same rubber on ebay and will be handing it to a windscreen bloke to install after the paint job so will be interested to see how you go

I can vouch for hammertone epoxy paint in the rubber contact area preventing any rust for at least seven years. Windscreen fitters wanted $88 to fit mine in 2006 and were booked out. So i did mine in 20 mins on my own with the black mastic goop and some cord, and a touch of silicone spray. Too easy money for the window fellas, and I did not have the money. Used window was $40.
Rubber is a bitch to make nice holes in....

Yeah I think I'll have trouble making holes in the rubber. I do plan on getting the windscreen fitted rather than doing it myself so I would have just handed the rubber over. Now I'm not sure whether to try and cut the holes or get a genuine rubber with genuine holes!

David

I forgot to mention the reason why dry fit rubbers leak is that they shrink over time. As they shrink the rubber pulls away from body which allows water in.The lessor the quality the rubber the more this happens. When the screen comes out you will note there will be a grove worn into the metal from the rubber flexing ( ihave done 3 brumby screens and all have had this), this is bare metal. Bare metal and water equal rust. If water can't get in, it can't make rust.

Hi Guys

Just an update on this, I decided to cut out the holes in the new rubber. Wasn't as hard as I thought as the rubber was really thin where the original holes were. I told the windscreen fitter about the holes and he only sealed around the top and sides so hopefully this will be OK.
The guy had a bit of trouble getting the windscreen in but it did go in eventually. He reckons new rubbers are always hard to work with. The chrome strip at the bottom was a bit of an issue. It looked like the bottom of the rubber was a bit distorted so I decided to pop the chrome corners off to have a look. Turns out the strip was way too far to one side so I took it out and re-fitted it (just the bottom bit of chrome). Sits better now but I made a bit of a mess of the chrome . Little bits of the rubber also started to come away where the strip had to be persuaded in to the groove. It's not too bad but still would have been nice if it had gone in a little easier.

At least it's in now and I'm one step closer to the road!

David