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Windshield frame to cowl seal

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JeepSaffer View Drop Down
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    Posted: 17 July 2017 at 10:57am
I got my windshield frame to cowl seal from Walcks some time back, and it is finally time for a test fit. I was playing around with this yesterday.

The seal seems too long as supplied, and if I lay it out along the cowl the ends get pinched where the windshield arms snug up against the body on the sides. How far down the sides of the cowl should the seal extend? A better way of asking would be to measure the total length of a properly installed seal and then check that mine is the same length, and install it centrally on the windshield.

Anyone have the length of their installed seal for me so I can check mine before I cut the ends? Is cutting the seal to correct length "normal" or have others simply fitted theirs straight out the box?

Thanks,

Mike
1948 CJ2A #204853 in South Africa
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oilleaker1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 July 2017 at 11:45am
Been here as you. What I did was line up the screw holes in the rubber, installed from the middle outwards. The outer needed a bit of a stretch. I think I cut about a inch off each side where it made sense to end it since it was too long. I use a hose/tubing cutter with a long razor blade to cut. I just evened it up side to side. Once clamped down, it form fit. Don't tighten the screw too much or it shows at each location. John

Edited by Oilleaker1 - 17 July 2017 at 11:47am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JeepSaffer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 July 2017 at 1:21pm
Thanks John.

I had the bottom bar of the windshield frame replaced by a local guy because mine was rusted out, and i lack the skills and tools to bend tube like that. He did a good job with matching the difficult shape of the cowl, but it is still not perfect. Is that how the originals are too? Or did they get it near perfect on some sort of jig?

Do the small high and low spots get taken up in the seal when the windshield is clamped down on the dash, or is this something I need to work on?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oilleaker1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 July 2017 at 2:44pm
Well, at least your holes can be made to line up nice since the cross bar is new. As to fit, the originals were pretty good. MD Juan, not so good. The rubber will form fit in time to imperfections, but not if it's all puckered at the screw points. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 July 2017 at 2:54pm
Additional thoughts - The new cowl gasket should have holes for screws molded into it.  If your new bottom tube does not have screw holes in the correct location, it may cause a pucker or odd look.  You might want to use some masking/ duct tape and do a test installation of the gasket with the window latched down.  That way you can get the fit correct and then drill the screw holes. - Just a idea.

The outer most screws on each side of the gasket need to be pulled in enough that they don't scratch the paint on the cowl and at the same time do not distort the gasket - difficult balance to achieve.  It might not be a issue if you are working on a trail Jeep but is a consideration if you are restoring a Jeep.

  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JeepSaffer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 July 2017 at 4:14pm
Hey Stev,

The new bottom tube means the latches aren't installed either! So it's another chicken and egg problem. Do I install the latches and hope they pull the windshield down far enough to iron out any high-low spots and then tackle the gasket drilling, or do I install the gasket first and then make sure that the latches are installed so they are tight enough to pull the windshield down into the rubber and get a reasonable seal.

Hmmmm.....

I'm thinking that the gasket is easier to get correct first off, then make sure the latches are installed properly to pull the windshield down tight.

Either way I would appreciate any length measurement of already installed gaskets so I can see where I might be trimming the ends...
Anyone?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 July 2017 at 6:17pm
I would tape the gasket on, then seat the windshield and mark the hold downs.  The dash mounted portion of the hold downs are adjust able up and down.  I would adjust the dash mounted hold downs to the middle or upper side of their range to start this process.  Thinking that you can always smash the gasket a little more as it ages.

I will see of I can get you your measurements tonight.  

 
Stev
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bobevans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 3:07am
Mine measures a shade over 53", but I'm pretty sure I left mine too long.  I figured I could trim some off later.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 4:44am
Difficult to measure a contoured gasket.  Mine measured 56" along the center line of the contoured gasket with the window in the locked and upright positions.   The distance from the end of the windshield pivot arms to the start of the gasket measures 8.5 inches.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JeepSaffer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 2:02pm
Thanks Stev and Bob.

It's interesting that Bob's gasket is 53" long and looks to me to be a touch long (although I have no idea how long it SHOULD be), and Bob also mentioned wanting to cut it shorter. Yet Stev's is a full 3" longer still!

Stev, can you confirm that your gasket extends down the sides of the frame even more than Bobs? I don't have enough clearance between the arm and the cowl to fit the gasket in, so my choices are either to cut the gasket shorter OR to bend the arms of the windshield out wider on each side to create the space needed to fit in the gasket.

My gasket measures 55", so it is a little longer than Bob's but not quite as long as Stev's.

Are there any CJ2A's out there with the original gasket still in place? How far does it extend down the arm/how long is it? I guess I don't want to bend the arms on my windshield out for the 55" gasket until I know how far the gasket is truly supposed to go, but I also don't want to install the gasket too short and find on my first wet drive that water is leaking where it shouldn't.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RSR_MK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 2:42pm
I have two that "could" be original,

You can see where they end. Next pic is one I got from KW.


It's longer as you can tell. It could be trimmed back for a better fit

I get 51" on the yellow jeep and 51 1/2" on the red one. The one from KW is just under 55".

Mike 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RSR_MK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 3:00pm
Two more pictures that show the same basic fit.






Sorry about the small text, still working on how to post from my phone. 

Mike



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JeepSaffer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 3:03pm
Mike, that is very useful. Your top photo shows the gasket ending at or just after where the sheet metal ends on the windshield arms. It also shows not much of a gap between the windshield arm and the cowl itself, which is very similar to what I have. Length at 51" is 4" shorter than the gasket I have.

It seems that I can head towards a solution of a shorter gasket and not have to bend my arms out to fit in a gasket that doesn't look like it belongs in there anyway!

Thank you!

Mike
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RSR_MK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 3:18pm
Glad to help, one thing about this site is the great folks willing to help others. You might want to wait for more feedback before you cut. There may be others with a different opinion. 

Mike
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote autolite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 July 2017 at 3:35pm
The gasket made by M.V. Spares is the best fitting I have found. It is for the M.B./GPW but it will work fine on a 2A.
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