P5 boot lid seal

[FreddyM]

I've torn off the old boot aperture seal and cleaned up the mounting flange around the boot.
Now I've come to fit the new rubber seal BUT, I cannot remeber how the old seal was fitted at the point of the catch for the boot lock!!
On my car the seal can run in a channel on the left and right of the catch but adjacent to the catch the steel work changes shape and so the seal will not fit and stay in place.
Was it originally glued in place at this point with the ends of the seal glued together?
Would it be better to fit the new seal intact across this point and have the joint elsewhere - like hidden behind the hinge?
I should pay more attention before I dismantle stuff!!


Many thanks

FreddyM

[dorsetflyer]

I've just been out and checked mine, and you're right, the seal goes straight through and is glued in place where there is a change in profile of the lip to take into account the latch etc. It's up to you where you make the join, however if you do put it up behind the hinge, remember that if it comes adrift and you don't notice it water will get into the boot very easily.
At the bottom it's easily seen if it comes adrift and can be rectified easily. Probably it's best say halfway between the middle and the corner, to make the join.
That's where it's helpful having two cars because if you dismantle anything, at least you have a reference when your memory fails.
Hope this helps.

[FreddyM]

Grateful thanks for taking the trouble to check for me.
I think I will take your advice and make the join where you suggest and glue the seal where necessary with super glue.

Thanks again for your help.
Kind regards

Freddy M

[keith]

My boot seal keeps coming away. What are you using to glue it in place?

Keith

[FREDDYM]

At the moment, the seal is sitting well and I have not glued it in place but the old one had been stuck on (after car repainted 17 years ago!) with what looked like Bostick - remember the stuff that came in a small tin, screw top lid with a brush inside?
The old glue came away with an elastic type stretchy feel to it.
I will wait a while to see what happens before I glue this new one on but for now it is holding itself in place apart from the area adjacent to the boot latch, which I will glue down.

Regards

Freddy

[keith]

Hopefully yours will stay on. Everytime I open the boot on my car I spend 10 minutes massaging the seal back into place! I might try a dab of superglue on the corners to see if that helps.

Keith

[dorsetflyer]

I remember that old Bostik well, with the old key to wind the adhesive out of the tube. Usually ended up with more on the fingers and hands than where you wanted it.
I wonder whether or not 'Bodyline' sealer which is flexible and black used primarily for windscreen sealing and as a seam sealer will do the job. It certainly is very adhesive like and does stick like the proverbial to a blanket.
It's available from good motor factors like Unipart or Brown Bros, and fits in a standard gun.
I think its worth a try, because if it doesn't work it can be used for it's intended job, so you don't lose anything.

[freddyM]

There was also EVOSTICK, like caramel coloured liquid rubber.

[Phil Nottingham]

Supaglue works well for small areas as does expoxy the flexible type

[dorsetflyer]

Superglue is OK for small areas, but to do a complete boot seal, it would work out very expensive. The same goes for the two part epoxy mixes.