Waterproof door liners
Discussion
I had to do some work (ahem, fishing out the bolt I dropped) on the inside of my Alfa 156's door today. In order to achieve this I cut up part of the foam membrane that previously covered the entire door and I'm told protected the door card from moisture.
No idea what I mean? This white stuff: http://www.kalisz.mm.pl/~Perlus/166/cos/1.jpg
How much do I need to care about the integrity of this thing?
If the answer is 'enough', what can I use to (a) replace it, (b) bond it, and not necessarily in order, (c) remove the old adhesive that will probably make this job difficult?
I looked for closed cell foam but it's more difficult to buy than I was expecting.
No idea what I mean? This white stuff: http://www.kalisz.mm.pl/~Perlus/166/cos/1.jpg
How much do I need to care about the integrity of this thing?
If the answer is 'enough', what can I use to (a) replace it, (b) bond it, and not necessarily in order, (c) remove the old adhesive that will probably make this job difficult?
I looked for closed cell foam but it's more difficult to buy than I was expecting.
Very important, you should have cut through the mastic and peeled it back as one piece really, it not only protects the door panel it stops water beating the door seals and filling up the car..
Fix with duct tape if you have ripped it or re make it using polythene sheet and mastic to bond.
Fix with duct tape if you have ripped it or re make it using polythene sheet and mastic to bond.
Well, depends on how the door is constructed and designed.
On some of my cars, a missing / damaged door membrane has caused no issues at all.
On my Porsche 911 however, the inside of the door is designed as a 'wet' area. The previous owner had obviously had the driver's side window broken and replaced (because I found bits of glass in the bottom of the door) and the glass fitter had removed the membrane, replaced the glass, and then gaffa taped the damaged membrane back.
The gaffa tape died a death, the membrane came away, which resulted in wet carpets inside the car pretty quickly.
Nothing but fitting a new membrane cured it. The new ones come with a sticky line of adhesive that, once in contact with the metal of the door frame, stuck like nothing I've even experienced - obviously because it had to or leaks would occur.
Have you had a Google round to see how important it is on your car? Normally Googling round will find a thread somewhere on an owner's forum where it'll be discussed?
On some of my cars, a missing / damaged door membrane has caused no issues at all.
On my Porsche 911 however, the inside of the door is designed as a 'wet' area. The previous owner had obviously had the driver's side window broken and replaced (because I found bits of glass in the bottom of the door) and the glass fitter had removed the membrane, replaced the glass, and then gaffa taped the damaged membrane back.
The gaffa tape died a death, the membrane came away, which resulted in wet carpets inside the car pretty quickly.
Nothing but fitting a new membrane cured it. The new ones come with a sticky line of adhesive that, once in contact with the metal of the door frame, stuck like nothing I've even experienced - obviously because it had to or leaks would occur.
Have you had a Google round to see how important it is on your car? Normally Googling round will find a thread somewhere on an owner's forum where it'll be discussed?
The doors in my old Cupra R 225 had rubber seals at the bottom, with drain holes that allowed the water to drain out of the inner door cavity (that enters through the gap between the glass and the rubber window seal) and onto the sills. Then it runs down off the sills and onto the ground. However, the seals on practically every Cupra R ever built eventually fail and when it rains the water just ends up soaking the footwells rather than drainings out onto the sill - very annoying, but easily fixed with butyl strip, silicone gel etc.
If you've damaged your inner door skin, I'd make a decent stab at repairing it, the last thing you want is wet, smelly carpets or dodgy electrics in your doors.
If you've damaged your inner door skin, I'd make a decent stab at repairing it, the last thing you want is wet, smelly carpets or dodgy electrics in your doors.
Thanks all - hard to tell if anyone else has issues with it, doesn't seem to be any obvious cases. I did give cutting through the adhesive a go but got nowhere and didn't think about the purpose of the liner at the time.
I found some 3mm closed cell foam in the end so I think I'll give a repair a go.
I found some 3mm closed cell foam in the end so I think I'll give a repair a go.
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