2500S Estate tailgate rubber seals

[CharlieD]

Hi There,
Just wondering if anyone has purchased the two part tailgate rubber seals from Chris Witor?
Are these an effective replacement for the original seal and are they easy to fit?
Does anyone have any tips for replacing this item?

Many thanks

[TedTaylor]

As a Spares Group service I am planning to make a jig for forming them using the old tailgate from Woodie (WDE) when I can get my replacement tailgate resprayed ....... any offers ....... ! Bit behind on everything because of my imminent knee replacement operation.

Never done it, but from experience with similar things the best tip I can give is that you should stretch the rubber as little as possible (if at all) as you pull it round the bends sticking it in place as you go, though because the bends have not been formed before the rubber cured they will tend to pucker. When cutting the mitre on the corners use a good (new) blade and glue the joint carefully.
Just take your time.

In case anyone asks, to make the tooling for forming the rubber as our revered Chairman found would cost well over ten thousands pounds. This would mean that any rubbers formed would cost well in excess of £500 because of the low numbers required and so would not be cost effective.

What CW offers is the only reasonable alternative.

CW

[englishbull]

Before you attempt to do any tooling etc...............

As anybody looked at TR7 FHC door seals?...........

When I looked at a mates TR7 I noticed that the corner profile was similar to that of the estate but never investigated it any further.

[CAR]

I used the earlier CW solution of a mk1 saloon boot rubber on our estate and it isn't bad, much better than the original rubber was.
One tip is to remove the tailgate first and lay it down on a bench, I didn't and it was very difficult at the top around the hinges. I would remove it if I did another.

Colin

[TedTaylor]

Before you attempt to do any tooling etc...............

We're not - as I said, not cost effective.

MUT

[englishbull]

Before you attempt to do any tooling etc...............

We're not - as I said, not cost effective.

MUT

sorry was referring to making jig....................just trying be positive and not negative

[Andy Thompson]

I used a NOS seal purchased a few years back and it makes the tailgate a very difficult proposal to shut and make fit nicely