Author Topic: Door seals  (Read 2236 times)

johnk

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Door seals
« on: February 05, 2022, 15:38:13 »
I installed URO Parts door seals around my doors and you have to slam them real hard to shut. The catch point seems to be under the doors between the door and the rocker panel.

Any one else have this issue?  Not sure if it goes away after a while or if I need to order the Mercedes seals.

Thanks folks.

John
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

Tomnistuff

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2022, 18:07:52 »
Hi johnk,

I too bought URO door seals for my Pagoda restoration.  The passenger seal (right side for me) works fine.

The driver's door seal has never allowed the door to close correctly.  I feels stiff after just a little compression.  Maybe the door was not quite hung right but I've never been able to make it better.  It can only be closed completely (latched) with the door "stand-off" still 1/4 inch from flush in the back near the striker.  The only way I could get the door flush with the rear fender was to completely remove the door seal.  A note of interest is that, even with the seal removed, my first door-to-car contact point is between the metal lower door panel trim piece (groove that the door panel sits in) and the lower inner chrome trim that covers the wiring harness that runs to the rear of the car from under the driver's foot well.  That first contact point occurs at an exactly flush condition between the door skin and the rear fender.  In other words, the door thickness is exactly the same as the depth of the door opening in the body.

I bought a driver's door seal from the SLS-hh.de website in Germany but have not yet installed it.  They offer two different seal qualities.  I bought the more expensive one.  I'm still removing 3M door seal adhesive to give myself the best chance of success when I install the new seal.  The new seal is not an MB seal, according to SLS.  I'm not sure there is such a thing any more.  It, according to SLS, is a German-made seal using the original MB seal molding tools and the original MB seal compound formula.  It is definitely softer (to squeeze by hand) than is the URO seal that I removed.  I'm sorry I cannot really help you until I install my new one, which will be a few days.

For me, the driver's door seal has been a real frustration since the completion of my restoration.

Good luck to you.

Tom Kizer
Apparently late 1966 230SL 4-spd manual (Italian Version)
Owned since 1987 and wrapping up a full rotisserie restoration/modernization.
Was: Papyrus White 717G with Turquoise MBtex 112 and Kinderseat
Is: Dark Blue 332G with Dark Blue Leather (5300, I think)

johnk

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2022, 23:47:41 »
Thanks Tom

Please let me know if the new seal is better. I hate to spend $150 or whatever it is for a new Mercedes’ seal and find out it’s no better.
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

Pawel66

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2022, 09:41:09 »
I have never come across original rubber part from MB that would not fit. In general - it is best to buy all rubber from MB, unless price is really prohibitive.

I think this is the case now: I have the impression last time I checked theses seals were not available. I looked today and they now are available, just very expensive - ca EUR 700 per piece. Prohibitive for me.

There were a lot of posts on the Forum on this topic with various suppliers discussed. Not all of them supply seals with fit issues, as I recall.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2022, 09:57:32 by Pawel66 »
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

UJJ

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2022, 14:58:21 »
I have to agree with Pawel: Rubber parts from MB. I installed those door seals many years ago, bought from the classic center. I have no issues whatsoever.
I did the same with all window seals etc. with the same result. You pay a little bit extra -10% for a club member, but you only buy it ONCE.
Best, Urban
Urban Janssen
Grass Valley, CA
1968 280 SL - 4speed manual
173 anthracite grey

johnk

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2022, 16:10:44 »
Thanks gents. I may try the Sls  version that Tom bought if the MB seal is too expensive.
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

Pawel66

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2022, 16:13:57 »
I think I bought mine from SLS as they were not available from Mercedes. They are ok, as far as I remember.

I also recently bought the rear bottom seal for hard top at SLS and the fit was ok. In Mercedes it was close to EUR 1k.
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

lreppond

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2022, 16:38:21 »
I recently had the rubber seal around my trunk replaced.  It was sourced from MB.  At first I had a hell of a time closing the trunk.  It had to be firmly slammed to catch.  Over the last six months however, it has become slightly easier to close.  The upside, however, is the the seal between the trunk and lid is 100% water tight. 
~Len

1971 280 SL
576G red/251 Beige
4 speed manual
Family owned since new (father —> son)

johnk

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2022, 04:05:59 »
I ended up ordering the door seals from
My MB dealer today @$200 each. The parts guy who I’ve come to trust said that was at a very very generous pricing and they are coming from Germany. Authentic classics who is generally reasonable has them listed for $700 each.  I guess I should feel lucky?
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

dirkbalter

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2022, 04:33:20 »
John, please let us know how these work out and if it’s worth it?
Thank you.
Dirk
66 230 SL
70 280 SEL
53 CHEVY 3100
18 C300 COUPE
05 HD FLSTNI

Pawel66

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2022, 05:56:56 »
I ended up ordering the door seals from
My MB dealer today @$200 each. The parts guy who I’ve come to trust said that was at a very very generous pricing and they are coming from Germany. Authentic classics who is generally reasonable has them listed for $700 each.  I guess I should feel lucky?

Very lucky! As I said, they are EUR 700. I hope you get them for the money they promised.
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

Pinder

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2022, 13:02:48 »
I used the URO ones with no issues on both my cars.  the are stiff at first but after a year they form well.
1970 280 SL Light Ivory DB 670. 4 Speed manual shift no AC Limited Slip Diff.

johnk

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2022, 02:09:19 »
That’s promising thanks.
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

dirkbalter

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2022, 03:26:27 »
John,
before I saw your thread, I bought the labeled “original” door seals from SLS. It got me worried. The classic center quoted me close to $400 for a door seal and I wasn’t ready to pay that. You got a deal. That why I was wondering if they feel or are different.
 Thanks
Dirk
66 230 SL
70 280 SEL
53 CHEVY 3100
18 C300 COUPE
05 HD FLSTNI

JohnnyC

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2022, 04:10:19 »
Greetings, I just ordered door seals from MB Classics.  Not OEM, but OE (if there is a difference.)  $168 Euros for the set, left/right.  Also ordered the trunk seal (OE) for $90 Euro.  MCC in Irvine wanted $500 USD for each door and $550 for the trunk seal..., robbery in my opinion. Guess we'll find out how the MB Classics fit in the near future.

Cheers and God Bless,
JohnnyC.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2022, 04:37:51 by JohnnyC »
John
'70 280SL (In Rebuild), Dk Olive
'85 BMW Euro M635csi, Polaris Silver
'54 MG TF, Black
'01 Lazy Daze RV, White/Tan
'10 Genesis Coupe, Silver
'19 F150, Black

johnk

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #15 on: March 27, 2022, 01:57:20 »
It’s a little late for This post but hopefully still
Use full. As some of you expected when I went to The Mercedes dealer to pick up my door seals I was told that Mercedes had just double the price to $400 each and of course they didn’t order of them for me. So I went to Bud’s Benz and order their supposedly OEM non-Mercedes door seals for $200 each and now a month later they just arrived. Luckily in the meantime I spent a little time fussing with the top rear corners of my euro seals that cost me $30 and now the doors close perfectly.  The hang up was the top rear of the seal but once ii adjusted that it closed great, saving me $340.
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

Benz Dr.

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #16 on: March 27, 2022, 03:55:13 »
URO  =  You Replace Often
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

Shvegel

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #17 on: March 28, 2022, 08:34:03 »
Dan,
Especially if it is rubber.  There suspensions stuff is a nightmare.

johnk

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2022, 11:40:28 »
AlexD is having to replace all
Of his MB suspension rubber as it’s shot in less than ten years. Are we sure the MB parts are that much better?

I went with original suspension rubbers but for seven times the price I thought I could replace the door seals early if needed. It’s not that bad of a job.
John Krystowski
Avon Ohio
1968 Euro 280sl under restoration
2016 Jag F-Type R sold june 2021
1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS For sale
2008 E350
2007 GL 450
2019 BMW 540

Pinder

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Re: Door seals
« Reply #19 on: March 29, 2022, 00:56:33 »
The euro seals worked fine for me. They were very wallet friendly and as its an easy replacement even if you  had to do it again at least you know they will be new again. Its rubber. it will crack evently or fail. Ive had mine on for 7 years or so and they look like new.
1970 280 SL Light Ivory DB 670. 4 Speed manual shift no AC Limited Slip Diff.