Defender Vent Seals

So my vents leak water in and im tired of having a went foot, so on the general advice of LZ I bought some Series rubber seals that fit on the bulkhead.

Thing is they barely fit! You cant really close the vent without quite a lot of force, then when they are shut the rubber is deformed and they look like sh it.

Am I missing something on fitting?

Does the indent on the back of the seal run round the lip on the vengs bulkhead? Or does the whole seal fit into the recess?

Cheers

You sure the bulkhead hasn't rusted through and the water is getting in that way ?

Usually rusts through on the ledge below, the seam join that catches mud and it sits and munches the metal ...

Have a look in the engine compartment, maybe behind / under the soundproofing ...

Nope bulkheads all solid, I found the leak when spraying with a hose, it was coming in I sprayed the corner of the vent.

bankz5152 said:

Nope bulkheads all solid, I found the leak when spraying with a hose, it was coming in I sprayed the corner of the vent.

Click to expand...

Can you 'flex' it to tighten the seal ?

Dippypud said:

Can you 'flex' it to tighten the seal ?

Click to expand...

It seals but just doesnt fit right and needs too much force to close properly, i was just about able to close it using both hands, the mrs will have no chance.

Seems to "bunch" around the inner hinge, its as thought the seal is too thick.

Not my pic but helps to explain -



So does the recess in the rubber seal fit around the lip on the bulkhead?

Maybe the Series seals are too fat for the Defender vents, have you thought of the draught excluder type thing, I think it's a 'D' cross section profile ?

From all ive read they are meant to be a direct fit!

I bought some 12x12mm neoprene strip, might be better!

bankz5152 said:

From all ive read they are meant to be a direct fit!

I bought some 12x12mm neoprene strip, might be better!

Click to expand...

I'll have an ask around ...

The later foam seals are much better in my experience. Plus you can still get genuine ones which are at least the right shape.

Most aftermarket rubber weather seals I’ve come across are either the wrong shape/size or made of a compound that’s so hard they fail to function at all.

bankz5152 said:

From all ive read they are meant to be a direct fit!

I bought some 12x12mm neoprene strip, might be better!

Click to expand...

Have a read here:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/defender-vent-seals.76647/

Retroanaconda said:

The later foam seals are much better in my experience. Plus you can still get genuine ones which are at least the right shape.

Most aftermarket rubber weather seals I’ve come across are either the wrong shape/size or made of a compound that’s so hard they fail to function at all.

Click to expand...

Not according to near enough everything I've read online from this forum and several others! lol

Cheers, I'll have a read

Given up on the rubber seals, no matter what I do I can't get them to fit. Anyone can have them for the cost of postage.

Going to try some neoprene instead.