Mind the gap!

[alan_thomas]

Yesterday we had a torrential downpour and after, when I moved the car, I was dismayed to see water running from the drain holes in the bottom of the door. The rubber seal that covers the gap between the door skin and the window glass is in good condition and was not the entry point. The rain had been angled into the driver's side and I think it entered the door where the quarterlight frame meets the stainless upper door trim. There is a 3mm gap marked with the yellow line on the pic. Any water running down the quarterlight runs into the door. Looking at the parts book I cannot see any seal that is meant to go in this gap. I could fill it with black mastic but what should be there?



- Alan

Mind the gap.jpg

[Tonyw]

Hi,
I continued the rubber from the window along under the quarter light which works well.
Tony

[Jeff]

My chrome strip has rubber all along from one end of the door to the other.

[mole42]

Yes, mine is original, as released from the factory, and the rubber goes right along the stainless strip from A post to B post to seal against water ingress. There are several parts suppliers who will swear on their Mother's life that this isn't true, but that's the way Triumph built them. The rubber is cut back where it meets the quarterlight, but still effectively seals to the door skin.
Other people have used black silicon or other sealing compounds.

[richardthestag]

dont understand the issue here. this is what drain holes are for.

but regarding the gap it is set when the doorskin is fitted to the frame i think

when my door rebuilds were done years ago I took along the trim piece and window frame and we used it to ensure a really snug fit below the quarterlight. mainly because I couldnt face the faff of fitting the securing clips below the quarterlight.

I will have to check if my door drain holes are working but I doubt I will be dismayed to find water dripping from them after a downpour

[Robmsharp]

I'm pretty sure the area denoted by the yellow line drawn is on the 'wet' side of the door and as already stated - any water ingress is meant to be drained through the drainage holes in the botton of the door. And the plastic membrane that should be sandwiched between the interior door trim panel and the interior facer of the door skin acts as the baririer netween the wet and dry side of the car.
Long story short - make sure there is a plastic membrane fitted and make sure the draininage holes are kept clear.

[Niss]

Make sure there are drainage holes!
When I changed the door cards on my new car I found out why the bottom of the hardboard had disintegrated. No plastic membrane and no drain holes when the doors were reskinned.
The door was full of water as I had washed the soft top and rinsed it off - NO HOLES!
A drill soon solved that .
There was no rust presumably because the car had not been used much in the last few years.