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dnorrishill

Member Since: 15 Jul 2011
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 617

2014 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Aintree Green

Windscreen rubber - Genuine or Britpart, Bearmach, etc?

Hi,

I had a new screen fitted recently, but the old rubber was totally shot, so I bought a Bearmach replacement which was used by the National Windscreen fitter when he installed the new screen.

However the damn thing leaks like a sieve now, large pools of water in passenger footwell!!

So I have arranged for National to refit the screen on Saturday, but do I stick with the Bearmach seal or get a genuine one or look at other makes?

I guess I am concerned that refitting the Bearmach will not make any difference...

30th Dec 2013 10:57am

dondiddy

Member Since: 13 Nov 2012
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 224

Personally I would use a genuine rubber when refitting. My experience with using pattern rubber parts is that they tend to perish after a very short time so are a false economy. Having said that even with a genuine rubber it would normally require additional Silaflex type sealer applied between the glass and the rubber/rubber and windscreen frame to ensure a leak free fit! The Defender seal doesn`t have the normal spreader insert to help tighten the rubber to produce a good seal so needs a helping hand in the form of some sealer! Hope this helps!

30th Dec 2013 11:12am

dnorrishill

Member Since: 15 Jul 2011
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 617

dondiddy: Thanks for the reply, I guess the followup question would be should National Windscreens use a sealant or do I try to seal it myself later?

30th Dec 2013 11:32am

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20607

Genuine.

GBR
â›½ï¸ðŸ›¢ï¸âš™ï¸ðŸ§°ðŸ’ª

30th Dec 2013 11:40am

Lou Sparts

Member Since: 15 Apr 2012
Location: Kent
Posts: 1501

2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver

The curse of the blue box strikes again.

Go genuine would be my advice. 2005 Td5 90 XS

Steve

30th Dec 2013 11:46am

dondiddy

Member Since: 13 Nov 2012
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 224

The windscreen company should use sealer. If they are fitting it they should be able to guarantee a leak free fit and should use sealer as necessary. Most modern screens are bonded in place now anyway so perhaps the fitter was unfamiliar with an old style rubber seal like the Defender and perhaps thought that it did not need any sealer! If you have the chance whilst the screen is out give the corners of the frame a good clean as corrosion starts there and ends up travelling out under the rubber and onto the part of the frame that you can see. The best option for removing the screen is to cut the rubber away with a stanley knife as the screens are so easy to break and most windscreen companies will ask you to accept responsibility for this before they start work!

30th Dec 2013 12:28pm

dnorrishill

Member Since: 15 Jul 2011
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 617

dondiddy: OK thanks again for the info. I was not too sure about the fitter who installed the original screen TBH, he removed the old screen by smashing it with a crowbar leaving shards of glass all over the place. This seemed totally unnecessary as I had given him the new rubber and he could have cut the old one out...

I would hope that the fitter will accept responsibility as they installed the screen that now leaks, but lets see.

Also I ordered a genuine rubber from Guy Salmon for £89.76 - 4x the price of Bearmach, but if it stops the leaks then what the heck!!

30th Dec 2013 12:56pm

K9F

Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey

From four years ago....

K9F wrote:
I have had a period where I have unfortunately had to have two windscreens replaced within a short amount of time. Initially in severe downpours I too had water dripping from under the dashboard on the passenger side footwell. On the initial windscreen removal I was shocked to see exactly how much water and grime was sat in the windscreen channel on the outside of the vehicle. (With seal removed). The company that was fitting the replacement screen said it was a known corrosion hotspot on Defenders and that the windscreen and seal should be sealed to prevent both water ingress and corrosion particularily along the lower edge. No problems since!

Solved several members leaky woes.....

david110 wrote:
Problem sorted, just got my car back from the dealer, the windscreen had been leaking into the bulk head, dry feet

fekete wrote:
Just had my window re sealed, looks like it done the job... thanks to K9

If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!

30th Dec 2013 1:12pm

dondiddy

Member Since: 13 Nov 2012
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 224

Looks like you will be finding shards of your old screen for years to come! Hopefully if it is the same fitter as last time he will use a bit more finesse when removing the screen this time round! He really needs to spend a lot of time cutting the rubber away so that as little strain as possible is put on the screen when he comes to remove it. Having said that he might just want to pump sealer into it and not remove it given the likelyhood of it breaking.

I fitted a heated screen to my Puma this time last year but took the whole windscreen frame off the Landrover so that I could ensure that the new screen didn`t get broken when trying to fit it. I also got the frame repainted as it had a couple of signs of corrosion in the bottom corners.I did manage to crack the old screen whilst removing it but I wanted to reuse the seal which was in good condition.I used Silaflex when installing the new screen and had no leaks afterwards. It was not all good news however. The 2 weeks that the Landrover sat outside without a screen meant that rainwater got in under the tarpaulin I had over it and ended up soaking behind the dash. End result. 1 drowned radio that I had to replace!

30th Dec 2013 3:58pm

Litch

Member Since: 10 Mar 2013
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 765

I have had my screens replaced several times over the years (more than one vehicle) and always fit a new seal as who knows how long it will be before it is touched again? Longest has been in place for about 7-years, all have been BP replacements and sealant has never been used.
Result = 0% leakage and no splitting over time. ONE LIFE, GET IT!

30th Dec 2013 5:08pm

dnorrishill

Member Since: 15 Jul 2011
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 617

So, the replacement rubber from Paddocks (Bearmach) leaked like a sieve.

I got National Windscreen to come back last Saturday and they "attampted" to seal it by blobbing black gunk everywhere!!

I called them back again and they agreed to refit the screen with the genuine LR seal, which is happening right now. TBH the guy today seem to know his stuff, he is from a different branch and apparently does screen for Land Rovers UK in Bath.

10th Jan 2014 8:15am

dnorrishill

Member Since: 15 Jul 2011
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 617

Also took the opportunity to inspect the top of the bulkhead and its perfect, no signs of corrosion

10th Jan 2014 8:28am

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