Busboys says that the luggage rack has to be "adjusted".  I haven't a clue,
however, what that means.  I told him to call my mechanic and explain it to
him.  My  van's been in the body shopping recovering from deer-itis so I
haven't had any opportunity to test the "adjusted" luggage rack at freeway
speed.

Maybe somebody on the list could enlighten us all.

Jeanne
'87 Syncro Westy

----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel Schmitz <djs@gene.com>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2000 11:35 PM
Subject: Re: Luggage rack seal...

> Jeff,
>
> I've gotta say, you are correct :)
>
> The luggage rack appears to be designed to drain water from the rear
corners,
> where there is an opening on each side for this. There should be no gap
along the
> sides or front, only at the rear corners, I believe. At high speed, air
gets in
> to the space under the rack and the noise is greatly amplified by the
fiberglass
> structure.
>
> I still have my old seal, and it is indeed thicker in cross section. I
can't
> reuse it, because the original steel clip embedded in it is completely
> disintegrated.
>
> This is why I am thinking of ordering the new seal with the bulb, which
would
> eliminate any opening between the roof and rack. But, as you well know,
the
> luggage rack can be a PITA to position. I may try simply removing the side
and
> front bolts and only loosening the rear nuts so I can tilt the rack up,
position
> a couple of blocks of wood under the edge, and remove/replace the seal
with the
> rack in place. This would be easier than taking it all the way off. The
new seals
> seem to go on very easily.
>
> The only alternative I can see with the bulbless seal is to attempt to
reposition
> the rack to eliminate all gaps, but that is a difficult proposition.
>
> Good luck with yours, I'll keep you informed about mine.
>
> Dan
>
>
>
> Jeffrey R wrote:
>
> > In a message dated 7/16/2000 6:56:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> > marcperdue@adelphia.net writes:
> >
> > << > My luggage rack is positioned as it came from the factory, with all
> >  > fasteners fastened. It's apparent that the new seal allows air to get
> >  > into the space below the rack, causing a racket at speed. There is a
> >  > tiny 1/32 gap in a spot along the front, and this must be what's
causing
> >  > it. >>
> >
> > I've gotta say my luggage rack seal from the bus depot doesn't seal the
way
> > the factory seal sealed either. I was blaming it on the idea that my
luggage
> > rack warped, but maybe the stock seal is just thicker. I've got a 1/4
gap
> > where the seal meets the passenger side a-pillar. Possibly the original
seal
> > would fill such a gap in that if it is thicker it would pull the
driver's
> > side over a bit and use the remaining bit to close the gap.
> >
> > And this idea that the seal has to leak I think is sales BS as in "Yes
Mrs.
> > Jones all gas tanks are supposed to leak a little bit." Because in my
> > estimation the water is meant to leak out the back where the rack is
clearly
> > designed to be wider and not seal against the roof. I mean it's only
about a
> > sixteenth of an inch wider but that's all it should take. I'm not
willing to
> > concede that these things came from the factory with a gap in the front.
And
> > I'm also not willing to concede a gap is desired, necessary, or even ok.
> >
> > I wish I kept the original seal to compair it, but of course I tossed it
when
> > I took it off. Does anyone know if the OEM seal is indeed thicker?
> >
> > I've gotta say if I had it all to do over again I'd get all the facts up
> > front about the original vs. aftermarket seals. And if it was "better"
I'd go
> > with the OEM seal no matter the cost. I mean yes, the original seal is
> > flawed, but it did last more than 15 years. And no one is doing me a
favor
> > selling me a less expensive seal that is "almost" as good at sealing as
the
> > stock seal. I've gotta say pulling that F#@@%%$ luggage rack on and off
a
> > dozen time was a huge PITA--and it's still not **#@! sealing right!
> >
> > That's my 2 cents
> > Jeff
> > 83.5 Westy