Gutter/drip rail over sliding door

While travelling down the M5 the rubber gutter/drip rail over the sliding door began to come off. We pulled into the first available services to examine the problem. We decided the safest quick solution was to remove it altogether. It pulled off easily leaving a ragged line of a very gooey white mastic. My questions are: 1. Are Symbols fitted with this strip when built or would it have been a later addition by a previous owner? 2. How best to remove the mastic material without damaging the paintwork? 3. How useful is such a fitting ie is it worth attempting to replace it?

Hi and welcome to the forum from Bridlington, if you don't find an answer on here,ring Mark Burdet on 01386853511 A/S workshops 
Boaby

I don't think the drip strip is original fitment. I've seen them on other brands but not on AS.

My Symbol has a drip strip fitted over the sliding door and I always assumed it was an original fitting.

Mines got an LED strip light over the sliding  door, dual purpose I guess 

I have been looking for a strip to divert the water from the door opening for a while. Having the LED light there makes no difference. Open the sliding door during even light rain gets you water on the carpet and the side seat.
I have found some plastic/rubber strips that fit between the roof and the canopy but the cost is excessive so if anyone finds a solution I would be interested.

Don't know if the strip light will prevent fitting but Swift do a part for this. I believe the part number is Swift 1095074 .

Paulmold wrote:Don't know if the strip light will prevent fitting but Swift do a part for this. I believe the part number is Swift 1095074 .

Thanks Paul. We are off tomorrow so I will look it up while we re away. Just found that the microwave is not coming on when I apply power!
Hey ho

Our 2014 Symbol has only the led awning light but on previous ducato based pvc we had a "j" gutter rail fitted like the attached link . It was screwed and bedded on a rubber strip and sealant. The type is similar to :
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It worked well stopping drips and provided an awning fixing point.
Old sealant is difficult to remove but with care you should be able to clean the surface enough to seat the new rail on. There are I believe special sealant solvents on the market to aid removal.
In the end it is a neater solution than opening the door using a brolly !!
Martin

This problem occurs with conversions on the VW transporter. Rain enters directly onto the seat and floor through the sliding door opening.   We open the Fiamma awning a couple of feet. Result? No !  The black plastic guttering on the Topaz collects water from the roof sides,  but rain still came in behind the awning and dripped off the awning body.  The solution was to insert a clear plastic strip, five inches wide, along the length of the opening, tucked into the black gutter and folded under the awning casing. Result?   Still No !,  I still got wet going to the rear of the awning to wind it out.  So I fitted a 12v motor drive.  Now we can open (and close) the awning before opening the sliding door.  Result ? Yes, but the motor kit was a bit expensive.   Keith

Paulmold wrote:Don't know if the strip light will prevent fitting but Swift do a part for this. I believe the part number is Swift 1095074 .

I fitted this part that Paul mentions to the 2014 Symbol, I used to own. (Marquis supplied it free of charge)

It is what Swift fit to all the Autocruise panel van conversions. It is supplied with an adhesive strip already applied, just peel off the protective paper and fix in position.

 It certainly worked for me, I was fed up of water seeping in.

Hubert

bertb wrote:I have been looking for a strip to divert the water from the door opening for a while. Having the LED light there makes no difference. Open the sliding door during even light rain gets you water on the carpet and the side seat.
I have found some plastic/rubber strips that fit between the roof and the canopy but the cost is excessive so if anyone finds a solution I would be interested.

Hi Bertb
I have the 2011 model Symbol 
I purchased the widest available version of the awning infill strip ( at considerable expense) and found that it was not wide enough to bridge the gap. 
One suggested solution which I have not yet tried is to fit ally angle along the top of the door opening ( mastic and pop rivets up into the existing door frame) though I think the self adhesive strip will be easier to fit and remove if necessary. 
I see the latest Symbols have a longer led strip light that doubles as a gutter/deflector. It would be interesting to hear from owners of this model as to whether it solves the problem.

mossystone wrote:I see the latest Symbols have a longer led strip light that doubles as a gutter/deflector. It would be interesting to hear from owners of this model as to whether it solves the problem.

My Warwick Duo has the full length led strip light and it does solve the problem, so assume it will solve the problem on a Symbol as well. I have had no need to fit the "Swift" part as I did on the Symbol.

The Swift part costs peanuts (if you have to pay for it) and is so easy to fit.

Hubert

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have not done anything yet. Had a lot on my plate!
Went away last Friday. Thursday night discovered the M/W doesn't work. On the way to Glastonbury had a puncture. Ran on spare until Tuesday afternoon. Connected up to EHU Monday afternoon, smell of burning electrics. No fuses blown. Turned every thing back on and now the 12v sockets don't work. Or the TV! Really weird but as we had no rain the gutter/deflector took a back seat.

Right, I'm back. Fixed the Sargent problem, new unit. Not stripped the old one down yet but fitting the new one cured all the problems.
Onto the gutter problem. I have searched for the Swift part without any success. I wonder if anyone has an image of it? I got a sample of the Fiamma weather strip but it won't fit a Thule awning, unsurprisingly. Swift seem a bit shy of publishing their phone number. Going to ring some dealers tomorrow so I will see what they say.

bertb wrote:Right, I'm back. Fixed the Sargent problem, new unit. Not stripped the old one down yet but fitting the new one cured all the problems.
Onto the gutter problem. I have searched for the Swift part without any success. I wonder if anyone has an image of it? I got a sample of the Fiamma weather strip but it won't fit a Thule awning, unsurprisingly. Swift seem a bit shy of publishing their phone number. Going to ring some dealers tomorrow so I will see what they say.

Not sure about Swift fitting but Fiamma do a "Drip Stop" self adhesive strip to deflect the flow of rain etc from above doors. Could this be what you are looking for?

I put the fiamma strip on my kemmerton XL works a dream £15 from eBay, shaped it to the edge of awning light then sealed with a dab of silicon no great drips when you open door

Thanks for the feedback. The Fiamma strip I have has a profile to fit into the housing, like the figure of 8 for porches etc. There is no matching slot on the Thule canopy. And this rubber strip has no adhesive either. It is £7.45 a metre so sounds like the same thing Gus so how did you attach it to the body?

I used the drip stop, which has the sticky strips on the back , make sure you get it warm so is pliable and stick above door works a treat

Gus446 wrote:I put the fiamma strip on my kemmerton XL works a dream £15 from eBay, shaped it to the edge of awning light then sealed with a dab of silicon no great drips when you open door

Hi Gus,  Any chance of a photo of your drip stop?

A solution off another forum and cheap !!
Just get a curved ceramic tile edging strip from B&Q / Wickes etc in silver and a roll of double sided trim tape from a motor factors or double sided carpet tape.  With the sliding door open, cut the strip to fit under the upper lip of the door frame with a slight overlap on each end.  Stick this to the underside of upper lip of the door frame with the tape and silicone to seal the gap in the overlaps.  Job done, looks good and works a treat.


Sometimes the cheap solutions are as good as purpose made.
Martin.

Swift only sell parts etc through their dealers and part number 1095074 is "about £20 including P & P"
Martin, I am off to town now so B & Q will have a visit!

Not very pretty but does the job

Thanks Gram. I finally used a strip of tile trim as per Martins tip. But I stuck it above the light fitting and so far seems to do the job. I may have to 'prettify' the vertical part which has cut-outs along its' length. Off to Mid Wales next week so might get a chance to 'field' test it!