BMW X5: Repair Instructions For Bonded Seals

1. General information on handling rubber seal profiles:

• If seals reveal partly detached protective film on delivery, they must not be bonded.
• Store seals at 15 ºC to 25 ºC.
• If, during the handling, the protective film has come off before bonding, it can still be bonded.
• Bonding at room and object temperature >20 ºC. Temperatures between 40 and 50 ºC significantly increase initial adhesion.
• Seals, which are subjected to temperatures above 80 ºC after gluing, will be very difficult to remove.

2. Damage pattern and repair

1. Partially detached bond (rubber-adhesive tape or adhesive tape-paint)
   • Up to 120 mm for retouching without auxiliary resources
   • Up to 200 mm repaired with pressing-on tools on straight surfaces

   a. Cleaning damaged areas:

   • Degrease bonded area with adhesive cleaner (refer to BMW Parts Service) and remove other residues.

NOTE: Use necessary cotton - or fluff-free paper towel once only.

When using solvent: expose repair area to air for at least 2 minutes.

b. Applying adhesive:

• With a fine nozzle, apply a wafer-thin bead to adhesive tape.

NOTE: Use contact adhesive (e.g. Terokal 2444)

CAUTION: Avoid contact to skin! Do not apply adhesive to visible painted surfaces.

c. Pressing on rubber seal:

• Press down seal using contact pressure (forced pressure not necessary) for at least 1 minute.

CAUTION: Load can only be applied to the bond after a period of 2 minutes. This waiting time is absolutely essential.

2. Larger defects (mechanical damage and larger separations of seal)
   • A complete replacement of the rubber seal is necessary.

a. Peeling off damaged rubber seal:

• Pull off rubber seal slowly at an angle up to 20 º under uniformly strong tension.

NOTE: Make sure the connection between adhesive tape and seal is retained.

Do not detach rubber-adhesive tape connection if at all possible.

b. Cleaning bonded area:

• Degrease bonded area with adhesive cleaner (refer to BMW Parts Service) and remove other residues.

NOTE: Use necessary cotton - or fluff-free paper towel once only.

When using solvent: expose repair area to air for at least 2 minutes.

c. Detaching protective film from bonded area:

• Detach protective film from rubber seal in sections.

CAUTION: Once the protective film has been removed, do not under any circumstances touch the exposed bonded area.

d. Applying rubber seal:

• Apply rubber seal on roof opening edge beginning at rear center. Use upper lip as application edge. Press on seal continuously by hand. Carefully unwrap seal at radii without tension and press down (critical area).

NOTE: If positioned incorrectly, the seal can still be pulled off, repositioned and pressed on again.

e. Establishing seal joint:

• Mark contact point at joint by pressing down loose end on seal of already bonded end.

  Then cut and press down loose end at same height.

NOTE: Small areas of seal can remain stuck to adhesive tape of loose end.

f. Pressing on seal:

• Press on seal using a roller
• Adhesive tape width up to 5 mm Application pressure approx. 5 N
• Adhesive tape width up to 10 mm Application pressure approx. 10 N

Sliding sunroof seal only:

• Press against seal strongly with a roller. Application pressure approx. 70 N.

E36 sliding sunroof seal only:

• Application pressure approx. 30 N.
• Tear off tear-off lip at rear and side in area of narrower flange.

NOTE: Firm thumb pressure has approx. 35 N/cm2

3. Checking rubber seal

• Check the bonded seals for correct positioning and perfect adhesion. The bonding can be checked by pressing back the sealing lip.
• The force required to peel off the seal immediately after gluing must be greater than 10 N/cm.

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