# Roadster leaking - "skirting" (not the drain pipes)



## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

Took some time to get to the bottom of the soggy carpets that have plagued the car forever. Sorted the drain pipes and currently in throws of working out how to space the rubbers of the roof a little as it drips in there.

What I am stuck on is the following and couldn't find any reference to it in any of the zillions of roadster leak threads. If it is because I am using the wrong phrase please let me know.

Attached to the bottom of the roof and then tucked under some plastic on the rear of the car is a skirt thing which is effectively what the water that passes by the seal collects in and then travels along into the drip trays.

On mine it has come away from the plastic

Pictures here to help you understand. It is currently poked up under there and gaffa taped in place but the tape catches on the roof and then it falls:






The gaffa tape was a temporary measure until could work out a solution, but still not managed to find one. I cannot be the only roadster owner with this issue? Has anyone any diagrams on this part of the roof that might show its construction properly?


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

It might tell you what the part is but not how to fix it.
http://www.vagcat.com/epc/cat/au/ATT/20 ... 6/2884514/
http://www.vagcat.com/epc/cat/au/ATT/20 ... 6/2888194/


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## Super Josh (May 29, 2009)

The 'Skirt' is bonded to the plastic trim with double-sided tape and the adhesive is failing on a number of cars now because they are getting old.

You need something like 3M VHB Heavy Duty Mounting Tape 5952

It's not cheap but anything else will fail because a lot of strain is put on the joint. Alternatively, take it to your local automotive hood repair specialist who will do the job for you 

Josh


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## John Stratton (Jun 20, 2010)

I am pretty sure without having a look today that mine is not securely attached where it should be but having said that I have no water ingress problems.
When having a look at the skirt channel in the past my thoughts are that it comes into the required position once the roof is raised. It does look to be wrong when the roof is down though.
something I plan to have a look at once the hardtop is off which needs to be very soon !!


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

Super Josh said:


> The 'Skirt' is bonded to the plastic trim with double-sided tape and the adhesive is failing on a number of cars now because they are getting old.
> 
> You need something like 3M VHB Heavy Duty Mounting Tape 5952
> 
> ...


Thanks for that, I did try some number plate double sided tape I had lying round but didn't have anything to give it a good old clean and preparation with. If that is how it is done, then I can manage that and in worst case I have some industrial grade Evostik!!!


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

Ordered a 3m roll from ebay (£16.00) so hopefully it will do the job.


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## Super Josh (May 29, 2009)

Archersam said:


> Ordered a 3m roll from ebay (£16.00) so hopefully it will do the job.


Worth getting some of the VHB Surface Cleaner wipes too.

Something like these;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-VHB-Su..._Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item2328cb8364

Make sure you remove all traces of the old tape and make sure it's spotlessly clean 

Josh


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

Thanks a lot Josh, not sure I can get to the old tape as I think it is all left behind on the plastic bit that I cannot remove but will try. Hopefully all of it will turn up next week so have a few days to get on with it.


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## audakias (Jul 9, 2014)

Did 3M VHB Heavy Duty Mounting Tape 5952 fix the problem finally?


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

audakias said:


> Did 3M VHB Heavy Duty Mounting Tape 5952 fix the problem finally?


Pretty sure it did. Didn't get to use car much this summer and therefore roof wasn't up and down to often. However I never replaced the carpets and so it is obvious when water is in the car and despite some heavy rains the leaks appear to have all been kept st bay.


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## mac74 (Sep 17, 2012)

Hello, im currently in this shituation myself, and im glad ive found this old post! Ive already found my main water ingress problem being the sml drip tray behind the drivers side blocked up. Ive since cleared this with a sml length of soft 6mm tubing, pushing it in and blowing it clear then directly pouring water in each tray to check them, and it drained out from each of the channels on ether side, great! (Anyone looking at this thread in the future, this in front of the back wheels but behind the mudguard skirting, however if the channels/drain pipes from the trays are clear you'll see the water hit the ground without removing anything) The next thing i have got to do is that leather look/ plastic skirting which has come unstuck from the lenth of the back window, so ive just bought the hard to source (it seems) from uk, the 3m 5952 tape and wipes. BUT i was wondering if any of the guys from above see this, is it easier to put this on from inside when roof closed or when roof is half open etc? As trying to get behind the seats to the back window area is a right nightmare when closed! Please help if u can. Thanks m


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

I had all my interior out and roll bars off and I still did it from outside with roof half down. I don't think you'd get to the skirting with roof up. It was pretty fiddly to be honest and it isn't perfect but it is still holding up.


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## mac74 (Sep 17, 2012)

Archersam said:


> I had all my interior out and roll bars off and I still did it from outside with roof half down. I don't think you'd get to the skirting with roof up. It was pretty fiddly to be honest and it isn't perfect but it is still holding up.


ok thanks arch, ill try that, sounds difficult to do though.


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## thebluemax (Oct 11, 2012)

mac74 said:


> Archersam said:
> 
> 
> > I had all my interior out and roll bars off and I still did it from outside with roof half down. I don't think you'd get to the skirting with roof up. It was pretty fiddly to be honest and it isn't perfect but it is still holding up.
> ...


Hi mac74
I had this problem recently when I had the drain tubes replaced and the indy garage found that a length of about 2 foot of skirting had come away from the plastic , I bought the tape off ebay and the wipes mentioned on this thread and it did not stick at all, they ended up getting some special double sided tape from VW (not sure what it was) but they said because the audi factory had stitched the tape on the skirting, the stitching was a little raised and the tape would not form an air tight seal, so they handed picked it off and used the VW tape, also they used the bonding that you use when putting in windscreens as a second layer of seal.
has not leaked since, although they did have to take off the roof to do all of that, not cheap but definitely worth it for me as I have in the past had 2 "confort control" units fried by water ingress...at a cost of £300 each + fitting.


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## mac74 (Sep 17, 2012)

Thanks blue, i must admit it dose seem like it will be a bit of a mission to get that water tight seal due to the limited access and i havent even done it yet. Im lucky that the skirting hasnt gone by the drip tray areas as this seems the main water inlet pionts? I may try putting some vasaline along the outer rubber, under the back window area and a bit further around to help make a temp seal, and to help direct water to the normal ingress points ? Makes me wonder if putting on a new roof for £600, wether this skirting is intergated to a new roof? as it needs a refurb anyway. Tried the renevo clean, dye & proof which looked great for 6 mths but then the sml green moss patchs re appeared. Thanks m


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## thebluemax (Oct 11, 2012)

mac74 said:


> Thanks blue, i must admit it dose seem like it will be a bit of a mission to get that water tight seal due to the limited access and i havent even done it yet. Im lucky that the skirting hasnt gone by the drip tray areas as this seems the main water inlet pionts? I may try putting some vasaline along the outer rubber, under the back window area and a bit further around to help make a temp seal, and to help direct water to the normal ingress points ? Makes me wonder if putting on a new roof for £600, wether this skirting is intergated to a new roof? as it needs a refurb anyway. Tried the renevo clean, dye & proof which looked great for 6 mths but then the sml green moss patchs re appeared. Thanks m


yes the skirting is fixed to the roof itself, its stiched and glued from factory, learn t a lot about how it looks dismantled lol.


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## audakias (Jul 9, 2014)

Can anyone post a pic of the roof at the back? (like the first post's but with no problem) ?

Does the roof behind stretched - hanging from the plastic? I think even if I put a 3M, it will unstuck again due to weight...


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

audakias said:


> Can anyone post a pic of the roof at the back? (like the first post's but with no problem) ?
> 
> Does the roof behind stretched - hanging from the plastic? I think even if I put a 3M, it will unstuck again due to weight...


Those pictures show you how it should be by without the Gaffa tape . Ie the skirt sits under the plastic. You will be surprised how strong the 3m tape is. Mine is still holding up nicely.


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## audakias (Jul 9, 2014)

Archersam said:


> audakias said:
> 
> 
> > Can anyone post a pic of the roof at the back? (like the first post's but with no problem) ?
> ...


I tried to put 3M tape, but I didnt manage to....Did you remove the plastic?

How did you manage to stuck the skirt under it?


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

audakias said:


> Archersam said:
> 
> 
> > audakias said:
> ...


No the plastic is I think only removeable when the roof comes off. I sort of prised the plastic away from the carpet, wedged it open a little with screwdriver etc and then did it a little at a time. I stuck the tape to the skirt first and then hurt my fingers a lot getting it under. it doesn't look that pretty but it works.


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## audakias (Jul 9, 2014)

Ok...Thanks for the tip. Was this originally stuck there with glue? It is unacceptable for a brand such Audi to have this problem!

The problem is that the hood is stretched there...so I have to lift the rear side of the hood which is heavy and simultaneously stuck the hood behind the plastic!!!! :evil:

(I dont know if with Velcro you can fix it somehow...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro).


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## Archersam (Sep 9, 2004)

audakias said:


> Ok...Thanks for the tip. Was this originally stuck there with glue? It is unacceptable for a brand such Audi to have this problem!
> 
> The problem is that the hood is stretched there...so I have to lift the rear side of the hood which is heavy and simultaneously stuck the hood behind the plastic!!!! :evil:
> 
> (I dont know if with Velcro you can fix it somehow...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro).


There is effectively a sweet spot where the roof will stay up partly opened under its own steam and neither close or open further allowing you to do it all alone


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## audakias (Jul 9, 2014)

After few weeks a weird smell is coming from the trunk.... After investigating a little, I found MOLD (!), at the rear shelf in the trunk and in the room located under the rear window!!! 

I will do I Bio clean wash, but how I can investigate the problem? How I can access the room under rear window? Should I remove the rear shelf in the trunk?


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## westo3 (Jan 15, 2011)

Just marking this very useful thread


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