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Weathertech Side Window Deflectors

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
I recently installed the WeatherTechs and I have to say the wind noise is pretty loud. A coworker has a pair (on a different vehicle) and he said the double sided tape that they put on visors is insufficient and that is what causes the extra noise. I'm a little bit hesitant to reinstall them again. I did notice on the drivers side window the bottom corner is bowing out a bit, not sure if normal?
Are you sure those are Weathertech? Weathertech doesn't use tape they get wedged into the seal around the window.
 

nosmirk

Go Kart Champion
Location
SoCal
Car(s)
7.5 DSG
My Weathertech deflectors don't have tape or clips.
Every install video i've seen has the rears with tape and I watch pretty much any I could find when I was choosing. One of the reason I went with the OEM which are held in by metal clips instead of tape and dodgey friction.

 

SteveRedGTI

Ready to race!
Location
Vermont
Car(s)
2020 GTI S
I had the Weathertechs on my last car for 8 years. In year 7, the driver window deflector was starting to come loose at the top. No wind noise, fantastic when it rains. The GTI's definitely getting them. Whatever rain is on your roof will soon be inside the door, and all over your arm. ;). Fantastic to be able to have them slightly down in this heat too.
 
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HelloNewman

Go Kart Champion
Location
SoCal
Car(s)
Mk7

SteveRedGTI

Ready to race!
Location
Vermont
Car(s)
2020 GTI S

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R

SnailPower

Autocross Newbie
Location
North NJ
Car(s)
2017 GTI MT, PP, LP
You sure you got Weathertechs? My rears had tape as well. None in the front.

Rofl, reading the recent responses, and the plot thickens. 🥸

Perhaps it is a new additional to their design though? Like they just recently decided to ship with the tape? Only asking but don't know much about the deflectors otherwise. Contemplating getting them since my morning drives now have been water just pouring all over the interior from the morning dew. Driving me ah craaazy.
 

haste

Ready to race!
Location
East NC
Car(s)
'21 GTI SE, '15 FiST
Just to help clear things up. I happen to have a brand new set waiting to be installed after my tint finishes "curing".
The rears do have tape on them.

IMG_20210610_201840377~2.jpg
 

StorableComa

Autocross Champion
Location
SoCal, USA
Car(s)
17 GSW S FWD
+1 for the WeatherTech rears having tape. The fronts only have a clear little gummy guy near where the deflector connects outside the channel by the mirror- They wedge in otherwise. Ordered mine about 8-10 months ago from WT. Make sure you double check your rear window auto roll up isn't hitting and safety lowering after install as it might be a pain to have to adjust the rears post-curing.
 

krvnked

Go Kart Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
MK7.5
im just bumping this thread to ask if anyone else has theirs sitting inside the weather strip despite the instructions saying it let it sit on your rubber strip? I slammed my door slightly harder than normal the other day and the driver side deflector almost fell off the car and nearly scratched my door on the way down. i blame this due to improper installation obviously but i was only following their instructions about letting it sit on the rubber strip not inside it. now its inside it and it fits much nicer and tighter despite there now being a very small bulge in the weather strip where it sits. id rather it be this way than have the wind deflector sitting directly on the strip and digging into it over years of body vibration from spirited driving. it already left an indentation and it was only installed that way for like 2 weeks, that's obviously why they put the piece of clear thick rubber tape there to prevent weather strip damage.

do the oem fit exactly the same like the interior pieces just being rebranded ?
 

StorableComa

Autocross Champion
Location
SoCal, USA
Car(s)
17 GSW S FWD
im just bumping this thread to ask if anyone else has theirs sitting inside the weather strip despite the instructions saying it let it sit on your rubber strip? I slammed my door slightly harder than normal the other day and the driver side deflector almost fell off the car and nearly scratched my door on the way down. i blame this due to improper installation obviously but i was only following their instructions about letting it sit on the rubber strip not inside it. now its inside it and it fits much nicer and tighter despite there now being a very small bulge in the weather strip where it sits. id rather it be this way than have the wind deflector sitting directly on the strip and digging into it over years of body vibration from spirited driving. it already left an indentation and it was only installed that way for like 2 weeks, that's obviously why they put the piece of clear thick rubber tape there to prevent weather strip damage.

do the oem fit exactly the same like the interior pieces just being rebranded ?
Which part is outside the rubber strip? The only part that needs to be outside the "channel" on the fronts is the lower point that contacts with the rubber at the base of the window near the side mirrors:
1624831448934.png


The upper part of the deflector should be inside the window channel as these are not "Stick on style" that sit outside the window on the doorframe, they go into the window channel at the top - the fronts using the wedge force to stay in, the rears have added adhesive that needs to set (At least on the Sportwagen, can't speak specifically to the GTI).

https://www.weathertech.com/blog/how_tos/how_to_install_side_window_deflectors/ - See here for more info, it isn't vehicle specific, but it reads the exact same as the paper instructions that came with the set if I recall correctly. You have to "Tuck" the upper part of the deflector into the window channel, see step 5:
1624831649987.png


OEM is WT as far as I recall, the only difference being OEM wagons do not come with fitting rears from VW, you have to order WT to get all 4 doors with the long roof. Learned this the hard way after ordering a set of OEM fronts that are sitting in my closet still. 🤷‍♂️

Edit: Also worth a note mine came with a clear gummy/rubber piece on the lower window contact point that I did not remove on install. Did you pull these? Seems to help with front not shifting or digging into the rubber at the bottom of the window sill. My concern with it inside the sill is you may allow water to drain into the door from that point, though you may be fine. WT claims the concern is damage to the window or the deflector as it's sitting over the window path, or the window edge may fall below it when fully down.

Clarifying - only the horizontal portion should be outside the channel (Small inch or so piece that sits flat at the base of the window sill). You should tuck the front leading edge into the window channel with the rest of the deflector lip before pulling outward once it's completely tucked to lock it in place.
 
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