Mini R52 R57 Improved Rubber Roof Seals

Symptoms of Fault

The rubber strip will become cracked and begin to flake away. You may notice a build up of dirt in the void underneath the top edge of the boot hatch.

Depending on how serious the leak is, there may even be some rust beginning to develop from where water has leaked past the seal which meets the canvas roof.

These seals also act as a form of soundproofing, when they deteriorate you might notice an increase in wind noise from inside the cabin.

The Fault

The factory installed weather strips on these cars tend to perish and become cracked over time when exposed to sunlight and adverse weather conditions.

This can result in water leaking behind the chrome trim and cause corrosion to form on the inside of the metal panels.

The original Mini seals are made from a rubber which becomes hard and brittle over time, resulting in them failing.

Our Solution

Fit the unique X8R rubber roof trims to restore your Mini and make it look brand new again

X8R Ltd have developed a new and improved profile of rubber trim to repair the Mini convertibles (R52 and R57). The profile is made specifically for X8R and not available for purchase anywhere else. The profile is uniquely molded to fit the exact design of the OEM trims, and simply sticks onto the back of the plastic trims and folds over the top of the old rubber and makes your car look brand new.

The X8R seals come with 3M VHB double sided tape already applied, making the seal extremely easy to fit and the entire repair can be undertaken in under an hour.

Our rubber seals also come with stainless steel screws to replace the original screws. The BMW screws are specifically made for this vehicle and are not available to purchase separately, they have an extremely unusual pitch and thread. The X8R screws are made of an improved material and a better thread. Please note they may look slightly different from the OEM screws but do a far better job.

The kit also comes with sandpaper to prepare the plastic trims, as well as the optional superglue.

You Will Receive

2 x Lengths of 3m adhesive-backed rubber roof trim

1 x Sandpaper

1 x Superglue

14 x Replacement screws (including 2 different length threads)

You will need:

1. T20 torx screwdriver
2. Stanley blade
3. WD40 (optional)
4. 2.5mm Allen key or hex bit with rachet

There is a latch at either side of the boot, lift these into their horizontal position to allow the canvas canopy to be raised. Move the arms into position to support the roof.

If the screws are tough to remove, apply WD40 to all 14 of the screws that retain the chrome trims. This step is optional.

Remove all 14 screws that retain the chrome trims. Please note that the central 4 screws (the screws that retain the high level brake light) have a slightly longer thread.

Pull the high level brake light up and out of the chrome trims. The wires will remain attached to the vehicle. Carefully place the light on it's side as to not damage the wires. Pull the chrome trims away from the vehicle.

There may be a lot of dirt ingress behind the light/trims. Take this opportunity to clean the canvas roof.

Use a Stanley blade to cut away the old seal. Only cut away the top section where the rubber sits on the canvas roof. Do not cut too much away as the replacement X8R rubber trim will cover the old trim.

Use the sandpaper on the back of the chrome trims. This creates a rough surface for the seal to adhere to. You could also use a Dremel with a sanding drum attachment if you have one.

Only sand the back of the plastic where the double-sided tape will stick to, you do not need to sand down the entire plastic trim.

Take care to not scratch the chrome.

Thoroughly wipe down the back of the plastic trims. Be sure to remove all dirt, debris and dust from sanding. Any dirt left on these trims may prevent the double-sided tape from being as effective.

Do this step in small sections at a time.

Peel back a small section of the double-sided tape. Place the tape on the back of the chrome trims and ensure the flap that sits over the top of the chrome piece is perfectly aligned. Once one section is complete and sitting flush, move onto the next. We worked in roughly 10-20cm sections at a time. Do this all the way along the trim.

Ensure that there is a slight overhang of at least 5cm on both sides of the chrome trim (we will trim them down to size later). If there is a lot of trim overhanging, cut off any dramatic excess.

Then fit the other side of the trim.

Optional - If there are any sections that you find are not sticking as well as you would like, use a small amount of superglue. Be sure to wear appropriate gloves. Use the superglue sparingly.

Please note that the trim may appear to wrinkle/buckle around the corner. This is completely normal as the trim is extruded and not moulded. When the chrome trims are installed onto the canvas roof the appearance of wrinkling will decrease.

Insert the trims back into place on the canvas roof. Press the high level brake light back into position and mark where the rubber trim needs to be cut out. See the approximate measurements in the photo.

Cut the rubber trims directly in the middle (where they meet behind the high level brake light).

Cut any excess rubber from the ends of the chrome trim.

Fit the new screws using a 2.5mm Allen key or Hex Bit. Be aware that the screws with the longer threads fit into the high level brake light.

This completes the repair. If you need any further guidance on this install or would like to purchase the parts shown please call us on +44 01843 446643 or email us at sales@x8r.co.uk. Please also check out our instruction guide on YouTube. www.x8r.co.uk Installation is carried out at installers risk, if unsure please contact us or a professional, X8R Ltd cannot be held responsible for any adverse result of installing this product or any injuries caused by install, if in doubt ask a professional. All images and texts are copyright X8R Ltd 2024.