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Thought I would post this information in case someone else is installing a new interior and working with BJ8 drain tubes.
As you know, the rear surround on a BJ8 is covered with 1/4-inch foam, which is then covered with either vinyl or leather. The available grommets for the drain tubes (Moss and other suppliers) are not especially well made and only have a 1/16-inch grove for sheet metal. Most installs I have seen glue the foam and vinyl/leather over the top of the grommet. OK, but not a great solution.
Tophat grommets are designed to provide water proof seals with thicker top and bottom surfaces in irrigation systems when a tube is inserted (the middle of the grommet expands around the bottom material to be sealed). And, they provide better seals than standard grommets, give a nicer overall finish and are easier to use.
The first picture is the Moss drain tube grommet.
The second picture shows the tophat grommet after installing a rubber tube. Unfortunately, I had already installed the drain tubes on our BJ8 before deciding to take a picture. The only rubber tube I had available was smaller diameter than the BJ8 drain tube and it does not expand the grommet diameter as much as the BJ8 rubber drain tube.
The third picture shows the tophat grommet installed with the correct BJ8 rubber drain tube (I wiped it down with leather dressing to remove most of the chalk dust from marking the carpet
).
The last picture shows the condition of the poor quality stock drain tube grommet after a few years.
Hopefully, this might help some else.
As you know, the rear surround on a BJ8 is covered with 1/4-inch foam, which is then covered with either vinyl or leather. The available grommets for the drain tubes (Moss and other suppliers) are not especially well made and only have a 1/16-inch grove for sheet metal. Most installs I have seen glue the foam and vinyl/leather over the top of the grommet. OK, but not a great solution.
Tophat grommets are designed to provide water proof seals with thicker top and bottom surfaces in irrigation systems when a tube is inserted (the middle of the grommet expands around the bottom material to be sealed). And, they provide better seals than standard grommets, give a nicer overall finish and are easier to use.
The first picture is the Moss drain tube grommet.
The second picture shows the tophat grommet after installing a rubber tube. Unfortunately, I had already installed the drain tubes on our BJ8 before deciding to take a picture. The only rubber tube I had available was smaller diameter than the BJ8 drain tube and it does not expand the grommet diameter as much as the BJ8 rubber drain tube.
The third picture shows the tophat grommet installed with the correct BJ8 rubber drain tube (I wiped it down with leather dressing to remove most of the chalk dust from marking the carpet
).The last picture shows the condition of the poor quality stock drain tube grommet after a few years.
Hopefully, this might help some else.
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