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stuck zipper

HerbertFriedman

Member III
I have one headliner zipper on my E34 that is hopelessly stuck. The zipper is located on the starboard side very close to the outboard edge, just under the jib track. All the other zippers work fine with the exception of this one, and all the rest have only a single zipper pull but this stuck one has two, the pull next to the bulkhead is meant to pull aft while the other pull (with the pull tab missing) pulls forward, and that pull is stuck. Repeated application of vinegar, WD40 and Kroil (anti seize) do not free it up.

Some of the paint on this stuck pull has worn off and you can see that it is metal, probably aluminum and corroded. But this zipper seems to go UNDER the bulkhead and looking on the other side of the bulkhead, I can see more of the zipper and it too extends aft disappearing behind the electrical panel. I have not removed that panel to see where the zipper finally ends. But, as suggested, if I rip out some stitches to free up the zipper tape, I still do not have access to the end of the zipper. So even if I can remove (cut) the zipper pulls, I have no way to install a new one.

I probably can cut the zipper tape to expose the end, install a new zipper pull and hand stitch the zipper tape back into place. But it does appear that the headliner was installed BEFORE the bulkhead was installed, so while the bulkhead may be tabbed to the hull, it does not appear to be tapped to the deck. Is that normal?
 

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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
We feel your pain, as the saying goes. Our under-sidedeck vinyl has a long zipper with more than one pull, and all were badly corroded when we bought the boat. The salt air down SF was quite corrosive to these. I have one zipper pull that I never replaced, but it's on my "list" for someday.
I also have some galley upper cabinetry that does not touch the underside of the deck, and seems to have been installed after about everything else was in. Perhaps. Maybe.
If you have a late 80's E-34, the same guys might have built and installed your vinyl overhead and trim as did ours. Looks great for 30 years, but I wish they had used a different substance for the zipper pulls. :(
 

K2MSmith

Sustaining Member
On my boat, every zipper pull was corroded and immovable, but we needed access to install new clutches and winches. They can easily be removed by crunching them with a nail cutting pliers. After removal, you will find that the zippers themselves may be good and you can install a new #5 pull on them by undoing one ends. The zippers are bi-directional so I don't think it matters which direction you want to run the pull. I bought stainless #5 YYK zipper pulls from sailrite. They have all now been replace and I can open/close the headliner everywhere.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
On my boat the longest zippers do go over (through) a bulkhead. But the gap will permit the zipper pull to pass over the bulkhead, after it is repaired by removing the batten at one distant end.

 
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