Looking for a seam sealer.

[62 Barnfind]

What is a good seam, sealer out there right now? I removed all my sealant from my drip rail and need to replace it before I paint it. What are you all using? I was wondering if paintable caulk would work? Is it the same?

[theastronaut]

I used Fusor 122EZ Self Leveling seam sealer on the '65 I restored. It is an epoxy so it won't shrink and crack later, and it's sandable/paintable. It levels out very smooth so the only sanding/smoothing you'll have to do is the area where you start/stop. Solvent based sealers will eventually shrink and crack, letting water and rust in.









Here's a video showing how it works. The masking isn't needed on our drip rails, and you can get a manual gun instead of the expensive pnuematic one shown.

Roof Ditch Self-Leveling Seam Sealer Application...

[markeb01]

I used Evercoat Maxim self-leveling seam sealer. Posts number 10 and 20 on the following thread provide more information on my experiences with it (all good).

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...86#post5090786

Beyond the excellent performance of the sealer it has the benefit of being able to use a conventional hardware store caulking gun.

I'd also recommend applying epoxy primer to the bare metal before flowing in the sealer.

[62 Barnfind]

Where did you both buy it from? I was looking at the one from Eastwood. I just put primed the roof and body for the second time. I need to get some sealer soon. Thanks for the help!

[BR3W CITY]

^Also curious on that, is any of this stuff you can get from a local store?
I used regular "Seam sealer" from Napa last year and it ALREADY shrunk and cracked...waste of time and $16

How much does it take to do a cab roof?

[theastronaut]

Should be able to get either at an autobody supply store. I used less than one cartridge on a '65 roof, using enough to completely cover the bottom of the gutter. Using enough to completly fill the channel will probably make the sealer thick enough to become unstable, especially if it's not an epoxy. Using just enough to fully cover the bottom will make the sealer more stable and should last longer. If you use an epoxy and have some left over, it won't set up in the tube like one part sealer can.
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[62 Barnfind]

Thanks for the info. I will go out this weekend and look for some.

[markeb01]

I bought mine from Autobodystore.net, because I've had very good results from them before and they also have an excellent painting forum:

http://autobodystore.net/Merchant2/m...gory_Code=JASS

I used two tubes of material because I wanted my gutters filled as close as possible to the top, so water would just run over the edge instead of sitting in the cavity.

[Alan's Classic]

Be careful on the down hill slopes when using self leveling. If it's pretty warm out it likes to run and puddle. I used a controlled flow from 3M. It flows about 10 seconds and stops. Read the info on the cartridge before using. Keep the tip in the product to minimize air bubbles. I've also seen a heat gun used right after dispensing and the heat brings the bubbles out. With heat it will flow out and set faster. I didn't use a heat gun on mine, because I was shown the trick after doing my truck.

If the cartridges are small have your second tube ready to go. That way the time between cartridges is kept to a minimum.

[scottofksu]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Should be able to get either at an autobody supply store. I used less than one cartridge on a '65 roof, using enough to completely cover the bottom of the gutter. Using enough to completly fill the channel will probably make the sealer thick enough to become unstable, especially if it's not an epoxy. Using just enough to fully cover the bottom will make the sealer more stable and should last longer. If you use an epoxy and have some left over, it won't set up in the tube like one part sealer can.
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Amazon.com: LORD FUSOR 122EZ: Automotive
Is the 10oz size the one you used?

Astro - if I ever hit the lottery you can expect an unpaid shop intern to show up the next day to try to learn 1/10 of what you know... You do beautiful work!

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by scottofksu

Amazon.com: LORD FUSOR 122EZ: Automotive

Is the 10oz size the one you used?

Astro - if I ever hit the lottery you can expect an unpaid shop intern to show up the next day to try to learn 1/10 of what you know... You do beautiful work!

Thanks, come on over! I believe that was the size I used.

[theastronaut]

This isn't what you want to hear, but bad thing can happen even when you use the best products and follow all the directions. This was the first time I applied sealer to the roof gutters on the '65, and it had to sit for a year before I painted it due to the customers' health.

I used SEM brand two part epoxy self leveling sealer, which worked just as well as Fusor did, but it cracked sometime within that year sitting indoors on a level concrete floor- no twisting, flexing, hot/cold weather, or sun exposure. It was appied over an epoxy primer (not acid etching), with a couple coats of high build urethane on top. I first thought that just the primer cracked, but I did some poking around and found that the crack was from the sealer shrinking and pulling away from the body. The crack even crossed over from inside to outside of the drip rail channel, and you could slide a razor blade edge a good ways into the crack, so it wasn't just the primer. I called SEM and they sent a rep out to check their product and my work, and since I did everything according to their instruction they made it good, paying labor and materials to fix it. Due to the way they honored their warrenty, I'm still using alot of SEM products.

[Captainfab]

It looks as though a special gun is required to dispense the Fusor seam sealer.

[El Campo]

Interesting! And Astro you put this on over your epoxy primer correct? Have you used the 3M that others talk about and you feel that this is superior?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

It looks as though a special gun is required to dispense the Fusor seam sealer.

It takes a dual mix gun, same as most dual mix epoxies. We had a rep give us a pnuematic gun a few years ago, so we were covered already. There are manual guns that are cheaper, and I feel that the extra cost of the gun and epoxy sealer vs one part sealer is well worth the extra protection, durability, and smoother appearance. The gun can be used for other types of seam sealers too. You can get a cartridge of sealer and a dual mix gun for around $100 bucks, well worth that in my eyes knowing it won't give problems down the road.

Here's a SEM dual mix gun for $60 bucks. Or buy 6 cartridges and get the gun free!

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/sem-...9-p-15587.aspx

Originally Posted by El Campo

Interesting! And Astro you put this on over your epoxy primer correct? Have you used the 3M that others talk about and you feel that this is superior?

Right, epoxy over bare metal, then scuffed that with a red pad and applied the sealer. I haven't used 3M epoxy sealer to compare the two, but I've used SEM self leveling an it works the same. I did have the problem of the SEM cracking, but they said it was the only know occurance they'd ever seen; they keep up with batch numbers and complaints. They sent a rep out to check it, and wrote a check to take care of the labor and materials to redo it. Stand up company IMO- their warrenty actually means something. I've had gread luck with other SEM products before and since. I have used 3M brushable seam sealer before, and swore that stuff off for good! It shrinks badly, applys rough, and is some ugly looking stuff- I wouldn't use it on the underside of a body, its that ugly. I've also used 3M Strip Caulk on interior firewall-to-cowl seams to fill larger gaps and liked it. The Strip Caulk stays soft and flexible and is paintable.

[Captainfab]

Oh, I'm not debating that at all. I just thought I would mention that so that others were aware of the gun needed for application.

Originally Posted by theastronaut

It takes a dual mix gun, same as most dual mix epoxies. We had a rep give us a pnuematic gun a few years ago, so we were covered already. There are manual guns that are cheaper, and I feel that the extra cost of the gun and epoxy sealer vs one part sealer is well worth the extra protection, durability, and smoother appearance. The gun can be used for other types of seam sealers too. You can get a cartridge of sealer and a dual mix gun for around $100 bucks, well worth that in my eyes knowing it won't give problems down the road.

Here's a SEM dual mix gun for $60 bucks. Or buy 6 cartridges and get the gun free!

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/sem-...9-p-15587.aspx