Auto Seam Sealer - This Is Jeopardy!!

[karrlot]

So this is weird, but I know the answer, I'm just not sure that I've asked the correct question!

The answer is "Autobody Seam Sealer, available at O'Rielly's and other fine retailers.?"

Well, Alex, I'm going to have to go with "What do I use to stop the water from coming in between roof panels?"

I've removed all of my ceiling panels, exposing the inside of the ribs. Every other rib has 75 holes on the inside/bottom from where the rivets were.

I've got a few rust spots that I'm currently treating and patching in the floor and the where the chair rail meets the floor.

However, I have noticed that after it rains or the snow melts there is a slight amount of moisture where the ribs meet the floor. I have also noticed that when there is a little bit of moisture inside the rib, which I can feel through the opened rivet holes.

These are the same ribs which have the seams between two roof panels riveted to the top (outside) of the rib. My thought is that the water is either coming in at the seam between the two roof panels, or maybe even around the outside rivets.

Now I have realized that I want to prevent anymore water from coming into my bus before I finish treating and patching rust holes in the floor.

Is this where people are saying that I should use Autobody Seam Sealer? The product I have found at ORielly's is in a caulk tube at about $10 per tube, I think. Do I just follow the instructions and use it to seal up the seams on the roof?

Do I need to seal around all of the rivets?

If it matters, once the temperature warms up (maybe over spring break), I am going to paint the roof with white BusKote.

(Pictures to follow later today)

[Rusty]

$10 tube is steep- did you try to source online?

A bunch of people have had luck with PL products- myself included. Some use polyurethane Premium Constructions PL adhesive. This best used in unseen areas.

Get a tube at Lowes/HD and try it out- wear rubber gloves, is messy. Look on the bottom for date codes- is important to get freshest stuff and keep it warm for better application (not out in cold bus).

[Tango]

If you are going to use seam sealer, pay a little extra for an OEM grade urethane product. Big difference in quality and durability. I use...

3M™ Urethane Seam Sealer



You can find it online and occasionally at professional auto paint & body supply houses. Typically runs around $15 a tube. Just saw some on ebay. Another nice thing about this one is that the tube is all metal and has an air tight seal which gives it an extraordinary shelf life. Comes in black, gray and beige and is paintable. But read the instructions. As I recall they advise you NOT use alcohol to dress the finish. I use acetone.

[Rusty]

I re-read your post- you want to seal existing joints, not new ones.

Try this stuff- airstream guys swear by it:

Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure

[Piersg]

If you are patching from the roof, have you thought about using Eternabond tape?
EternaBond

I've heard good things about it.

[MiLochiNya]

Originally Posted by Piersg

If you are patching from the roof, have you thought about using Eternabond tape?
EternaBond

I've heard good things about it.

I second this. It works GREAT...just make sure you put it on right the first time...it will literally tear plywood apart

[DoubleO7]

And the area to be patched or taped has been scrubbed clean with Comet and a stiff brush. And well dried before installing the tape.

[ReleaseTheKraken]

Another vote for EternaBond tape, having tried many other caulking-type of solutions prior. They would eventually give out. Albeit the tape is not pretty.

[dan-fox]

Is it paintable? The website did not seem to address this.

[Tango]

The 3M stuff is paintable. All of the "automotive" seam sealers are. No idea what the other stuff is.