Re-sealing issues (1 Viewer)

mickthebrick

Banned
Mar 16, 2010
22
12
Leeds
Funster No
10,653
MH
Coach Built
Exp
Since 2008
Hi guys and gals,
I am intending to reseal some joints on the bodywork and bumpers, can anyone give me any advice on which products would best suit, I also need a cream colour finish to match the body work which i understand sika dont do, thanks in anticipation for your help,
Mick
 

steveheather

Free Member
Aug 13, 2009
23
0
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Funster No
7,960
MH
C Class Low Pro
Exp
8 Years
Seam Sealer - Cream Colour

Hi there,

You don't specify whether you are looking for a tube or tape sealer but the following may be useful to you if you are looking for a non-setting product:

I have just resealed all my van windows with this - Link Removed

It is clean, easy to apply and trim and comes in a very pale cream colour rather than the grey of W4 products. If you look at the other products on the sellers shop, you will see that it comes in a variety of lengths, thicknesses and widths. The supplier also sells a variety of tubed products that may fit the bill for you if you drop them a mail.

I actually obtained mine from a friendly local caravan dealer that uses Hodgsons HP600 for all their re-sealing work. They advised me to fit and trim the product on a warm day and this advice proved very helpful.

I can't yet vouch for the longevity of this product but it is relatively cheap and non-setting mastics/tape do remove easily with the help of white spirit.

Steve
 
Nov 30, 2009
6,543
148,332
Pickering
Funster No
9,521
MH
PVC the PUG
Exp
Since 2009 with motorhomes several caravans then tents before that.
Just to bump this up as i would like to know if you can replace the silicone (?) sealer which is on the outside of the MH?
Our's has gone from white to very dark grey/black in places. Mostly round the Hab door , but also where the cab joins the Hab . The MH is 4 years old and has always been kept outside in the elements.
Id like to strip it out, well get Ralph to strip it out and re do it.
As you would around the bath when it gets grubby :roflmto:
Would it affect warranties ? Which product would be best to use ? Is it best left alone ?
Thanks
Bev

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sep 23, 2007
1,702
1,966
Leicestershire
Funster No
347
MH
A Class
Exp
4 and many as a tugger
Best advice would to PM Mark from CLS. He services quite a few members M/H and has a good reptutaion.

Andy
 

steveheather

Free Member
Aug 13, 2009
23
0
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Funster No
7,960
MH
C Class Low Pro
Exp
8 Years
Sealant Replacement?

In answer to Bev - if your motorhome is only 4 years old, then I would doubt that many areas of sealant would yet have reached such a state of deterioration that they needed replacing.

The sealant in my windows was almost 9 years old and being of the non-setting butyl type, was drying out and had lost it's flexibility - so time to change.

The main sealant between your cab and habitation will likely be something of a more permanent nature than butyl based sealant. The seal around your door may well be butyl based mastic but if it is still fairly tacky and flexible then it should still be okay for a good few years.

I would recommend that you can clean any of these quite easily with some white spirit on a cloth or paper towel and it should come up almost as white as new. Try it - I did and it worked.

Steve
 

sue1959

Free Member
Feb 11, 2010
0
619
Ireland
Funster No
10,253
Exp
non as yet, hired in Canada a couple of times. hope to buy in the next few years.
Just an Aside would this be any use for sealing conservatory windows as we have a leaky one, especially when its blowing a gale and the rain is horizontal!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Nov 30, 2009
6,543
148,332
Pickering
Funster No
9,521
MH
PVC the PUG
Exp
Since 2009 with motorhomes several caravans then tents before that.
Thanks Steve,
The sealant isn't dry its tacky. It hasn't perished it just looks grubby . It is different round the cab area , more solid. That bit is grubby in certain areas. I reckon it would come up easily with white spirit .
Sue,
use some clear silicone . You could get some from BQ Ralph uses it in a gun thing that you fix it into. Wet your finger afterwards and run it along the silicone . This will push the silicone into the gap and finish it of neatly. (Keep your finger wet :thumb:)
Bev
 

steveheather

Free Member
Aug 13, 2009
23
0
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Funster No
7,960
MH
C Class Low Pro
Exp
8 Years
Conservatory Windows!

Hi Sue,

I'd suggest that you're a little off topic with that one in this thread .

You might try a new thread with a lot more detail, pictures etc. While the suggestion to use silicon may be valid, it's more likely that you'd get the best advice if you give a better idea of the problem.

Steve
 

Wintonian

Free Member
Nov 30, 2009
122
1
Brittany, France
Funster No
9,522
MH
A Class
Exp
2
My advice is to ignore silicone sealants for anything other than bathrooms!

Professional window fitters, whether it be motor homes, boats, aircraft, commercial building windows or homes, use a non-silicone sealant. It is impossible to paint over or near to silicone sealants. And, unless the correct type of silicone is used, it will lead to crazing of Plexiglass type plastics. The PO of my house, thinking he was a general builder, used gallons of the stuff to seal everything in sight because he didn't know any better. I am having to remove it and replace with the proper stuff and discussed above.

A non-setting mastic has so many advantages, particularly on a structure that is subject to flexing or expansion and contraction. And is easier to apply than silicone.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
M

mickthebrick

Banned
Mar 16, 2010
22
12
Leeds
Funster No
10,653
MH
Coach Built
Exp
Since 2008
Its the vertical joints between the cab (plastic) and the aluminium body. its only a hair line gap and is probably more for asthetics than water proofing as there will be an adhesive/sealer holding it to the body, also the rear horizontal joint between the top of the bumper and the plastic trim. I read somewhere that silicones should be avoided but can't remember why, either way it will have to be in a tube so i can mask up and get a nice line or it will look a bit of a pig, thanks for your suggestions so far,
Mick
 

rainbow chasers

Free Member
Oct 30, 2009
3,680
1,725
Mid Cornwall
Funster No
9,132
MH
Various
Exp
9
Never use silicone on motorhomes/caravan joints and bodywork/fittings. It sets hard, is not flexible and will expand and cause leaks like there is no tomorrow!

For bodywork joints etc, you will need NON DRYING joint selaer, available from your camping/caravan suppliers - it is very cheap- a few pounds for a large tube.

It is quite a big and fiddly job doing it properly, as all the metal finishing strips must be very carefully removed, cleaned etc, along with the joints, and resealed. You must take care not to bend these.

The rest of the joints are fairly straight forward. If they are just dirty, try cleaning first before digging it out - all you need to do is have an air bubble in the sealer and you will be leaking. If it isn't broke, and all that! lol!

Have a bash at cleaning first and see where you go from there. Sealing is messy and long winded, and must be done right!
 

steveheather

Free Member
Aug 13, 2009
23
0
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Funster No
7,960
MH
C Class Low Pro
Exp
8 Years
Silicon Sealer

Must say that I agree with the general advice to avoid silicon sealant on the exterior of a motorhome. Not least because it is a devil of a job to remove completely when the time comes to reseal again. :Angry:

Silicon sealant removers can be bought but they come with a requirement to test on a surfaces first as they may attack paint etc. I know from experience that this is advice that should not be ignored especially where paintwork is involved.

Quite by accident, I recently discovered that the application of white spirit can greatly assist in the removal of silicon traces (after the bulk has been ripped away) and makes it much easier to scrape off with a plastic spatula or similar. The white spirit seems to either denature the silicon or creep underneath making it separate much more easily from the base surface without causing damage. :thumb: Of course there are differing qualities of silicon sealant but should you need to remove some, then give white spirit a try.

Steve

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

haganap

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2007
12,712
25,980
planet earth
Funster No
974
MH
Carthago C Tourer
Exp
I'm an oldbie MH number 9
bev, if you mean behind the cab doors and around the cab area, I had a similar problem on my CI. It went quite black and just seemed to of picked up the dirt.
I used some jif cream on it and it cleaned it up a treat. Although of course I could not state whether this damages the sealant in any way, it certainly did not on mine.

Removing it and resealing it is a real real pain I promise you. One that really is not worth undertaking, hoever however however,,,,,

Im starting to get the feeling that your a cleanliness is next to godliness sort of person:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::Blush:
 
Nov 30, 2009
6,543
148,332
Pickering
Funster No
9,521
MH
PVC the PUG
Exp
Since 2009 with motorhomes several caravans then tents before that.
bev, if you mean behind the cab doors and around the cab area, I had a similar problem on my CI. It went quite black and just seemed to of picked up the dirt.


Im starting to get the feeling that your a cleanliness is next to godliness sort of person:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::Blush:

Yes thats exactly what i was meaning. :thumb: Nothing serious , just cosmetic and me hijacking a thread sort of..
It just looks grubby. I could live with it . Infact I'm going to do.
Another thing that bugs me is the Grey rubber on the fiamma door grab lock handle thingy. Its all bumpy and old looking :Doh:
I probably am a bit of a clean freak. May be i need to get out more:ROFLMAO:
But then Ralph's worse than me. Honest. He's the cleanest tidiest builder around. A proper perfectionist . His customers love him.
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
Just to bump this up as i would like to know if you can replace the silicone (?) sealer which is on the outside of the MH?
Our's has gone from white to very dark grey/black in places.
Bev

If it works don't fix it.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

sharynsingery

Free Member
May 7, 2010
2
0
Senlis France
Funster No
11,447
Re-sealing Motorhomes

Dear Mick,
I represent a company called EternaBond in Europe and Re-Sealing Motorhomes is
our speciality. You can buy our leakproof Resealing tape at Lancastria Roofing products in Manchester. The companys recommend re-sealing the seams about every three years. A motorhome is basically a wooden box held together by screws and is seamed with silicone, and what happens after driving on bumping roads in the wild blue yonder, those camping cars come apart at the seams. A 15.2 meter 4 inch white roll should do the trick. Thanks for your time. If you want, take a look at our Website
Link Removed , there is a lot of information there.

Sincerely,
Sharyn Singery
EternaBond-Europs
 

sharynsingery

Free Member
May 7, 2010
2
0
Senlis France
Funster No
11,447
Re-Sealing camping cars/motorhomes to avoid leaks

Dear All,
I represent a company in Europe called Eternabond, we have a sealing tape that
was originally developed for RV's in the US. Re-Sealing RV's is a very simple procedure that should be done every 3 years to avoid leaks. The biggest part of
the job is to scrape away all of the old silicone and clean the roof with acetone or
a cleaner. But basically, the sealing tape is quite easy to do your self. Just
clean, peel off the silicone liner, press the tape on the seam and you are finished.

EternaBond RS White 4 inch is sold at Lancastria Roofing Products in Irlam Manchester. The folks there will be happy to help you. For more information,
please take a look at our website at Link Removed there are some
interesting article written about us and our product line.

Thank you for your time
Sharyn Singery
EternaBond-Europe
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

Funster
Deceased RIP
Jan 5, 2008
9,617
6,194
East Sussex
Funster No
1,134
MH
Autotrail
Exp
1995

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top