Monday, Oct 06, 2008 at 21:51
G'day there.
Accidentally came upon this thread and thought I would join up and offer some advice.
Sounds like it could very
well be "roof proof" as mentioned by The crow. Or if the van is more than about 15 years old, could very
well be the original caulking compound. We haven't used caulking to reseal vans for over a decade.
No van manufacturer would have applied roof proof to a van though. Must have been brushed on by a previous owner. Not something that our repair
shop recommends as drying out and cracking normally appears after a short time.....such as 12 - 24 mths. Especially if it has been thinly applied.
Cleaning all the old stuff off and starting from scratch with some good quality silicone is the only answer. No need for expensive sika either. Great stuff for other purposes, but for this job, simple plumbers roof and gutter silicone will suffice. Just make sure it adheres to metal. White is better to apply than clear or translucent as you can see exactly where you have applied and also any air bubbles which may pop up.
Thoroughly clean all the joints first after removing old sealant with metho, thinners or the like. Just don't rub too hard with the thinners or the paint will come off as
well. It is good tho, as it doesn't leave n slightly oily surface like others do, such as turps. A generous bead over the joints, gently run over with a wet finger to smooth down....and your set for another 5 to 10 yrs.
Cheers - Paul
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