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06-02-2004, 09:07 PM
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#1
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Rivet Master
1962 22' Safari
2016 30' Classic
Southeast
, Michigan
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,987
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Autolamp Taillight Gasket?
Over the weekend we discovered that we have a water leak at the back of the trailer. We immediately caulked the bumper to body gap, but that didn't completely stop the leak. I saw a post about a leak thru the tail lights, so I thought I'd check there, too. I pulled off one of the lenses for our Autolamp 575's and aound signs of water intrusion (i.e.rust) inside the lamp. As an aside, it seems dumb to design a lamp that has 4 rivit holes around the perimiter just inviting water to intrude.
Anyway, inside the ring of screw and rivit holes there is a ridge that is probably where the water tight seal should be. I found our lamp had some type of putty there as a gasket. It looked like plumbers putty and it looks like I should replace it with fresh stuff. Can anyone suggest what type of material I could use as a replacement. I think I have some plumbers putty lying around, or I could try to cut a gasket out of those gasket material sheets you can get at a hardware store. Has anyone found either to work reliably?
Thanks in advance,
Joe
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06-03-2004, 06:44 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master
LOST
, Hawaii
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,193
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There is a putty tape used commonly on rvs, better would be butyl tape or vulkem. Paper gaskets will stop water for awhile but fall apart pretty fast.
John
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06-03-2004, 06:59 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1967 26' Overlander
Huntsville
, Alabama
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,018
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66Overlander
... I pulled off one of the lenses for our Autolamp 575's and aound signs of water intrusion (i.e.rust) inside the lamp...Anyway, inside the ring of screw and rivit holes there is a ridge that is probably where the water tight seal should be. I found our lamp had some type of putty there as a gasket...
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Joe,
If you are talking about a gasket between the lense & the tail light assembly, my '67 originally had cork gaskets. Age had shrunk them from their former circular shape into a triangular shape. Not much sealing action there.
No way was I going to be able to cut a gasket that thin from either cork or paper. So, I ran a bead of Permatex gasket maker in the recess, let it skin over for five or ten minutes, then sprayed the lense heavily with silicone spray, and reinstalled it. The silicone spray was to keep the permatex from sticking to the lense in case I ever needed to change a light bulb
As a preemptive strike on subsequent flames, let me add that permatex is silicone rubber based. There is a plethora of posts concerning its use on aluminum. I am comfortable with its use in this particular application. Others may not be.
If, on the other hand, this is not the sealing interface of interest, I would still recommend the gasket maker IF you think there is an occasional need to disassemble. If not, I would use Vulkem.
Live long and prosper ,
Tom
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06-03-2004, 09:04 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1972 25' Tradewind
Currently Looking...
McHenry County
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,171
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When I was rebuilding the tail light bases on my 67 GT I had the same condition. After fixing the rust with JB weld epoxy and painting I used a material called 3-M Strip caulk, or known in the trade as "DUM-DUM". This stuff is mostly used to seal auto body seams. It's 1/4 inch wide and 1/8 thick, a foot long, pliable and I have never seen it dry out. You can probably pick some up at a auto body supply store. I would stay away from silicone sealers as they are hard to remove if you ever need to remove the base. Now if I could only find new Autolamp "wedding cake" lenses I'd be all set.
Good Luck,
TOM
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06-03-2004, 11:38 AM
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#5
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418
2007 25' Safari FB SE
1958 22' Flying Cloud
1974 29' Ambassador
Yucca Valley
, California
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: 1963 26' Overlander
Posts: 4,804
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 74Argosy24MH
There is a putty tape used commonly on rvs, better would be butyl tape or vulkem. Paper gaskets will stop water for awhile but fall apart pretty fast.
John
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Careful with the Vulkem, it sticks like glue. Might be hard to get the lenses back off once vulkem sets up.
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06-04-2004, 10:03 AM
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#6
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1 Rivet Member
Beckley
, West Virginia
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 5
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Hello, I am a new Airstream owner ('69 Land Yacht) and am reading as many posts as possible in order to get some perspective on restoration. What, exactly, is Vulkem? In what forms does it come? Is it the right material for resealing windows? Thanks for any input. David
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06-04-2004, 11:12 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1967 26' Overlander
Huntsville
, Alabama
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,018
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackjack
...What, exactly, is Vulkem? In what forms does it come? Is it the right material for resealing windows? ...
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Here's a thousand words
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06-04-2004, 11:24 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
LOST
, Hawaii
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,193
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uwe
Careful with the Vulkem, it sticks like glue. Might be hard to get the lenses back off once vulkem sets up.
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Don't use the butyl tape either if it is lens to body of the lamp. My assumption (bad mistake I know) was that it was lamp to trailer skin.
John
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