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07-16-2002, 02:30 PM
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#1
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Patriotic
1973 23' Safari
North of Boston
, Massachusetts
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,546
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Caulking and Sealants (silicone, parbond, vulkem & more)
perusing through the threads, I'm wondering: should I pro-actively seal all the seams on my "new" ('73) trailer, or just large gaps or known leaks? (there aren't any that I know of...yet, except perhaps a sloppy sillicon job around the front window). I'm reading that vulkem needs to be run in a rather thick bead....I can't imagine how that would look running up and down the trailer (yuck). Or is there some method for getting it into the seams, making it more or less invisible?
What is this "par-bond" stuff, and where do I get it?
what about the alluminum gutter/flashing caulk available at HD?
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07-16-2002, 05:28 PM
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#2
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4 Rivet Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 414
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It "seems" to be a problem
Ditto! I have the same question. Anyone have some good proven techniques?
What is the best product?
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07-16-2002, 06:19 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Vulkem is used for the large seams, such as at the top of the windows, entrance door, vent cover flanges and awning rail. It's also used to seal the vent pipe gaskets, through the fiberglass screening and on to the black vent pipes.
Parbond, comes in 5 ounce tubes and is used for small seams, such as segment seams and around the top and both sides of clearance lights, and around the sides of the window frames. It, like vulkem, never completely hardens. Very small beads can easily be made with Parbond.
We have used it for many years and keep much of it in inventory.
Andy
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07-16-2002, 07:03 PM
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#4
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Airstream Driver
1994 30' Excella
1992 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,224
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If you want your seams and windows look like this read on.
__________________
1994 30' Excella Front Kitchen Trailer
1990 25' Excella Travel trailer
1992 350LE Classic Touring Coach
AIR #13
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07-16-2002, 07:07 PM
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#5
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Airstream Driver
1994 30' Excella
1992 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,224
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get some 3M blue tape, 1" and 1 1/2".
On straight seams, place 2 strips leaving about 1/16" space, on corners place a piece of 1 1/2" tape and cut it with an Olfa type knife.
__________________
1994 30' Excella Front Kitchen Trailer
1990 25' Excella Travel trailer
1992 350LE Classic Touring Coach
AIR #13
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07-16-2002, 07:16 PM
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#6
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Airstream Driver
1994 30' Excella
1992 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,224
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carefully remove the side on the skin and place it 1/16" from the frame for a perfect fit.
I personally like Tremco's (same co that makes vulkem) Dymonic Polyurethane Sealant. It sticks like thunder to aluminum and clearcoat and never dries hard. It is more liquid than vulkem and not so gritty. The color is a grey/aluminum. I bought it at the local glass company for $5.25 for a 11 oz tube. After forcing it into the seam using a caulk gun, I use a rag with paint thinner to smooth it out prior to removing the tape.
__________________
1994 30' Excella Front Kitchen Trailer
1990 25' Excella Travel trailer
1992 350LE Classic Touring Coach
AIR #13
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07-16-2002, 07:35 PM
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#7
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4 Rivet Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 414
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I'm all caulked up! Oohh haaa yaa!
PeterH,
That technique rocks! The product sounds interesting, I'll give it a try.
RVAndy,
As always, may god bless and keep you in our circle.
Dave
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07-16-2002, 07:54 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,703
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I'll store this thread away for later...
Thanks Andy for the clarification on the different sealers...and thanks to PeterH for the technique tip! Love it!
Shari
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07-16-2002, 08:20 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1986 25' Sovereign
Southern Middle
, Tennessee
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,319
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I've also heard that Alcoa Gutter Seal works like the Parbond. Anyone been able to compare the difference between these two products?
__________________
Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
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07-17-2002, 11:44 AM
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#10
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Patriotic
1973 23' Safari
North of Boston
, Massachusetts
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,546
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Thanks, guys, this is great info. But my original question: should I just go ahead and "do" all the seams in the trailer, just for good measure?
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07-17-2002, 12:16 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Chuck. If the seams are not leaking, don't. However, if it will make you feel better, then go for it. The vast majority of exterior seams are sealed for cosmetic purposes, the exception being the roof and awning rail.
Andy
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07-17-2002, 12:17 PM
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#12
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Administrator
1961 16' Bambi
Dallas
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,025
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Thanking members for their posts...
Please dont forget to use the Karma button to give members who post great content more points. There is also a field for comments where you can leave more praise. This will allow the archive to stay "on topic" with less post to sift through when looking for specific content.
Cheers,
Andy
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07-23-2002, 07:23 AM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
1964 19' Globetrotter
Glenside
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 66
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Inland Andy - 1 more time for the blond!
I saw a post of your's not long ago that said caulking the seams was useless but sold a lot of vulkem. So in the post above are you saying 'yes' to sealing the seams on the roof (but not the sides).
Thanks
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07-23-2002, 08:44 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Seam sealing
Sealing the seams on the side of a coach, is usually cosmetic. If indeed there was a water leak on the side, it would indicated severe abuse or structural damage. Sealing the roof is another matter. Since the roofs receive far more sun exposure than the sides, a failure of a sealer can occur. It is wise to check the roof periodically for a sealed area that may have opened up.
Generally speaking, the vast "majority" of Airstream water leaks are caused by the owner. Simply not balancing the running gear properly, AND, not keeping it that way, causes at least 98 percent of all water leaks. Extremely rough roads, cause the rest. Rarely, will anyone ever find or hear of an Airstream trailer, that has been parked for years, having a rain water leak.
That in it self tells where the problem starts.
On the other hand, most water leaks, in fact, are not at any seams, but are most likely from worn out window gaskets, sewer and drain line vent pipe gaskets that are cracked ( these should be replaced every 5 years or so), leaky clearance lights (caused by simple sun exposure which shrinks the plastic), bad or missing ceiling vent cover gaskets, and of course, missing rivets.
Awning rails usually take a beating, when the awning has been used for extended periods of time. Notice how a small wind makes an awning flutter, let alone high winds. That fabric movement puts a great stain on the awning rail.
Any resealing should be carefully considered, before any application of a sealer. If there are no leaks, then leave it alone.
Like they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
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09-08-2003, 11:13 AM
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#15
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 48
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How to apply Vulkem?
Well, spent the weekend removing the gaskets around the doors and two little windows (same side). Now just have to get the gaskets back on.
question is - notice places that had Vulkem? and need to reseal between where the window and skin meet. I tried using a small syringe in the corners of the windows but guess I'm not doing it right.
Please someone tell me how to appy this stuff - with a syringe or your fingers??
stellablu
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09-08-2003, 12:24 PM
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#16
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 73
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ellablu
Please Say You haven't used that dredded V stuff yet.
Even the factory is using the GE Alumin. Silicon caulk that you can get from Home Depot Etc.
Much easier (small caulking gun), color matches, and stays pliable forever.
mareinmn
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09-08-2003, 12:58 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,703
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Quote:
Even the factory is using the GE Alumin. Silicon caulk
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...maybe so with the newer trailers, however, Vulkem was the sealer used in the vintage trailers. From our experience, the two do not mix well. We had a PO that used silicone caulk over the old Vulkem and we had nothing but problems with it adhering. I believe it is better to stick with the original, rather than mixing the two, to save yourself a bunch of future problems.
We applied the Vulkem using a syringe and masking tape. There was a great thread posted a while back that's packed with info & "How To's" to help you out, here's a link:
Tell me more about caulking...
Shari
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09-08-2003, 04:37 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,486
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All the Vulkem I ever have used came in a tube for a caulking gun. Is it available in some other form?
I have seen nothing about AS switching to aluminum silicone caulk. I understand they switched to Sikaflex some time back; I have used some and it seems to be an excellent product as well. The color blends a bit better with the aluminum than Vulkem.
Vulkem appears to remain pliable for decades. Maybe longer.
For really small seams I like Parbond.
Mark
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09-08-2003, 05:01 PM
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#19
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Just a member
1978 28' Argosy 28
Lutz
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,549
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Mark,
The Vulcem is only sold in gun tube cartridges for the general public to buy.
Some members transfer some to a large volume syringe to have better control over the bead size when sealing smaller seams. I can understand this as the par bond seems to develop a hard cracked finish look as it ages. The Vulcem stays soft and finished the way it was when you left it.
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
-------------------------
1978 Argosy 28 foot Motorhome
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
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09-08-2003, 05:41 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 949
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Quote:
Originally posted by mareinmn
ellablu
Even the factory is using the GE Alumin. Silicon caulk that you can get from Home Depot Etc.
mareinmn
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Really? What factory, maybe you can cue us in on where you got this bit of info.
Myself, I seriously doubt it. I remember a pic posted here somewhere that showed a case of Vulkem right on the production line. Yes, Vulkem can be messy but will hold up decades longer than any silicone, don't care what the tube says, 25 years, thirty years, all baloney!! I've peeled into some of the thirty year old Vulkem on mine and it is almost as fresh as the new stuff out of the tube, and stays stuck like nails.
Chas
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