Solvent for vent sealant?

[4seasons]

Hello all! This is my 1st post as an owner of a 2001 Bambi 19.

I am replacing the pop up vent in the bathroom and cannot find a way to break the bond of the sealant and the vent out side. I am hoping there is a trick somebody could relay. I tried goo gone and using a length of picture hanging wire ( like a cable saw) to try to get under the flange but not working well. Any help is appreciated!

Db

[polarlyse]

Get a good heat gun. It will help soften the old crusty sealant and make it easier to remove. Not EASY just EASIER. Lousy job but someone has to do it.

OH, and use a plastic putty knife.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The gotcha with these sealants is that they are some form of rubber. Once they cure and convert into their final form ..... solvent's don't do much to them. At least no solvent you would want to be around .....

Bob

[cwf]

Nice summer day in Texas (hot). Let roof warm up.. add heat gun if you need. Use a 'metal' putty knife to CAREFULLY start working an edge loose.. do not Gouge the Aluminum!!! Keep the putty knife flat to the aluminum roof.

Push the putty knife between roof and the flange. Apply heat... GENTLY lift the putty knife to put some separating leverage... Keep applying heat.. Keep the leverage going.. you will soon see a pattern develop ... heat and leverage.. no scraping!

The plastic scrapers are great, but with heat gun, ours got too flimsy to do any good..

[4seasons]

Thanks! Got it installed. Yep, not easy.

What is the sealant that the use?

[cwf]

Originally Posted by 4seasons

Thanks! Got it installed. Yep, not easy.

What is the sealant that the use?

Adseal... or another polyurethane.. I covered the whole area with thin coat.. remember, this is real help to keep the device on the roof rather than depend on the screws..

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by cwf

Adseal... or another polyurethane.. I covered the whole area with thin coat.. remember, this is real help to keep the device on the roof rather than depend on the screws..

CWF, do you have any specific recommendations? Lots of options here.



http://adaseal.com/products/


thx
Bob

[worden]

I had better luck making my own scrapers with oak scrap and sanding the end to a "chisel" shape. These were much stronger than the plastic ones I tried and they were easy to sharpen with sand paper. For solvent I have use both mineral spirits and MEK. MEK evaporates very quickly so doesn't give much working time. The wood scrapers were roughly 3/4 by 6 by 1/8 thick with a rounded end for your palm.

[GMFL]

Don’t use MEK it will eat your clear coat and paint from your roof!

[cwf]

Here is link on AS site.. strange but the search function fails!!!
https://store.airstream.com/product/...dhesive-white/

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by cwf

Here is link on AS site.. strange but the search function fails!!!
https://store.airstream.com/product/...dhesive-white/

Awesome, thanks Channing!
B

[worden]

Originally Posted by GMFL

Don’t use MEK it will eat your clear coat and paint from your roof!

Yes, sorry - I was thinking of my trailer- the clear coat is long gone!

[4seasons]

Wow! Thanks so much to all for this wealth of info. Very helpful.