Please share your experiences and opinions here.

I'll start:

I have had good results with three urethanes from 3M. 4200, 5200 and a windshield sealant of forgotten number.

5200 is like welding, but 4200 can actually be removed fairly easily. Given the inherent strength of the Barth doors, the extra strength of the 5200 might not be needed.

Continuing on adhesives, for little jobs, I keep a squeeze tube of Shoe Goo around. It is astounding what it does. I can fix everything except a broken heart with Shoe Goo, cyanoacrylate and nylon thread. I don't like cyan by itself, but tying sewing or wrapping something up with the thread and then saturating with the cyan really works. Even balling up some thread and forcing it into the wound, then saturating it works. A little baking soda hastens curing. I have also made bulletproof awning repairs by sewing with the thread, then forcing a urethane into the repair. The thread also serves as surgical sew up if far from a medic.

Gorilla Glue is pretty handy, but sets up too hard for some jobs.

My favorite roof sealant is Liquid Roof/Liquid Rubber. It is expensive and must be mixed and applied per instructions, but it sealed for good the infamous Fleetwood front cap to roof leak. Still tight after 8 years.

I have done some incredibly bootleg things (that would make a real mechanic either collapse in a paroxysm of laughter or weep) with both Marine Tex and JB Weld. I do not know which is better, but neither has ever failed me. I had a go kart racing friend who actually used Marine Tex to change the exhaust port timing on a two stroke engine. I patched a hole in a 2 cycle crankcase with window screen and Marine Tex so a guy could finish riding on a weekend. The dang fool kept the repair in place for years after that, and it lasted. I use MT to repair a neighbor's rusted out gas tank, with only external surface preparation. I lasted till he sold the car a year or two later.

RTV Silicone sealant has its uses on engines, but gasoline will soften it.

I used Hylomar a lot in aviation, but I am in the middle of resealing a real axle leak where Hylomar failed. Gear lube has always seemed to attack sealants. Rusty-----whyzzat?


My favorite Akkumpukky is Eternabond, but I am sure to coat it, as the long term effects of UV on it are not known.

Been there, done that with 3M 5200, Marine-Tex, & JB Weld. More experience with Marine-Tex than JB Weld.

Gary is probably thinking of Sikaflex, a urethane in the same class as 5200. When I was working on boats, Sikaflex was a little cheaper but equally effective as 5200.

My current favorite for ordinary caulking is DAP Dynaflex 230. Hardware store cheap, water cleanup, tools with a wet finger, comes in several colors, 50 year guarantee. Haven't kept anything long enough to check out the guarantee.

I used a flowable RV sealant (Dicor?) to seal the invisible leaks on the Barth roof right after I got it. Covered everything that looked like it might penetrate the roof. Hasn't leaked a drop since.

I had a FWD GMC with the dump valve centered under the rear bumper. It would break off on anything higher than a tall expansion joint. By the time I repaired it several times, it had a softball sized blob of Marine-Tex on it, but it quit breaking.

Years ago I had a split-foyer house that developed a hot water leak under the concrete, under the stair landing, next to a structural wall. Lying on my side under the landing, hands above my head, I drove a hole in the concrete with a star drill, big enough to get one hand in, scooped out the gravel, & dried it as best I could. The leak was a cold joint on the stem of a "T", & had eroded the copper pipe. I slathered on Marine-Tex, wrapped it one-handed with glass tape, slathered on more Marine-Tex, wrapped it again to be sure, waited awhile & turned on the water. It was still holding when we moved from there.

Once I wondered how we existed before paper towels, WD40, & duct tape. I've long since added Marine-Tex to the list.

I don't know why gear lube would attack sealants...unless you're referring to industrial gear lubes which are a long way from diffy lube. Some HD compounds or those for limited-slip differentials might do it, but I've never heard of its being a problem with the usual sealants (Permatex #2, etc.). I use the blue RTV for differentials (although the Mag-HyTech cover on the Barth has an O-ring). RTV is more robust than silicones.

I'm unfamiliar with Hylomar.

For coatings of rusted steel, I start with a cleaning, then pickle the area with Ospho, followed by 2-3 coats of cold galvanizing spray, then 2 coats of epoxy paint.

quote:

Gary is probably thinking of Sikaflex, a urethane in the same class as 5200. When I was working on boats, Sikaflex was a little cheaper but equally effective as 5200.

Does Sikaflex set up in the cartridge like 5200? That is about the only complaint I have with 5200.

quote:

I don't know why gear lube would attack sealants...

I am also informed by the laundry that gear lube is harder to clean from clothes.

Both the base stock (down near the asphaltic range in some cases) and the additives carry heavy coloration. Motor oil cleans easily because it's emulsible (GO isn't) and has an included detergent. Same with grease - lithium 12 hydroxy stearate is actually a soap, just insoluble in water unlike sodium soap.

Best rubber roof coating i have ever found and used is an acrylic rubber paint by conklin roof products out of Minnesota. need a special sprayer to spray it but if you dont mind brush and or roller marks thats the way to go.
I had it sprayed on two buildings i owned 15 and 10 years ago. neither leak to this day. flat roofs. expensive stuff but well worth it i thought. on the buildings they also first sprayed a urethane type foam on first. cut my heating bills by over 50%.i bought some and put it on the Barth myself. not because i had leaks but because i didn't want any. been on since 2002 and not one problem. does have to be cleaned to keep the black gunk off of it. brushed and rolled it on and could have done a better job smoothing it but i had help that were not concrned. I'll have to check the exact name of it and let you know but i think it was there top of line and i'm sure price is higher now. back then i paid $16.00 a gallon wholesale from the guy that did my bldgs.

Bill H, are you saying that the 5200 or the marine tex could be used to reattach the door frame runner after removal and repair as in Bill NY is doing? I ask because i was thinking about doing the barth but i cant even weld steel let alone alum. if that would work i could haacksaw or grind them apart, fix and rettach myself at a LARGE $$ savings over having the job done by others.

Thanks

quote:

Bill H, are you saying that the 5200 or the marine tex could be used to reattach the door frame runner after removal and repair?

Yes.

I would use 5200 around the edges and Marine Tex at the cut joints. Use enough 5200 so it squeezes out a little. Build the MT up a little.

Another possibility for the welding-impaired is the aluminum rod that you weld with a propane torch. I have seen some nice work done with it.

Yet another possibility is to take the doors to a welder. Might not be too bad.

Thanks Bill. I have one of thosse meps tourches and aluminum rod that i bought out in quartzsite. guy even let me weld a pop can with it. i did great. You think i can make it work that way NOW? NO WAY!
Your last sentence is probably the best for me.

Ironside and I must have bought that rod off the same flea market crook (I mean vendor) as I.
seemed like it would do anything before I bought it.