Hi folks,
Please feel free to add/discuss "Body Work: Seam Sealing Gutter" ideas here.
As discussed in my build thread, old seam seal from the gutter is causing rain to leak into cabin. Water creeps somehow and ends up in corner of windshield, leading me to inititially think it was a windshield leak. Before summer ends (does it ever in So Cal? - LOL!)...


Cleaning the gutter and seam to prepare for re-sealing. I'm trying to get all loose stuff out of the overlap/gap.


Next, I'll:
1) Brush on Permatex rust converted (that I have proven ot prevent rust earlier), and let it seep into the gap.
2) Use a Dremel-type polishing wheel and/or tip of file to scratch, clean and texture the exposed metal outside the seam and inside the gutter. 3M Dynapro Dynatron 550 likes bare, textured metal or primed metal.

 

Years ago I watched a buddy of mine lead fill his rain gutters on a old Falcon Ranchero notorious for rust and corrosion on the rails.
The only seam sealer I have used through the years is Eastwood Seam Sealer, but that was for floor pans to seal the seems after welding.

 

I will be watching this thread. I have nothing to add, your plan looks good to me!

I found out my truck was leaking water last winter (we had a very wet winter in Portland, OR). It started with a nasty, musty smell of the carpet.

It is hard for me to pinpoint the leak. I can only see up a little ways past my Emissions Computer, but it is coming in above the computer.

Like you RAD4Runner, I should probably get on that. I kind of forgot about the leak since we hadn't had much rain since early June. The rain will probably sneak up on me....

Even if my leak is not from seam sealer, this thread my come in handy in the future!

 

+1 on the lead Ray. TP tools sells a nice starter kit for around $150. I'll do your seam sealing you do my wiring upgrades 😎

 

Good deal, Tony!

This lead thing gives me an idea, Does it involve melting the lead? I have an 80-Watt soldering iron, After I flow rust converter into the gap, (IF 80 Watts are enough) I could sand exposed metal down, apply flux and basically solder the opening of the gap. Will still finish by filling the bottom of the gutter with Dynatron 550, priming then painting

+1 on Eastwood. I had always wondered what that material is that forms a bead on seams on truck bed. Must be good, too.

Either your leak is from windshield surround or bad seam on the gutter. I spent over a year monitoring it and had to have a windshield replaced thinking it was from leaking from around the windshield, because it was dripping from the upper right hand corner of the windshield.
I was surprised it was the gutter, too, because the gutter seems lower than where it was dripping from. I guess water was either wicking up the tight gap OR pooling and slashing forward when I braked.
Lesson learned: NOT good to stress that gutter, say, with gutter-mount roof rack.

 

I don't know if a the 80 watt iron will do it. It's usually done by a torch, but you can use a small torch probably and control the heat flow.
I would use some tinning "butter" in the area to help the lead adhere to the area your going to lead. It's kinda like flux, but used when leading to tin the area.
Apply lead and then re-heat and smooth it with a smaller wood pallet. You will probably need to make one being your area has a small gap run.

Practice this method on a scrap piece of metal to get the hang of applying the lead and then flowing it.
I'm sure there are some videos describing how its done.

 

Oh I see. I have mostly good paint surrounding the area and heat would probably mess it up. I'll just use original plan. Tnx, ksti

IF anybody has used Dynatron 550 and thinned it so it can be brushed, how did it work for you?

 

Oh Ya, close quarters leading could ruin paint.
The soldering method could work with the right amount of flux and if you can get it to flow, even better.
Put up some pic's when you get cracking on it.

 

Ray, just worth mentioning and you probably are already aware, if your going to solder,
the area in question has to be extremely clean, down to bare metal for solder to adhere.

 

Bare metal, Aye.

 

Watch those car washes they can get things quite wet

 

Sorry, I also tend to look over someones shoulders when they are fixing something and just want to grab it and do it myself.
I'm also a back seat driver.

 

LOL! LOL! (had to type LOL 2x because page says "LOL!" is too short - LOL!)

 

You working on this?

 

Yes,
Next step is brush or use syringe to flow rust converter into the gap.

 

Okay, patiently waiting for some pic's

 

Great Bear.
BTW, you probably know you might need to wear a respirator when working with the lead. (Could be wrong but the HSE folks where I'm at gripe about that to the worker bees)

Also, that Eastwood stuff comes in a can, like a paint can. Can brush it I suppose, but when I was trying to put sealer along side front firewall inside of the (geez, brain gas) chingalette where the wiper rods go, I ended up just using latex gloves, and dipping my fingers into the can and wiping along the crease.

 

Oh Ya, respirators are quite the standard nowadays.
But, back in my day we only used respirators when painting in a booth.
The safety standards were very lax also.
I'm sure I have fewer brain cells as a result.