Screw holes?

[Kip in Ga.]

I have a number of snap caps to replace also.

Called Casita, and talked to a tech rep. He said to drill out the rivit and replace it with the snap cap base in place. I said, I would rather not replace the rivits if possible. He said the only other solution would be to just stick a new snap cap down over the rivit with silicone.

I told him about the concerns of using silicone on fiberglass and
He said that Casita uses 100% silicone all over the trailer.

My Casita's previous owner(s) replaced many caps using silicone. Some of them popped off when I washed the trailer. Strangely the silicone stayed stuck to the rivit but not inside the snapcap. Silicone is not really a glue, It is more of a sealer of cracks and/or a gasket. If applied correctly, it will do its job and stay in place.

If we think about it, most gaskets don't really stick to parts. They are squeezed between the parts so that liquids/air won't pass through.

I'm working on a solution that has promise, without having to replace the rivit. If it works, I will post the proceedure.

Kip

[Donna D.]

You should read a topic going on the CasitaForum about a poor guy trying to remove yards of silicone he used trying to seal the gap between the awning and the trailer. Silicone is a temporary fix, which can turn into a "permanent" problem. Kip, I'll be following your found procedure with great interest.

BTW: I'd also paint snap caps with Vusion before installing. May as well get as much life out of the caps as possible, UVs are the culprit!

[pindraak]

Wow. I would not want to pay what they are charging for a new Casita, only to have to go through a series of intensive silicone scrapings and re-sealings within a few years.

I just got through de-silicone-ing most of the small items on my trailer. I was removing, thoroughly cleaning and re-attaching everything with butyl. Three days of hard labor and soreness. However, I noticed many things seemed originally well-attached with butyl and not leaking after 23 years.

Now I have ordered a moisture meter and will test remaining items with a hose for leaks before removing anything else. It seems someone just gooped everything with silicone indiscriminately. I've still got four windows and a couple of running lights to de-goop around the edges, and the tail lights are so fouled they need to be replaced.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by bbuehler

Mark,
I just bought the Casita Snap-covers and their accompanying rings. If I'm leaving the origingal rivets in (not drilling them out and replacing them), what do I use to stick (bond) the rings to the gelcoat so that the snap caps will snap on and won't leave ANY room for water to get into the trailer?

Hummm - not sure what the point of this would be - other than to make the snaps look better. As far as I know the rivets are the only real means of holding the rings in place. IMHO it would probable not do much to pervent future leaks from happening if the rings where just held on with some bonding material. With the movement of the trailer over time its not out of the norm for some of the rivets to have actually broken off and it may not always be clear from looking at them that they have. IMHO it really is a better idea and money saver in the long term to drill out and replace the rivets at the same time. Not really that hard to do.

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

You should read a topic going on the CasitaForum about a poor guy trying to remove yards of silicone he used trying to seal the gap between the awning and the trailer. Silicone is a temporary fix, which can turn into a "permanent" problem. Kip, I'll be following your found procedure with great interest.

BTW: I'd also paint snap caps with Vusion before installing. May as well get as much life out of the caps as possible, UVs are the culprit!

"You should read a topic going on the CasitaForum about a poor guy trying to remove yards of silicone he used trying to seal the gap between the awning and the trailer."

Donna, I got into the same type problem removing silicone, where the previous owner(s) continued attempting to "seal" around the fantastic fan.
As it turned out, there was no gasket between the fan base and the roof.
Fantastic fan sent me a new gasket FREE!
Once I was able to seperate the fan assemble from the roof, the silicone scraped of the roof fairly easily, but was a real pain to remove from the fan base. Had to use a product that disolved the silicone.

I fully understand that simply applying silicone or any other "sealer" will usually not seal as well as a new gasket would. But there are times when a touch of sealer will fill a small gap and work great.

"Silicone is a temporary fix, which can turn into a "permanent" problem."

In cases where a dab of sealer is necessary, what product have you found to be more effective and permenant than silicone? Preferably something that is white or clear, so it will blend.

Kip, I'll be following your found procedure with great interest.

Got into it yesterday and tried a couple of ideas that
did not work. Of course, failure is part of a learning curve.

More to follow, as one idea at a time is shot down. Trial and error, trial and error.

Thanks,
Kip

[pindraak]

3M makes marine sealants 4000 and 5000 series, available at boat supply places. These places also have other sealants that are made for fiberglass. White is the most common color. I got a polyether sealant from West Marine that comes in black and white.

When you scrape silicone off, you can see why it is not good for fiberglass. Most of the bead is more stuck to itself than the trailer, and peels off fairly easily. Then patches of a thin layer of silicone, inadequate to seal anything, remain stuck to the trailer so hard that you have to damage or almost damage the surface to get them off.

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by Kip in Ga.

............what product have you found to be more effective and permenant than silicone?....................
Kip

As Ken wrote 5200 and 4200 polyurethane sealants/adhesives are permanent and will work under water. Removal is much more difficult than silicone.
3M

George.

[Kip in Ga.]

Hey, thanks guys. This 3m 5200 series sealer (06535) looks interesting.

Now the obvious questions:

1. How well does it stick to clean fiberglass?

2. How well does it stick to plastics.

3. How well does it stick to metals.

I know this seems like redundant questions. But I'm thinking of some other applications as well as the snap caps. For instance a sealant to
stick curtain rod hangers to the bottom of the overhead cabinets in the Casita, and a couple of more ideas.

Thanks for any help,
Kip

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by pindraak

3M makes marine sealants 4000 and 5000 series, available at boat supply places. These places also have other sealants that are made for fiberglass. White is the most common color. I got a polyether sealant from West Marine that comes in black and white.

When you scrape silicone off, you can see why it is not good for fiberglass. Most of the bead is more stuck to itself than the trailer, and peels off fairly easily. Then patches of a thin layer of silicone, inadequate to seal anything, remain stuck to the trailer so hard that you have to damage or almost damage the surface to get them off.

FWIW: Denatured Alcohol does a pretty good job of removing the silicone residue. If the silicone is stuborn there is a product sold at Ace hardware. It comes in a maroon bubble pack and is hanging with the sealers. The brand name is "McKanica". Product name is Silicone Caulk Remover. Put it on, let it sit for a while, and wipe (scrape) it off. Then use Denatured Alcohol to remove all residues.
Kip

[GeorgeR]

This data sheet should explain bond strength to different materials.
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawe...ant%205200.pdf
George.

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by Kip in Ga.

FWIW: Denatured Alcohol does a pretty good job of removing the silicone residue. If the silicone is stuborn there is a product sold at Ace hardware. It comes in a maroon bubble pack and is hanging with the sealers. The brand name is "McKanica". Product name is Silicone Caulk Remover. Put it on, let it sit for a while, and wipe (scrape) it off. Then use Denatured Alcohol to remove all residues.
Kip

Read the data sheet, alcohol will prevent good bond if you use polyurethane adhesive.

[Joe Z]

5200 is very permanent.... I've used it......The 4200 would be better in my opinion for anything you may want to remove later
If you put it under snap caps,windows, vents etc. when they go bad chances are you won't be able to get them off....... Try some on a scrap piece of fiberglass and let it sit two weeks and then try to remove it.
I haven't tried the 4200 yet but I've used the PL Polyeurethane stuff on the left in the picture (avail. at Lowes etc) under snap caps etc and it does a pretty good job without using silicone but I think the 4200 still would be better
Joe

3M Products...read the Products specs;
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawe...6EVs6E666666--

[Kip in Ga.]

If I'm understanding the date sheets. it looks likethe 3M 4200 will be the best bet for something that may/will have to be removed at a later date.

Also, as alcohol can cause bonding problems with the 5200, it may also cause problems with tyhe 4200. So,Acetone might be a better solution. Something else to try!

Joe Z, where in Lowes did you find the PL Polyeurethane. I know they have sealer products in the "Roofing" area and again with caulks, silicone and so forth. Was it in either one of those places, or another?

Thanks,
Kip

[Joe Z]

Originally Posted by Kip in Ga.;239547

[B

Joe Z[/B], where in Lowes did you find the PL Polyeurethane. I know they have sealer products in the "Roofing" area and again with caulks, silicone and so forth. Was it in either one of those places, or another?

Thanks,
Kip

I got it (PL Polyeurethane "White") in the regular caulk section which is at the paint department......
In the roofing dept they have a clear, self leveling caulk that is used in gutter leaks and it contains butyl but i only use that in certain applications as it will actually run down the side of the trailer...... I would stay with the PL or the 4200.
Joe

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by Joe Z

I got it (PL Polyeurethane "White") in the regular caulk section which is at the paint department......
In the roofing dept they have a clear, self leveling caulk that is used in gutter leaks and it contains butyl but i only use that in certain applications as it will actually run down the side of the trailer...... I would stay with the PL or the 4200.
Joe

Okay, Thanks!

Does it have a fairly long storage once the nozzel tip is opened, if a tight fitting nail or something is inserted into the nozzel?

Kip

[Joe Z]

Originally Posted by Kip in Ga.

Okay, Thanks!

Does it have a fairly long storage once the nozzel tip is opened, if a tight fitting nail or something is inserted into the nozzel?

Kip

Yes it does last fairly long..... I have a caulk saver tip (which i can't find any longer) so i sometimes use a 1/4" thick nail that is about six inches long and that works fine. They also make a smaller squeeze tube of the same stuff that has a screw on cap....
If you get it lay a bead out on cardboard and a bead of silicone and let it sit a few days and then peel it off the cardboard and feel the difference.... still nice and flexible.... just better.
Joe

[Kip in Ga.]

Originally Posted by Joe Z

Yes it does last fairly long..... I have a caulk saver tip (which i can't find any longer) so i sometimes use a 1/4" thick nail that is about six inches long and that works fine.
If you get it lay a bead out on cardboard and a bead of silicone and let it sit a few days and then peel it off the cardboard and feel the difference.... still nice a flexible just better.
Joe

Thanks Joe.

I'll be going to Lowes today.

Kip

[Matt in SV]

Originally Posted by Joe Z

Yes it does last fairly long..... I have a caulk saver tip (which i can't find any longer) so i sometimes use a 1/4" thick nail that is about six inches long and that works fine. They also make a smaller squeeze tube of the same stuff that has a screw on cap....just better.
Joe

I found a caulk saver a few months ago at Harbor Freight.

Caulk Saver

Regards,

Matt

[Joe Z]

Matt.....
I've been looking in all the big name hardware stores with no luck. I have a harbor freight store just three miles from me. Will definitely be there tomorrow and pick up a couple.
Thanks,
Joe

[Kip in Ga.]

Going to order a few caulk savers also.

Got some of the (Locktite) PL Polyurethane window Door and Siding Sealant yesterday, from Lowes.

It is denifinately thick. Had to do a lot of jabbing with the nail into the inside seal, and it still took a lot of pressure to get it started from the snout. Hope I didn't get a bad batch.

For comparison I used asetone to clean the inside of 2 snap caps, the top of 2 rivits and a small section of the trailer (gel coat). Applied the PL and silicone and labeled them. That was around 3ish yeaterday. Will check them around noon today for tenacity.

Kip