Rocinante Sunrader 88 Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 (edited) I am rehabbing Rosinante, the '88 21' Sunrader that I got a month or so ago. Then curving front windows show no obvious signs of leakage, so I got white butyl tape and pulled the first two windows, a small slider above the driver's door and the bathroom slider just to the rear of the first. Each came out OK with a little persuasion and a putty knife, and each came off with a 1/8" thick black closed cell foam gasket attached intact. The gasket appeared to be better adhered to the aluminum window frame than to the fiberglass. On the first I stripped the foam gasket from the window, breaking it in the process, and replaced it with butyl tape. It was awful, it did not suck all the way up to the fiberglass to compress the tape even with the screws tight on the inside. I had to pull it off and apply a second layer of butyl tape. That window did not appear to have been leaking when I pulled it, but may be now! On the bathroom window I left on the gasket that was still intact and put down a layer of butyl tape between the fiberglass and the foam gasket and reattached. To judge by what the fiberglass looked like where the gasket had been, that one appeared to have been leaking at the front edge before I pulled it. Also, when I pulled that window it was missing the half dozen or so screws at the front edge of the internal trim piece and their holes were stripped. When I screwed it back in I ended up having to build up a second layer of tape to get it to fit OK and close the gap on the front edge, and to use bigger self tapping screws there. Am I doing this right? I would like to go through and rebed the other windows, but I am unsure as to whether it makes the most sense to keep these foam gaskets if intact or to double up butyl tape, or what. Wisdom would be appreciated. Mike in Watsonville Edited December 27, 2010 by Rocinante Sunrader 88 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 I will be watching this topic as I just removed my first window from a rear dining Sunrader. The previous owner thought a lot of silicone seal from the looks of it, but it did not work as all plywood window supports are rotted out, screw hole have various sized non fitting screws, ect. My plan is to remount every orfice, oh that did not sound so good did it... I mean re putty them. I started with the genset, then on to the heater, now on the driver rear dining window, then the big back one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocinante Sunrader 88 Posted December 27, 2010 Author Share Posted December 27, 2010 Are you using putty or butyl? Was there a foam gasket, and was it intact? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Hi Mike, The one I took out first (86 Sunrader rear side dining slider) had no rubber gasket but gobs of (mostly) unseated silicone seal. I rebuilt the wall plywood struts, went overkill on those, put in new paneling, then used aluminum tape from the outside, over the sill, and to the inside paneling. Figured if water did get in it would have to shed to the outside or inside and could not wet the wood inner parts. I measured the frame gap as 1 1/8" and the window opening gap as about the same. That meant that the putty tape really would not squish that much. I got all new stainless screws of #8 & # 10 size X 3/4 long and carefully cinched the retainer on like you would tourque a head down, a little at a time, around and around until I bottomed out on the retainer ring. The butyl putty does not look like it really squished that much. I am thinking that tomorrow I will take some old truck inner tube and cut 1" strips to put under the inside window frame, thus pulling the outer frame in slightly more and squishing the putty tape better. I won't have to dismount the window & it does not have to be waterproof if I work from the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Are you using putty or butyl? Was there a foam gasket, and was it intact? When I met you I mentioned that I had resealed all the windows in my Nissan Sunrader. I'm quite sure it had never been done before. There was no foam there and I only used butyl tape to reseal them. It's possible that because someone used that foam they bent the window frame out slightly so you couldn't reseal it properly. I would just go with a double layer of butyl tape to do the job. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I have since done several windows that (from the screw heads and the old putty tape) look like they have never been touched. None of them had foam or rubber gaskets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85mirage Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Am I doing this right? I would like to go through and rebed the other windows, but I am unsure as to whether it makes the most sense to keep these foam gaskets if intact or to double up butyl tape, or what. Wisdom would be appreciated. Mike in Watsonville Sorry my windows didnt have gasket just putty tape.Is your siding corrugated or flat? I rebed all my windows with butyl tape and i have corrugated siding. On the second window i learned here to double it up just where siding is low to fill gap. I still wasnt that pleased with tightness of window either. I had several screws snap when removing interior window frame. So i had to remove broken screws from window to allow new screws to go into window. Anyone replace interior rubber gasket? happy windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocinante Sunrader 88 Posted January 8, 2011 Author Share Posted January 8, 2011 This is strange. Maybe they changed how they did it over time. All of these windows have these black foam gaskets and I swear that they look like they are original. They do not appear to be any sort of tape and only have adhesive on the window side, which means that they come off cleanly from the fiberglass body but which also means that they do not necessarily seal that well. I have decided to go with pulling the foam gaskets and using butyl tape, doubling up where necessary. Part of my problem is that in some cases the hole is closer than in others to the window dimensions, so in some places I only have 1/4" or less of actual sealing area. I have heard vocal proponents and opponents of putting a bead of silicone on after putting the putty tape or butyl tape on. Anyone care to enlighten me as to the pros and cons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I know there are many who are dead set against using silicone anywhere. But there are non-silicone sealants available. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/proflex-rv-flexible-sealant-clear/20440 I realize this doesn't answer your question about sealing over the butyl, but I don't have an opinion to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocinante Sunrader 88 Posted January 8, 2011 Author Share Posted January 8, 2011 I'm not sure but I gather that the controversy has to do with whether silicone leaves a residue that prevents anything from sticking the second time that you try and seal. I am trying to deal with that by mechanically cleaning and then cleaning with acetone, but I'm not sure if that's sufficient. I am using non silicone lap cement for all roof applications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I used a self leveling sealant that I bought from Dean's RV Parts in Tulsa Oklahoma. I It was in a culking tube and puts down a thick paste that dries to a rubbery consistency. I don't know the particular brand, I'll look it up when I get back home and post it here. I did Google "RV Self Leveling Sealant" and came up with what looks like the stuff I used. (NOTE - When I picked up the ToyHouse in Albuquerque and was driving back to Ohio, I decided to stop along the way and do a quick and dirty roof seal job just to get me through the Ohio winter.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I just started useing "Tacky Tape" (Schnee-Morehead) Irving Texas, instead of Buytyl tape. It is way stickier, you can aplly to the window frame instead of the rough opening to make sure you get maximum seal. I would hate to have to get this stuff off, it make the butyl look like silly putty. I also clean both the frame and opening with mineral spirits then remove that. I have been told that a thin bead of silicone, or better yet Lexel ($8.50 a tube) is the extra touch around the final set window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roomballd Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I just started useing "Tacky Tape" (Schnee-Morehead) Irving Texas, instead of Buytyl tape. It is way stickier, you can aplly to the window frame instead of the rough opening to make sure you get maximum seal. I would hate to have to get this stuff off, it make the butyl look like silly putty. I also clean both the frame and opening with mineral spirits then remove that. I have been told that a thin bead of silicone, or better yet Lexel ($8.50 a tube) is the extra touch around the final set window. Do you remember which kind there is? I went to their website and found this for tacky tape. SM2560 Foam Tape Sealant SM5127 Tacky Tape® curing SM5195 wide panel Tacky Tape® SM5196 external bonding Tacky Tape® SM5227 Tacky Tape® non-curing SM5601 Isocryl® Tape Sealant (Black) SM5700 Poly-Glaze® Tacky Tape® Thank you, Roomballd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 <LI>SM5227 Tacky Tape® non-curing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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