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Seam sealer for fender beading?

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drooartz

drooartz

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Was talking to my body folks a couple days ago -- they're working on getting the new fender beading fit and attached. They had a suggestion for the short pieces below the turn signals (front and back). They were suggesting using a seam sealer-like product and shaping it to the correct profile. Their concern is that those shorter/lower areas are more likely to hold moisture and they are concerned about rust coming back -- the short bits of beading there could trap moisture in a way that the seam sealer stuff wouldn't.

This seemed a reasonable approach to me. Thoughts?
 
From the factory all those seams were filled. Often didn't survive refinishing.

Kurt.
 
drooartz said:
Was talking to my body folks a couple days ago -- they're working on getting the new fender beading fit and attached. They had a suggestion for the short pieces below the turn signals (front and back). They were suggesting using a seam sealer-like product and shaping it to the correct profile. Their concern is that those shorter/lower areas are more likely to hold moisture and they are concerned about rust coming back -- the short bits of beading there could trap moisture in a way that the seam sealer stuff wouldn't.

This seemed a reasonable approach to me. Thoughts?
Click to expand...


Why not install them correctly and use seam sealer to seal the seams as it's intended? I don't know if you are going for replication how it was done by the factory, but I would also undercoat the lower area or the section exposed forward of the inner wheel arches with catalyzed, tint-able undercoating like the Raptor product. How much are you going to drive it in the rain and snow anyway? :glee:
 
Just to be clear, the area you're talking about that was sealed from the factory is the "underside" of the beading, say from inside the bonnet? Just want to be clear -- I'm new to this level of bodywork.

So the area like what is indicated by the arrows:

inside_beading.jpg
 
drooartz said:
Just to be clear, the area you're talking about that was sealed from the factory is the "underside" of the beading, say from inside the bonnet? Just want to be clear -- I'm new to this level of bodywork.

So the area like what is indicated by the arrows:

inside_beading.jpg
Click to expand...


Yes, exactly...
 
Thanks!
 
Oh...thought you meant the little gap under the seam strip on the painted side!

Kurt.
 
Drew the factory sprayed the seams with tar. So after sand blasting and cleaning between the wings and bonnet I used POR15 because the material consistency was thinner which enabled the material to ooze down through and make contact on both metal edges. In some places it made its way to the top side. This didn’t bother me because it would be feathered anyway. After the POR15 was well cured I scuffed and feathered on the underside in preparation for total spray of Spies Heckers Permasolid epoxy sealer. After that the bonnet was seam seal with 08367 automotive 3M Urethane seam sealer. Then the bonnet was ready for build primer and block sanding.
 
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Make sure you use something that isn't supposed to harden when it goes in a spot that will be subject to flex and vibration. Last time I did seams I used a 50 year paintable silicone sealer from the hardware store. Stuck on just fine after paint on the metal and hopefully whenever it drys out and starts flaking off will be well after I'm on the other side of the grass.
 
Thanks, guys. I have a plan now, will continue with the beading replacement and make sure it's sealed from the back side.
 
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