Cracked seam - rust?

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

Two links posted below ;

It should be in one if them.
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T.K.

oceanair · Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: Cracked seam - rust?

TK - can you please post a link of the exact product you are referring to? So far, no noticeable rust and I'm looking to keep it that way, without a repaint soon!

Thanks--
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84 Vanagon Pop Top Conversion from Tin Top, 1970 Ghia - all sweet rides! Love em!
Previous: Green 72 Tin Top, White 72 Westy, Blue 64 Beetle, Yellow 71 Squareback, 2014 Jetta TDI Wagon - wish I could have them all back!

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

If the van is white, I would agree.

What's nicer to look at; red rust, or some light amber panel wax that won't crawl?

Personal priorities I guess.

Never seen a clear seam sealer unless your talking about silicone seam sealer.

The rust on the seam will crawl under it.
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T.K.

djkeev · Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: Cracked seam - rust?

Pick uo a tube of Clear seam sealer and cut the nozzle very small. Squeeze it into the seams and finger it off smooth.

Should last for many years until the rust on the back side comes bursting through. Shocked

Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

oceanair · Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 2:47 pm Post subject: Re: Cracked seam - rust?

I was hoping for something I could use on my few small. short cracks in a couple of seams, something that would be clear or close to clear like a thicker wax to fill the cracks. My paint is great and I wouldn't mind doing it a couple of times per year. I find regular car wax doesn't fill the cracks. Amber would be much less then invisible.
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84 Vanagon Pop Top Conversion from Tin Top, 1970 Ghia - all sweet rides! Love em!
Previous: Green 72 Tin Top, White 72 Westy, Blue 64 Beetle, Yellow 71 Squareback, 2014 Jetta TDI Wagon - wish I could have them all back!

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

The body panel wax I have has an amber cast.
Same product as 6 years ago.

Some masking is suggested on either side of the seam.

It'll stop the rust from growing if you plan on driving in the winter.
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T.K.

oceanair · Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 11:26 am Post subject: Re: Cracked seam - rust?

Is the wax TK talks about here clear like a regular wax?

I have no visible rust, but a few seams show minor small cracks. With great paint, I'd like to seal up with wax as mentioned here, but the Schutz I find online is for inside body panels.

Is there a different product -- this thread is 6 years old...
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84 Vanagon Pop Top Conversion from Tin Top, 1970 Ghia - all sweet rides! Love em!
Previous: Green 72 Tin Top, White 72 Westy, Blue 64 Beetle, Yellow 71 Squareback, 2014 Jetta TDI Wagon - wish I could have them all back!

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

Sure do.

TK's Panel Wax / Body Schutz.
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T.K.

big swifty · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject:

I've been dicking around with dental picks, seam sealer and touch-up paint for way too long!

Terry K = Vanagon info deity.

I, for one, am grateful for your continued input on this forum. Also, really do appreciate the constructive sarcasm. Some people need to grow thicker skin.
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Evan
1987 Vanagon Syncro // Westfalia pop-top graft // Factory new ALH. 11mm IP. AFN 110 RC 2,3,4 // S7 turbo// Titan P502's
2013 Golf 4d TDI. No mods. Yet.
1991 Jetta coupe TD. Giles Superpump. SOLD

Crankey · Samba Member Joined: July 11, 2004 Posts: 2672

Hey Terry, you have a product/brand name on this "panel wax" ?
thanks

Honuak · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: Re-seal all the seams?

I have my westy down to metal. I'm prepping for a re-paint. There is minnimal but usual rust including some of the seams. I have the rusted seams excavated but have stalled out because I don't know if I should clean the old bondo out of all the seams, even the ones that look good. My van has spend most of its life in a garage in a no-salt state. But here in AK the winters can be rough, I think the state uses salt in places. So riddle me...should I re-do seams that seem fine?

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

Here's another idea for the slowing down of surface rust in the seams when you first see it---

My first Vanagon was an 85 GL, and it was abused.
I used it for work, and noticed seam surface rust starting durring the first winter I had it.

I had an idea, if I could prevent the winter's road garbage from getting to the seams--it may retard the rusting.

I puled it into the shop, and sprayed down all of the seams with panel wax.

I simply wiped off the excess on either side of the seams, and that was it.
4 years later,the wax was still in the seams, and the surface rust was pretty much a dead issue.
It got no worse.

I figured I prevented any more road salt from getting there, and the wax obviously smothered the air & water from the area.

It's not a permanent fix--the seams magicly got no better, but it didn't rust one more inch while I had the Van.

It's almost invisable, and worked very well for the amount of miniscule labor it took to apply.

Another idea to slow the demise of the Vanagons body seam area's without major surgery.
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T.K.

Crankey · Samba Member Joined: July 11, 2004 Posts: 2672

sounds impressive. I like your process.

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

I didn't mention priming the sandblasted or ground bare metal, because the body panel adhesive sticks to roughed up metal--not primer.

I also explained it displaces water in a prior message.

There is a Mack at work that got jack knifed, and laid on it's side 20 years ago, and the two front cowels, roof panel, and rear back panel were glued on.
NO primer in any of the seams.
I'm happy to report --no rusted seams --yet---

And the truck is out in the weather 24/7/365

You be the judge.

If you have any questions on the 3-M body panel adhesive's performance, take a ride to any body shop supply and read the poop sheet on the product.

You'll be happy you did.
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T.K.

Crankey · Samba Member Joined: July 11, 2004 Posts: 2672

hey Terry, I see you don't mention priming the bare blasted metal seam before the panel glue. I'm not a body man but it seems (heh) to me you'd want to seal the bare metal in primer and then seal the seam with the the panel goo ?

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

<<<queston, what is the advantage of using 3M body panel adhesive over a traditional 3M seam sealer?>>

The seam sealer will crack, the body panel adhesive won't---
Besides the body panel adhesive dispaces moisture, the seam sealer absorbs it.

<< my concern is body panels flex as the van moves and I guess a seam sealer is designed to flex with the panels so no cracking develops, does the body panel adhesive have the same properties? >>

Does a the roof, back panel , front cowels of a Mack Truck flex & move in an off road job?
Absolutley.
Does the body panel adhesive crack & fail when the truck body is flexing & twisting?

Nope.

It's as good as a weld.

I parked my body panel mig welder 25 years ago,and been using the body panel adhesive ever since.

Do Corvettes flex?
They are glued together as most all vehicles are today.

The corners are spot welded.
The rest of the body work is glued, not seam sealed.

Thats the bottom line in automotive construction techniques in the new millenium.
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T.K.

Volksbulli · Samba Member Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 364

why not use 3M WindoWeld to seal the seams? it is a black urethane adhesive that is used for Glue in windows and windshields and the stuff is very tough.
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82' A/C Westfalia
67' Typ 1
96' Golf GL

madspaniard · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 5:11 pm Post subject:

resucitating this thread

queston, what is the advantage of using 3M body panel adhesive over a traditional 3M seam sealer? my concern is body panels flex as the van moves and I guess a seam sealer is designed to flex with the panels so no cracking develops, does the body panel adhesive have the same properties?

Bottom line, why body panel adhesive instead of seam sealer?

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

Other than doing complete panel removal surgery there is no Golden Goose here to be assured that your going to get super deep into that seam.
With the concave tip attachment it'll blow the abrasive pretty deep into that seam.
If you want to be almost positive of sealing the back side, blow a good heavy coat of bedliner into the wheel wells, and on the back side of the seams.

Between the 3-M body panel adhesive displacing any moisture forever, the bed liner if you get enough of it behind the seam will slow the reoccuring rust way down.
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T.K.

Rhinoculips · Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 6:19 pm Post subject: More extensive seam rust problem

Terry Kay

This technique of yours using a sandblaster sounds like a great idea. My seam rust problem seems to be deeper into the joint. Can a sandblaster reach deeper? It seems that the seam on the inside of the wheel well is letting water in as well as from the outside. I don't think the rust is super extensive, but it is growing faster and faster. I want this problem solved before the whole panel needs to be replaced. What are your thoughts of deeper seam repair?


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