Well, I've gotten sick of the leaky, noisy, and crappy hardtop on my tracker. It's an aftermarket one, and I think the P/O got it 2nd (or 3rd...) hand. I wanted to fix the leak, so, I took the hardtop off, and there is NO gasket between the body and the top. The tiny 1/8" rubber foam gasket on the top was just pressed OVER the soft top brackets, and really didnt seal anything. No wonder it leaked...


Anyways, I couldnt find a gasket to fit, and got the brillient idea to use silicone calking to make a custom, permenent (since I dont have a soft top) gasket. I smoothed it out real nice too, and plan on spraying it lightly with factory match paint (mabey if I feel like it...)

I now have a 1 1/4" x 3/4" bead of calk running along the gasket line on my tracker, and I need to be at school in 11 hours (10am local)

What's the fastest way to get it to dry? Right now it's in about 45 degrees out, going up to 55 degres before 10am... I've got a fan blowing on it, and that's it.

Any ideas?

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

In 12 hours it should be filmed over pretty good, most dry in 24. Just put some masking tape over it before you go to school, but in 12 hours it should be hard enough.


In the marine world we would dunk the boat, they cure faster underwater. Well also that and a lot of marine sealants take 7 days to fully cure.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

you should have used butyl because the silicon holds moisture and will cause rust down the road.

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http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...titled-1-3.jpg
1981 300d

24 hours to cure and silicone will never take paint. Should have used a polyurethane like 3M 4200 or Sikaflex. They are the ones that cure from moisture. That and the top will never come off again. If you want a good seal with removal in future a possibility then use 3M 101. Butyl tape would have worked well also. RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

If it keeps running for another two years I'd be happy... It's got some issues that I can hear (now that I fixed the exhaust...)

spend $20 and 5 hours of work to fix the oil pan gasket leak, spend $30 and 2 hours of work to fix the exhaust, and then realize you've got a lifter tick (if I'm lucky)... Ugh O well


It's still not dry, so I just cleaned everything of value out, and lock the face plate in the glovebox when not in use.

It's got an OK skin, but it's very very soft still.

I'm leaving it outside in the sun, will that help or hurt anything?
tks
~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

the top is off, and the silicone said it was paintable...

~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

Spray some aerosol glass cleaner on it. It'll dry to the touch faster. Mostly though, you're just going to have to wait 24hrs for it to be fully dry.

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1984 300TD

Nate:

The silicone SEALANT won't paint - and it "dries" about the same as the caulking does, lower than 70°? REALLY SLOW, almost exponentially slower the lower the temperature...

I've used the stuff below 40° and it would still be tacky 3 days later...

Any way you can get the heat up to, or better than 70° is the best.

Now, as for the caulking...it may be paintable, but remember that it's flexible too. So your choice for paint must be the same...and you may still have to prime it...

If possible, limit the amount of caulking that will need to be painted - that will probably be the best all around decision you'll be able to make on this project...

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
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“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~