" roof gutter maintance".

[Robo]

Recently repaired gutters as paint was peeling and needs repair.
Before gutter rust started to take hold.
This is for the inside part of the gutter, can't really see just standing beside car, not over the roof and not the underside of the gutter either.

It's not picture perfect because I'm not a panel beater spray painter.
Previous owner sprayed car and hadn't cleaned gutters properly, paint started lifting in the gutter "away from joint edge thank christ".
Hence the repair.

Number 1 killer of this gutter seal is the trusty old roof rack.
It will break this seal, and water gets in, end of story.
2. The seal is flexible and with time dries out loses it's flex and Cracks/splits. Again water gets in.
3. Radio bracket clamp screws etc.
4. Damp in car rises condensation forms behind roof lining, water gets into the turret from behind.
Rust proofing inside would be the go here.
Good seals around whole car is probably the only way to keep water out as best as possible.
Air car out as often as possible to expel trapped moisture, use air-con regularly to dry inside car especially in wet/humid weather.:thumbup:


Got to take before and and after pics as only 2 gutters done so far need to see to fully understand this I think to hard to just describe it, I'm no schollar, will get back ASAP.
If you already have rust in gutter, sorry this isn't for you, maybe some very minor surface stuff, but this is preventive, not rust repair again sorry.
This repair, mine at least wasn't exact colour match critical, hard to see in the gutter, unless your supa tall.
And It looks just fine to me, at-least.

You'll need enough old sheets and or paper to cover the rest of car.
Painters masking tape, normal m tape glue can dry out and pain to remove.
Painting tape, looks like pin stripe and can be pulled to follow curves thin and wide versions avail, green supa cheap have it. great stuff for painting cars.
Green pot sourer. yes in the kitchen, clean 1, don't want last nights spaghetti in ya gutter.
Wax grease remover. 1 Ltr, plenty
Tooth brush or equal to help scrub out gutter, soft /firm not stiff.
Air tools if your lucky enough, for dusting etc
1 sheet 700-900 wet n dry.
Primer, paint and clear coat if metallic. check for compatibility, paints don't mix.
my local Bullseye guy mixed spray pack metallic to suit, pretty good match. mine was acrylic.
Silkaflex body sealer, tube enough, not cartridge, different grades available. supa cheap, bunnings etc
Polish and wax to finish.
This job to do all 3 gutters on gq lwb should cost including polish and wax no more than $140 DIY.
even less as you probably already have most of it.
Long story short I did 1 gutter per weekend, cleaned out, sealed and primed sat.
Painted Sunday. try and keep it dry under cover if poss, let it cure polish after a week.
Tip metallic and clears absorbs moisture so humid weather is no go, it turns milky in colour.

back with the rest of thread asap.
Robo

[Bigrig]

Top effort Robo!!! Thanks for the detailed post mate!!

[Robo]

remove gutter end caps if you have em.
1) clean scrub out gutter to remove all foreign substances incl wax & grease to clean.
2) cover entire car help to keep dust and sand out of places you don't want it.
mask as close as possible to surface rust sand blast to remove all traces
2) mask to edge of ridge and top of gutter.
bit lower on ridge if not metallic paint.
3) use green pad to scrub out gutter to clean up surface.
don't remove sealant
4) use wet n dry to feather edges from sand blasting and to top edges of final paint area.
5) dust out and wax n grease remove completely all traces ready for primer.
if gutter sealant has cracking, use sikeflex as a crack filler.
being careful not to over use, it goes along way and is messy stuff.
allow sikeflex to skin over even hair dryer, you can overcoat once it skins
6) mask inner top edge of gutter & below top edge of ridge up from gutter.
this way when you top coat you paint over and past primer slightly to ensure complete cover.
7) re-clean " you can never prep enough".
8) lightly prime surface, heavy coats harder to blend /smooth edges.
9) remove tape in 5, and allow to dry, even promote with hair dryer if ya like if days getting away.
10) leave over night to dry completely.


I found if you are careful the green tape stood up to indirect sand blasting, be careful not to over spray & lift it.
soon as I figure out to post pics will do.

[Robo]

prep for top coat/s.

1) 7-900 wet n dry smooth blend edges.
2) dust off, wax n grease clean again.
3) tape top edge gutter and to lower edge of ridge and if metallic also top of ridge.
the first ridge that you have covered with tape is lightly sanded, ready for clears if metallic.
hence I mentioned roughen wider point 2 previously.
4) lightly wax n grease again as hands will of contaminated surface putting tape on.
5) shake the can of paint very well and test spray away from car.
sometimes to get can to spray without pulsing will require alot of shacking and more testing.
6) if clear coating ensure shaken also and test.
dust off again before you spray.
7) spray even coats following directions on can.
if metallic remove tape from ridge to allow wider over-coat clears.
8) spray clearer's remembering to shack can again, and ensure you cover inside edge of gutter.
9) leave for 10, clean up removing tape carefully etc.
can drive next day, if metallic try a couple of days at-least if inclement weather.
clears absorb water turns milky just be cautious after all ya hard work.
leave paint to cure "air-dry takes longer" for a week or so, before polish n wax .

HAVE A DRINK.
CHEERS.

[Silver]

Thanks Robo!

I need to do this to Silver, and hope you don't mind my questions below:

I have an 8cfm compressor that would struggle to run a 'real' sandblaster, maybe?? don't know because haven't tried. What did you use?

If you don't mind me asking, is the skinning over/filling up any cracks in the existing sealer with sika preferred over more drastic measures, because once started on removing the sealer it is not clear when to stop, or for some other reason?

Without your tip Robo, I would probably go over the top and attack mine with a wire brush on a grinder and try and get as much old sealer out as possible before replacing it with I know not what?

Thanks heaps

Rick

[Robo]

G-day Rick.
Have a v twin 220 LPM free air flow, 2.2 HP comp.
its a Sc15 so that maybe a 15 cfm. don't know, haven't given that any thought.
this keeps up, just ok with cheap $30 sand blast gun from gasweld.
Pickup hose in bucket job.

Without being able to see the sealant on your car hard to say.
My b/inlaw looked at mine, advised me to just use sikaflex as a filler as mine was in reasonable nick, only minor cracking, no rust showing in cracks no lifting or peeling either.
and once repainted good for a long time to come. ( touch wood ).
If it looks fairly sound I'd fill any defects like crack filling and move on to painting.
But if its peeling/ lifting well recon you may have to bite the bullet as it's simply not doing it's job anymore .
removing this product would probably be a really hard job, it's like sh## to a blanket this stuff.
wire brush sounds like fair idea, as long as heat doesn't affect under side of gutter paint, one may think.
Maybe a sharp chisel with an extremely steady hand first to remove bulk of sealer, might be the go.This may even be enough to remove the undesirable stuff and simply reseal over sound base, but may be not it's all very dependant on something only you can judge.
but you cant afford to slip with chisel or brush as you will probably do damage to a area you didn't want to touch.
could ask him but I'm working nights and him days so may be a fair while before I could talk to him again sorry.
Personally I recon if it looks fairly sound leave it be and simply fill repair it,again I can't see to help out, so it's your call . sorry.
The only good advise I think is worth mentioning is, don't put undue stress on the gutter assembly area, there's more than 1 seal here.
Cheers

[Silver]

Thanks Robo, from your explanation I now understand the variables I need to take into account in deciding what to do and options as to how.

My 2nd hand home made roofrack might have to to I think. It has a rail that rests in the gutter, but the rack makes the gutter conform to it, not the other way around, so even though lightly loaded or not loaded at all, it is giving that area a workout that I think I'll come to regret.

Thanks again!

Rick

[katena]

hmmm - I have to fix rust above my gutters at the back end, my 'sunroof' doesnt work, and dont know if it leaks internally - then down thro some exit channels in pillars ???
I "want / need " a roof rack - listening to the messages about damage to gutter seals - makes me think back to the old school days when racks were supported on rubber pads - and held DOWN only by gutter clamps - was going to make one - out of commercial alluminium architechtural window frame extrusions , just drilled and pop -rivetted... cheap / but good material in 'new' condition from scrap yards or s/h builders / dealers. - I usually carry - big windsurfers or kayak - but who knows - big ladders, 4x2's, trampoline frames ??? - will def re-think gutter mounting - v - rubber / soft pad

[04OFF]

Exellent work and post Robo, and look forward to the pics !

I am just about to sand blast my gutters tomorrow in fact, i can confirm your suggestion that a small sharp cold chisel will remove the old sealer easy, as i just did mine that way not long ago (99 GU wagon), Sikaflex is correct as the desired product to re-seal the roof gutters as well.

The sand blaster im using looks like just a basic gravity fed jobbie, and works a charm, and yes, boy does sand go "everywhere", i think you need to cover everything you dont want sand on for about 10M. :bigthumbup:

[Robo]

I have the pics on my computer, if someone can explain to me how to get em here.
I not comp literate.

[04OFF]

Have a read here Robo....

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?666-How-To-Ask-a-Question-or-How-To-Upload-Photos.


A testing area so you can practice....


http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/forumdisplay.php?83-Testing-area

[Robo]

See the attached pics.

sorry no primer pics only before and after.

green tape example is set at.
1 front of gutter.
2 lower leading edge of crease.
3 top of crease.

rear gutter pic, new layer of sikeflex over repainted surface ( doubled up ) to seal it off.
might even paint that over when I do drivers side gutter.

[Robo]

sorry had to go advanced option to post pics that was the delay.
norm option only allowed me a url for some reason.
"don't know", but here they are finally.

the 3rd pic from bottom, look closely you can just see aerial clamp screw damage repaired area.
didn't try to hide it , only make sure area was fully sealed up.
cheers

PS,
So many post on here talking about gutters and knowing It's a problem.
When I do Drivers side I'll take stages pics and post.
This was all and after thought.