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Old 02-19-2017, 02:57 AM   #11
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Flyview: Consider removing the nuts and washers on the roof and re-applying fresh butyl rubber sealant. McMaster-Carr sells butyl tape, it's what SMB uses. It' unvulcanized (uncured) rubber so you can rip off pieces to put under the washers and clean up the excess once applied.

Also consider sealing washers if you are ordering from McMaster..they are stainless and have integral washers.

The plastic caps that go over the roof nuts are available from SMB for cheap, but are just cosmetic.


Here are some stainless sealing washers from McMaster:

https://www.mcmaster.com/#sealing-washers/=16f4hwt

I'd go for the 18-8 stainless 1/4" x 1" OD $6.78 for a pack of 10


...and here's the link for the tape...


https://www.mcmaster.com/#butyl-rubber/=16f4j70

To clarify, I used the sealing washers on top of the large fender washers on the roof...If you are so inclined, stainless 1/4-20 fasteners and fender washers are also available from McMaster.

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Old 02-19-2017, 10:35 AM   #12
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Really good info right there ☝
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Old 02-19-2017, 12:51 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boywonder View Post
Flyview: Consider removing the nuts and washers on the roof and re-applying fresh butyl rubber sealant. McMaster-Carr sells butyl tape, it's what SMB uses. It' unvulcanized (uncured) rubber so you can rip off pieces to put under the washers and clean up the excess once applied.

Also consider sealing washers if you are ordering from McMaster..they are stainless and have integral washers.

The plastic caps that go over the roof nuts are available from SMB for cheap, but are just cosmetic.


Here are some stainless sealing washers from McMaster:

https://www.mcmaster.com/#sealing-washers/=16f4hwt

I'd go for the 18-8 stainless 1/4" x 1" OD $6.78 for a pack of 10


...and here's the link for the tape...


https://www.mcmaster.com/#butyl-rubber/=16f4j70

To clarify, I used the sealing washers on top of the large fender washers on the roof...If you are so inclined, stainless 1/4-20 fasteners and fender washers are also available from McMaster.
Awesome thanks! Yes I do want to do it properly eventually. I think it may just be one that is leaking now, because I tightened it (noticed it was loose from the inside when adjusting the latch) and I didn't re-silicone it all around. When I do get new sealing washers, are the bolts holding the pull down handles the same ones that end up popping all the way to the top? The others would be on the latches and under the black caps I assume.

Aha! So there are supposed to be plastic caps that I'm missing!

P.s. How tight should the interior latches be adjusted to? I'm pretty sure mine were way too tight so I loosened them but they are still snug and can't be moved much back and forth once hooked on.
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Old 02-19-2017, 06:19 PM   #14
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Try B&B Auto they had to sort out a list of things for my van when I bought it. I've been dealing with them for 35 years. Good honest guys.
2281 Fairmont Ave. San Diego 92105.
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Old 02-20-2017, 10:11 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyview View Post
When I do get new sealing washers, are the bolts holding the pull down handles the same ones that end up popping all the way to the top? The others would be on the latches and under the black caps I assume.


P.s. How tight should the interior latches be adjusted to? I'm pretty sure mine were way too tight so I loosened them but they are still snug and can't be moved much back and forth once hooked on.
Yes, one bolt from each handle extends through the top.....

snug for the latches....never fails one always seems to rattle though.....
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Old 02-27-2017, 03:00 PM   #16
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Agile Off-Road

Agile Off-Road
208 Greenfield Drive, Suite I, El Cajon, CA 92020

These dudes are old desert racers and do van conversions too. It'd be worth checking in with them, they'll be most solid with your shocks, but sure know a lot all the way around...
m.
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Originally Posted by TracyL View Post
Try B&B Auto they had to sort out a list of things for my van when I bought it. I've been dealing with them for 35 years. Good honest guys.
2281 Fairmont Ave. San Diego 92105.
Thanks, I'll keep a note of this for anything I can't do myself. A friend and I ended up doing the shocks ourselves, and I did the radius arm bushings at an OK shop.

After todays' non stop rains I can say the leaks are finally fixed. Turns out that at first I didn't silicone in between the 2 top washers (I thought it was one piece). After doing that (in addition to sealing the other mating surfaces) the leak has stopped. I still want to get new proper sealing washers and replacement caps at some point in the future though.
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