Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **Gerald_G** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:27 pm

I have a few questions about how best to approach older aluminum framed windows.

1: If a person wanted to paint the frames or portions of the frames, what paint / methods would provide the most effective finish ?

2: When I took my glass out (to shorten the window) I found it had been held against the flat aluminum with some black double sides material. My auto-body friend suggested this might have been butyl (sp?) tape. He further mentioned that this has been banned (Canada maybe?), and auto people are using urethane to glue in car windows now.

I was reading another thread on here with a discussion about polyurethane, 3M marine adhesive sealant 5200, OSI Quad Pro Series window/siding/roof sealant, etc.

Can anyone comment on a product to glue the glass to the aluminum frame ? It would have to press against the flat angle piece of aluminum in my case to work. (I can post pics when I get home if it helps explaine this better.

3: Is there a problem with using stainless screws to mount these back into the trailer ? The old regular screws have left rust marks on the frame, and I'd like to avoid this in the future. Will stainless and aluminum have an "allergic" reaction to each other and cause an issue ?

Thanks all
Gerald

by **Gerald_G** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:29 pm

I'm sorry I forgot to take pics of the frame shortening project to post for documentation, but I have two to do, so I can take pics of the second window ! - the first is shortened and assembled together already.

by **madjack** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:41 pm

...I'll go backward...
3) SS screw are recomended...they should do fine...put a squirt of whatever sealant.adheseive you use ot help seal them...
2) the products you listed would work...another I like is sikaflex
252
1) you will have to "rough" up the Al to get some tooth for the paint to stick too...they make paint adhesion promoters(Bulldog brand) that would be good to use or an Al primer
madjack

by **Gerald_G** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 5:13 pm

Thanks!

I also talked to my local RV pro repairman, and he says that Butyl tape is only banned for the installation in car windshields. RV use is still good and he uses it sometimes. Sometimes urethane, and sometimes he uses silicon he says.

Does anyone know what is the difference between urethane and polyurethane? My local home depot has some polyurethane, but I think I'd have to go to an auto shop for urethane. Just curious at this point.

by **madjack** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:27 pm

...I'll probably get slapped up side the head and corrected..BUT...urethane is the same as polyurethane without the poly written first (we are a lazy bunch)...butyl tape isn't an adhesive...only a sealant...what they were using, was double sided hi-bond tape...should be available from an auto paint supply and possibly an auto parts store...it is used widely to attach auto trim...
madjack