Interior panel sealing -- How to?

[seattletom]

My aluminum interior panels (firewall, footwell, floor, tunnel, etc.) will all be attached with machine screws so they can be removed for access. Is there a recommended sealant to use when mounting the panels which will minimize water and air leakage between panel and tube? The objective is to seal any gaps while still being able to get the panel off without bending it in the process. Thanks.

[TooBusy]

I use 3m black dumdum
Available at my local paint and body pro supply house.

[turbo_bird]

I used regular old silicone sealant for mine.
Kristian

[Lonnie-S]

Here's another option, Tom. It's paintable and goes on bare metal or primer. It comes in white, black, beige or gray.

YouTube product video showing application and giving other useful information ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLkysTV4Ggw

SEM Seam Sealer product page ==> https://www.semproducts.com/marine-main ... am-sealers

Cheers,

[davew]

Your local lumber yard will have tubes of RTV that is used seal tin roofs. The color of GE RTV will be almost a perfect color match to the aluminum panels.
[Metalic Gray Silicone ll] stock No. GE5050 Dave W

[JPS Europa]

I guess my thought on using RTV is that I would be concerned about bending the panels when trying to get them loose. RTV silicone can be pretty aggressive. How about some sort of non-hardening sealer like Hylomar.

[cwhite]

I used Speed Grip 90 min adhesive.

imagemagic.jpg

It was easy to work with, great set up time, was able to be blended in with a sander and then painted. This gave a much cleaner look then the traditional fold and rivets method used.

blended%20edge.jpg

[horizenjob]

Chris, just to be clear you mean you folded and then simply epoxied the sheet onto the rail?

If you need to replace the sheet can it be removed by gently heating the rail?

This seems a good approach in general, there isn't much load compared to the bond area. Something that can be removed someday would be good and epoxy seems better for that than silicone or polyurethane adhesive. Heating something like 3M 5200 might be quite bad for you, but I don't know.

[JPS Europa]

I guess I should have read past the first 5 words of the first post. I now see that you are talking about structural parts being bonded on. I guess I am not a fan of the removable so I went with the 3M 5200. I am thinking that if you have to remove these parts, something terrible has happened and keeping them straight is already past tense.

[seattletom]

I guess I should have read past the first 5 words of the first post. I now see that you are talking about structural parts being bonded on. I guess I am not a fan of the removable so I went with the 3M 5200. I am thinking that if you have to remove these parts, something terrible has happened and keeping them straight is already past tense.

Guess I wasn't too clear on that. All the panels that need to be removable are non-structural. In fact for this build, I'm not planning for any permanently attached panels, the strength is in the chassis tubes. Been there and done that with fixed panels on prior builds. Used 2-part 3M panel adhesive and rivets. Those panels aren't going anywhere.

But this time around I want to be able to remove panels and access all those hidden spots. No real weight penalty, just takes some pre-planning...and a way to seal any gaps

I appreciate all the suggestions.

[TooBusy]

I'm with you Tom
On my current project I have mostly removable panels. The high use ones are held with sheet metal screws, the less often removed are held with rivets.

My dash pivots either up or down depending on which 10-32 nuts I remove.

[nick47]

For panels like these I cut gaskets out of 1/16" vinyl. Might be harder to do with larger panels, but still possible. BTW, please excuse amateur panel beating. These are now hidden under carpets.

installedcover.jpg

[V8SEVEN]

I use black or silver silicone. It seals well and the panel can be removed with a filet knife or a tool that I have made for the purpose. This is not for every day removal....too time consuming.
If you add a very thin coat of Vaseline or release agent to the panel OR the tube the seal will come off one part BUT form a great permanent seal on the other when the parts are screwed back to gather.