Here is something to try if you have a persistent water leak around your rear
hatch. Jack Mohrbeck gave me this tip and I put it in use today and it really
works.
First, pull out any existing caulking and clean the groove completely. Do not
disturb the main gasket in any way. Get a 12 ft. length of surgical tubing,
1/8" ID X 1/8" wall (that gives you a 3/8" OD). Basically, what you do is
stretch the tubing until you can stuff it in the groove all the way and then
release it to get a tight fitting gasket. It's easy if you start in the middle
on top. Mark the middle of the tubing with a felt pen; tie one side to the
ladder or something, pull the tubing to make it small enough to go in the groove
easily, stuff it in with the end of a yardstick or something, then release.
Keep doing this until there is enough in the groove to hold by itself. Continue
stretching and stuffing in both directions all the way to ends at bottom of
hatch. It helps to use a smaller width tool in the corners and also to spray
some soapy water in groove to aid in stuffing and to facillitate relaxing of the
tubing to fill the groove. You wind up with an external gasket that will last
indefinitley and will not leak. It's almost invisible.
Don
'77 Royale
hatch. Jack Mohrbeck gave me this tip and I put it in use today and it really
works.
First, pull out any existing caulking and clean the groove completely. Do not
disturb the main gasket in any way. Get a 12 ft. length of surgical tubing,
1/8" ID X 1/8" wall (that gives you a 3/8" OD). Basically, what you do is
stretch the tubing until you can stuff it in the groove all the way and then
release it to get a tight fitting gasket. It's easy if you start in the middle
on top. Mark the middle of the tubing with a felt pen; tie one side to the
ladder or something, pull the tubing to make it small enough to go in the groove
easily, stuff it in with the end of a yardstick or something, then release.
Keep doing this until there is enough in the groove to hold by itself. Continue
stretching and stuffing in both directions all the way to ends at bottom of
hatch. It helps to use a smaller width tool in the corners and also to spray
some soapy water in groove to aid in stuffing and to facillitate relaxing of the
tubing to fill the groove. You wind up with an external gasket that will last
indefinitley and will not leak. It's almost invisible.
Don
'77 Royale
