Series 3 Leaky roof

Alan Crossley said:

I posted a thread last week which didn't attract any response. However, it might be worth a look. Essentially, I was considering two potential fix's. One was to use platicoat, synthetic rubberised paint and the second was to "wrap" the whole roof with a Vynil Wrap product. My thoughts are that both would create a non porous seal across the whole surface. They both appeal to me because they are both inexpensive, DIY and, if it works, quick and easy.

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I have tried the plasticoat as a fix as I have the same problem with my roof seams.
The problem is the sun bakes the plasticoat and then it peals back from the seams.
I didn't use the etch coat so that may fix the issue.
I am now considering the vinyl wrap but need to peel of the plasticoat paint.

PAH said:

I have tried the plasticoat as a fix as I have the same problem with my roof seams.
The problem is the sun bakes the plasticoat and then it peals back from the seams.
I didn't use the etch coat so that may fix the issue.
I am now considering the vinyl wrap but need to peel of the plasticoat paint.

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Good evening PAH, you must be working for the Bognor Regis tourists board! Are you expecting me to believe that you have sunshine in Bognor, and sun that causes the synthetic rubber to peel off? .

I'm very pleased to hear that you have tried it and disappointed to learn that it didn't work. The claims that the manufacturer make would suggest that it is guaranteed for five years. Hopefully, the semi fixed plasti dip will not be too difficult to remove. Good luck with the Vynil wrap, if you do go ahead. The people at the suppliers said that they would use wrap in preference to plasti dip. I would like to know how you get on. Good luck

More sunshine hours than anywhere else on the UK mainland, that'sounds why we have so many glass houses and polytunnels.
Anyway, I think it is the cold warm cycle that means the paint peals.
I am trying to source a company to do the vinyl wrap and will let you know how I get on.

Had similar issue checked around roof and gap between panels where water exits gutter slight gap, nothing really, dum dum putty in case, now all dry. l could not believe that little gap let n so much water that I got wet in cab as did passenger.

The annoying thing is, is that the heavy dollops of silicone I put down. Which I know made a good seal as it was a nightmare to peal back off. Showed the weathered/lack of sealing strip between roof skin and gutter along with a few loose rivets. Surely the silicone would have solved this anyway?

Ever tried to remove silicone from around a bath.
It falls off the plastic bath but grips onto the tiles like hell. This is because it only provides mechanical adhesion to plastic but a chemical one to anything with a silicate in it. Aluminium shower door runners are the same. A sod to get the silicone off. Silicone is designed to be none stick. Thats why you fill the bath with water while the bead goes off. The upward pressure when not under load provides a good tight seal between the plastic and silicone but wont push it up the wall coz its chemically bonded to the tile.

If its on paint it wont provide an adequate seal when the panels/gaps are moving around when driving/expanding in sun or contracting in cool. Same problem with paint or film. It wont take long to split open again when moving, even tiny amounts.
Other sealants can give much better adhesion than silicone when on paint steel wood ect. Thats why I suggested removing finishes down to bare aluminium before applying. If it peels off then it aint bonded. If you have to blade it off and it still leaves a very thin coat on the surface your down to a molecular bond and its time to get a chemical remover. Trust me you wont be getting this on Land Rover sandstone.

After 35 years with series Landies I have played around with trying to seal roofs plenty of times. Whatever you do will be a short term fix as the heat cycles and general shaking around soon affect the integrity of the roof. Tiger seal worked on one for a few months but the only one not to leak through the roof was one with a one piece aftermarket glass fibre roof. The military seem to use moulded roofs an Defenders not sure if one would fit.

Well the idea of wrapping might be a bust for me as the local firms have all said it's too intricate for them to do.

Probably a load of ****e cos they cba to put the effort in to mould it around those 3 lines that run from front to back (can't remember what they're called sorry)

So maybe I'm back to the rivets.

Seing as I don't trust myself to use the solid rivet punch and a hammer (especially as theres 3 things to hold with only two hands) and I don't possess any air tool.

Can it be done with the more common pop rivets? I know it won't be a pretty job but I thought to myself. Well I'm never going to see the other side of the gutter anyway.

Can it be done or do they not offer enough clamping force?

So long as you use blind head rivets you should be ok.