- City
- Rockville
- State
- VA
I do use that 3M strip caulk on the bottom of the bulkhead. It’s been fine for years. On the sides I’ve used foam camper tape.
Another Scrambler Purchase/Road Trip - UPDATE- BODY ON FRAME AGAIN
- Thread starter spankrjs
- Start date
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Do you have a hard time removing the strip caulk? Does it keep all the water out?
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Just a quick correction: the 3M 4200 is NOT neutral cure. It is a polyurethane sealant. But, it does not attack painted surfaces. Boaters down here swear by this stuff, if it was eating paint off of hulls it would be common knowledge. Just make sure whatever you use is safe for painted metal/surfaces.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
I thought about sealing between the two painted surfaces but decided against it. I have had great luck with painted surface against painted surface on this Jeep. I just wish the bottom of the roll bar feet would have been painted with the same red paint as the rest of the Jeep, the red paint is holding up great.
- City
- Rockville
- State
- VA
It does a decent job of keeping water out, but mine gets parked in a garage and I don’t take it out in the rain except when I’m caught in it at an event. Then it gets covered if I’m not out in it already.
Most of the stuff comes off with a plastic scraper, but my paint isn’t as pretty as yours.
- City
- Cobourg, Ontario, Cana
- State
- da
you should get the Eastwood internal frame spray kit and do the inside of your cage.
www.eastwood.com
Eastwood Internal Frame Coating Rust Prevention Aerosol
Destroys rust hiding inside the chassis, rocker panels and pillars so it won't rust through
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Caulked the two vertical joints and touched up the main bottom joint with this stuff this morning.
It is the same type of material as the 3M product so should be compatible. I liked this material more, longer cure time and a bit more stiff.
These vertical corner joints are a PIA to get to. I was able to get a bead from bottom to top. Not the prettiest but it should seal and it is about impossible to see this area of the bed once the roll bar is reinstalled.
And touch up on the main lower seal.
This material will wipe up with a water dampened rag or acetone on a rag. Once it's cured you are pretty much stuck.
I also sealed this upper joint, between the bulkhead and body side. The hardtop bottom seal should cover this area, just extra insurance.
It is the same type of material as the 3M product so should be compatible. I liked this material more, longer cure time and a bit more stiff.
These vertical corner joints are a PIA to get to. I was able to get a bead from bottom to top. Not the prettiest but it should seal and it is about impossible to see this area of the bed once the roll bar is reinstalled.
And touch up on the main lower seal.
This material will wipe up with a water dampened rag or acetone on a rag. Once it's cured you are pretty much stuck.
I also sealed this upper joint, between the bulkhead and body side. The hardtop bottom seal should cover this area, just extra insurance.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Bought a small can of this paint for touch up around all the drain holes I drilled, matches good enough for this purpose.
Put a first coat on the bed floor at the rollbar feet locations. Not as good of a match on larger areas but it will be hidden.
First coat applied with a brush, kind of meh, will use a fine nap and roll on the second coat. Probably overkill but while I'm here.......
Put a first coat on the bed floor at the rollbar feet locations. Not as good of a match on larger areas but it will be hidden.
First coat applied with a brush, kind of meh, will use a fine nap and roll on the second coat. Probably overkill but while I'm here.......
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Had one of my nephews come over and help me put the factory roll bar back in the bed. I left the single coat of paint on the floor at the rollbar feet locations. One coat is plenty, it is really only covering up stains, not rust. The bed paint and the feet bottom paint felt cured.
While my nephew was over I had him help me flip the hard top over, will try to put a coat of white paint on the interior tomorrow IF the temperature is warm enough.
Then next week when it's raining I can start trying to figure out/fabricate new hard top seals, and start messing with the doors to remove the old nutmeg appliques.........
While my nephew was over I had him help me flip the hard top over, will try to put a coat of white paint on the interior tomorrow IF the temperature is warm enough.
Then next week when it's raining I can start trying to figure out/fabricate new hard top seals, and start messing with the doors to remove the old nutmeg appliques.........
Last edited:
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Got the first coat of white on the inside of the hard top today. Might be the only coat needed, the gloss white covered the flat white primer easily.
It will make you blind trying to paint white over white. Paint is center slot, primer on either side of the slot. Primer looks yellowish compared to the gloss white paint.
I cut in the sides above the door openings, the vertical sides behind the door openings, the front edge forward of the flat ceiling, and the entire back panel around the windows opening with a 1" brush. I rolled the flat parts with a 4" long 3/4 nap roller, just like the exterior sides. Worked out great, no brush strokes or runs. I really like this paint!!
This paint does not have much wet edge time. I probably should have rolled first, then cut in, but it worked out well. Two people, one roller and one cutter, would be great, especially with a larger sized project. You just have to keep working from the wet edge, hard to cut everything in then go back, just don't have that much working time with this paint.
Anyway, very happy with it, especially for an amateur painter at best. And only one small bug landed in the white
I'll make a final judgment call on the only one coat of white tomorrow, but it looked great tonight before I went in for the day.
I never did any masking between the white and black, so I will need to touch up some of the black around the door openings. Easy enough to paint black over the white with a little brush, versus masking.
I will let this coat of white dry at least two days before a potential second coat of white, or black touch up. Low humidity which is great, but a bit cooler temperatures.
That's it for now.
It will make you blind trying to paint white over white. Paint is center slot, primer on either side of the slot. Primer looks yellowish compared to the gloss white paint.
I cut in the sides above the door openings, the vertical sides behind the door openings, the front edge forward of the flat ceiling, and the entire back panel around the windows opening with a 1" brush. I rolled the flat parts with a 4" long 3/4 nap roller, just like the exterior sides. Worked out great, no brush strokes or runs. I really like this paint!!
This paint does not have much wet edge time. I probably should have rolled first, then cut in, but it worked out well. Two people, one roller and one cutter, would be great, especially with a larger sized project. You just have to keep working from the wet edge, hard to cut everything in then go back, just don't have that much working time with this paint.
Anyway, very happy with it, especially for an amateur painter at best. And only one small bug landed in the white
I'll make a final judgment call on the only one coat of white tomorrow, but it looked great tonight before I went in for the day.
I never did any masking between the white and black, so I will need to touch up some of the black around the door openings. Easy enough to paint black over the white with a little brush, versus masking.
I will let this coat of white dry at least two days before a potential second coat of white, or black touch up. Low humidity which is great, but a bit cooler temperatures.
That's it for now.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Bolted the roll bar back into place this morning. Since three of the four panels are replacement pieces, and the original fourth panel was damaged by previous owner rollbar removal, I have to use nuts on all 16 bolts. No nice welded in place nuts on the underbody parts. Not the end of the world, but a PIA by yourself.
Too cold outside to paint, moved the hard top inside to keep it warm and dry. We have rain forecast the next few days, so if I want to add a second coat of white or do black touch up work it will have to be completed inside the garage. The garage is not heated but keeping the big doors shut should keep the temperature over 50, warm enough to paint.
The one coat of white looks good, and since most of it is hidden by the in cab roll cage, might let it slide on one coat.
Too cold outside to paint, moved the hard top inside to keep it warm and dry. We have rain forecast the next few days, so if I want to add a second coat of white or do black touch up work it will have to be completed inside the garage. The garage is not heated but keeping the big doors shut should keep the temperature over 50, warm enough to paint.
The one coat of white looks good, and since most of it is hidden by the in cab roll cage, might let it slide on one coat.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Decided to move on to replacing the cowl seal, which has leaked since I reassembled the Jeep. The original seal I installed was most probably a Crown or Omix part. It fit well enough, just leaked. I probably should have put some goop between the outer seal lip and the face of the windshield frame. Oh well, let's swap it out.
I ordered a Fairchild brand seal off Amazon. Not sure if it is or not it did not have any type of manufacture packing or markings. It fit well enough BUT it seamed way to wide on the cowl portion. The seal stuck out past the frame a good 1/2"!!
At first I was like WTF!! Even called JeepAddict. I took it back off and compared it to the previously installed seal. The new seal was not formed to fit into the lower windshield frame flange.
This picture shows the squarish part that fits to the lower frame flange. The new seal is flat all across the bottom, no formed box.
So, reinstalled the seal, only installed the two outer screws, one on each side. Used a block of wood to force the new soft seal into the flange. Carefully raised the windshield frame, using my fingers and a popsicle stick to keep the seal in place, success, much better!!
This Jeep has an in cab cage, a bit different then stock. The windshield frame bolts to the front portion of the cage with two bolts on each side, not the big black knobs. But this should not interfere with the seal fitment, might actually help keep in place on the two ends.
Pretty happy with the inside seal fitment.
The outside is OK. The seal does ride higher up on the frame compared to the old seal.
There is a gap between the seal and the face of the windshield frame.
I have the windshield frame bolts hand snugged down for now. Going to let the seal sit for a few days and see what it does. I also do not have any of the lower screws in except at each corner. Might leave them out, not sure yet. I will probably use some 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive and glue the seal to the face of the windshield frame. Will give it a few days before that.
I have an aftermarket windshield frame on this Jeep and the in cab cage. I do not think either is really affecting this seal. Both doors seal perfect to the body and windshield frame all the way around, so I definitely don't want to mess that up.
That's it for now.
I ordered a Fairchild brand seal off Amazon. Not sure if it is or not it did not have any type of manufacture packing or markings. It fit well enough BUT it seamed way to wide on the cowl portion. The seal stuck out past the frame a good 1/2"!!
At first I was like WTF!! Even called JeepAddict. I took it back off and compared it to the previously installed seal. The new seal was not formed to fit into the lower windshield frame flange.
This picture shows the squarish part that fits to the lower frame flange. The new seal is flat all across the bottom, no formed box.
So, reinstalled the seal, only installed the two outer screws, one on each side. Used a block of wood to force the new soft seal into the flange. Carefully raised the windshield frame, using my fingers and a popsicle stick to keep the seal in place, success, much better!!
This Jeep has an in cab cage, a bit different then stock. The windshield frame bolts to the front portion of the cage with two bolts on each side, not the big black knobs. But this should not interfere with the seal fitment, might actually help keep in place on the two ends.
Pretty happy with the inside seal fitment.
The outside is OK. The seal does ride higher up on the frame compared to the old seal.
There is a gap between the seal and the face of the windshield frame.
I have the windshield frame bolts hand snugged down for now. Going to let the seal sit for a few days and see what it does. I also do not have any of the lower screws in except at each corner. Might leave them out, not sure yet. I will probably use some 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive and glue the seal to the face of the windshield frame. Will give it a few days before that.
I have an aftermarket windshield frame on this Jeep and the in cab cage. I do not think either is really affecting this seal. Both doors seal perfect to the body and windshield frame all the way around, so I definitely don't want to mess that up.
That's it for now.
- City
- W-S
- State
- NC
Just a so I know type question…how much wind noise do you get when you’re on the highway?
As always, great write up
As always, great write up
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Thanks!
I always run the oem full steel doors. The 1/2 hardtop is way quieter than the Whitco 1/2 soft top I used to run. I usually have both windows down all the way when it is hot out so a bunch of noise at 70+mph. With the windows rolled up more and the vent windows opened it cuts down on the noise some. The most annoying wind noise I have now is from the wrong front hardtop seal over the windshield frame. Wind kind of whistles through the gap, and some rain in a hard rain!!
My engine and exhaust are quiet, no drive train noises, and the new mud tires are still quiet. My main source of wind noise comes from having the door glass down all the way.
I'll report back once I get this Scrambler back together.
One thing that my green Scrambler has that this one does not, and it does cut down on side window wind noise: the hard door glass plastic vent shade things that stick to the top/exterior of the hard doors. I was going to rip them off when I first bought that Scrambler but the damn things do tend to cut down on the wind buffering noise.
- City
- W-S
- State
- NC
Solid reply as always.
Did you write your term papers as good as this back in the day?
A+
Did you write your term papers as good as this back in the day?
A+
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
I was not happy with my cowl seal install, so I revisited it. I removed all the screws that hold the seal to the bottom of the windshield frame. My windshield frame holes pull the seal into the wrong position. Probably my fault from 15 years ago when I installed the other seal? So, pulled all the screws out, only installed a single screw on each far end of the seal.
Is this the correct thing to do? Who knows, it's what I'm doing on this install. I really think these screws only help hold the seal into position during installation AND if you fold the windshield frame down. Since I only fold the windshield frame down to work on the wipers, and I'm 95% happy with them, going to go with it.
With only the two corner screws the seal fits much better.
I gently folded the windshield frame upward, used my fingers to keep the seal in place on the interior side. It did not want to drop out of position, only kinda squish out, but not bad squish out.
On the outside it looks like this, not in the 100% correct place.
You can see how the seals bottom exterior lip is not pulled into place right now.
At this point I installed the windshield frame to roll cage bolts (takes the place of the big black knobs on this Jeep). Barely finger tight. I then gently pulled on the seals exterior upward lip to pull the exterior bottom seal lip into place.
I am assuming this is how the lower portion, exterior, of the cowl seal is supposed to look like when installed correctly.
I then snugged up the windshield frame bolts a little bit more, worked the interior side of the seal into an esthetically pleasing appearance. I only used my fingers and a wood paint stirring stick, worked the bottom edge straight. Probably OCD but since I don't have a dash pad in this Jeep due to the Rock Hard in cab cage I want the seal to look nice since I have to look at it all the time!!
Finally snugged the windshield frame to roll cage bolts tight, and the seal looks very nice on the inside.
Is this the correct thing to do? Who knows, it's what I'm doing on this install. I really think these screws only help hold the seal into position during installation AND if you fold the windshield frame down. Since I only fold the windshield frame down to work on the wipers, and I'm 95% happy with them, going to go with it.
With only the two corner screws the seal fits much better.
I gently folded the windshield frame upward, used my fingers to keep the seal in place on the interior side. It did not want to drop out of position, only kinda squish out, but not bad squish out.
On the outside it looks like this, not in the 100% correct place.
You can see how the seals bottom exterior lip is not pulled into place right now.
At this point I installed the windshield frame to roll cage bolts (takes the place of the big black knobs on this Jeep). Barely finger tight. I then gently pulled on the seals exterior upward lip to pull the exterior bottom seal lip into place.
I am assuming this is how the lower portion, exterior, of the cowl seal is supposed to look like when installed correctly.
I then snugged up the windshield frame bolts a little bit more, worked the interior side of the seal into an esthetically pleasing appearance. I only used my fingers and a wood paint stirring stick, worked the bottom edge straight. Probably OCD but since I don't have a dash pad in this Jeep due to the Rock Hard in cab cage I want the seal to look nice since I have to look at it all the time!!
Finally snugged the windshield frame to roll cage bolts tight, and the seal looks very nice on the inside.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
The only area of the cowl seal, interior side, that is a bit of a PIA to keep in position is the 4", either side of the center dashboard to cowl bolt. This is where the seal is cut out for the defrost holes in the windshield frame/cowl. Since there is no steel mesh inside this seal to help keep it into shape it takes some patience to get the seal to look acceptable at these spots. Again, OCD, but it looks OK/good here, too.
The exterior upward lip of the cowl seal will have to be sealed to the exterior face of the windshield frame, no way around it. There is a gap all the way down.
This upward facing lip is also a little wrinkly, not bad, from me tugging it into position.
Since the temperature is in the 40's here right now I'm leaving this alone for now. Since this picture was taken the wrinkles are almost all the way out. Going to call the cowl seal install finished for now. Will give it a few days to relax into its final shape, then figure out a way to seal it to the face of the windshield frame, either goop or some type of double side 3M tape.
The exterior upward lip of the cowl seal will have to be sealed to the exterior face of the windshield frame, no way around it. There is a gap all the way down.
This upward facing lip is also a little wrinkly, not bad, from me tugging it into position.
Since the temperature is in the 40's here right now I'm leaving this alone for now. Since this picture was taken the wrinkles are almost all the way out. Going to call the cowl seal install finished for now. Will give it a few days to relax into its final shape, then figure out a way to seal it to the face of the windshield frame, either goop or some type of double side 3M tape.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Time to try to fix leak spot number two, of three, on the windshield frame.
When the auto glass people installed the windshield glass into the rubber seal, they did not goop the glass to the rubber, even though I requested this. So, when going 65+mph on the highway in heavy rain neat little water droplets force themselves between the glass and the rubber seal and squirm out on the interior side.
And since I have over 100k miles on this windshield, lots of crap is between the seal and glass. I used a plastic tool to pry the seal away from the glass and then used multiple glass cleaning rags to get all the crap out.
This took about two hours. I also used compressed air to blast the crap out which makes an even bigger mess!! But, this area needs to be 100% clean for sealant to work.
I would recommend doing this immediately after the glass is installed. I had lots of mud and sand in here, surprisingly no rust.
Since I'm messy, and I need to seal the exterior edge of the rubber seal to the windshield frame (leak number 3 of 3), I spent some time masking everything up.
I decided to try this product out, it is supposed to seal to both glass and rubber.
It is thin, not so runny that it make a mess. My only issue with it: only 1.5 ounces inside the tube. I used a whole tube and a little bit out of the second tube I bought for the rear glass seal. Glad I bought two tubes!!
I wiped up the excess goop that squished out as I went. Pretty happy with most of the goop job.
In some places, along the bottom, the gap between the seal and glass was larger.
If I push the seal toward the glass some goop oozes up and out. I am going to leave this for now, give the goop the full 24 hour cure time. I will revisit this in a couple of days. It is probably sealed just fine, especially since I really dispensed a lot of goop into this lower gap. Water can go down maybe 2-3mm below the top edge of the rubber before it hits the solid goop line. It should not go any deeper. And, since the water will only be sitting against either rubber or glass no real problem. But, I will probably seal the glass flush to the seal with a bit more goop here and there along the bottom.
Give me a clutch or engine swap any day of the week!! This type of work is slow and time consuming. Couple this fact with winter weather temperatures, and now pouring down rain, longer cure times for paint and sealants. Now I know why I waited so long to try to address these "quality of life" type issues!!!
Going to probably wait until Saturday before I goop the rubber seal to the windshield frame. I don't want to disturb the glass to rubber goop.
That's it for now.
When the auto glass people installed the windshield glass into the rubber seal, they did not goop the glass to the rubber, even though I requested this. So, when going 65+mph on the highway in heavy rain neat little water droplets force themselves between the glass and the rubber seal and squirm out on the interior side.
And since I have over 100k miles on this windshield, lots of crap is between the seal and glass. I used a plastic tool to pry the seal away from the glass and then used multiple glass cleaning rags to get all the crap out.
This took about two hours. I also used compressed air to blast the crap out which makes an even bigger mess!! But, this area needs to be 100% clean for sealant to work.
I would recommend doing this immediately after the glass is installed. I had lots of mud and sand in here, surprisingly no rust.
Since I'm messy, and I need to seal the exterior edge of the rubber seal to the windshield frame (leak number 3 of 3), I spent some time masking everything up.
I decided to try this product out, it is supposed to seal to both glass and rubber.
It is thin, not so runny that it make a mess. My only issue with it: only 1.5 ounces inside the tube. I used a whole tube and a little bit out of the second tube I bought for the rear glass seal. Glad I bought two tubes!!
I wiped up the excess goop that squished out as I went. Pretty happy with most of the goop job.
In some places, along the bottom, the gap between the seal and glass was larger.
If I push the seal toward the glass some goop oozes up and out. I am going to leave this for now, give the goop the full 24 hour cure time. I will revisit this in a couple of days. It is probably sealed just fine, especially since I really dispensed a lot of goop into this lower gap. Water can go down maybe 2-3mm below the top edge of the rubber before it hits the solid goop line. It should not go any deeper. And, since the water will only be sitting against either rubber or glass no real problem. But, I will probably seal the glass flush to the seal with a bit more goop here and there along the bottom.
Give me a clutch or engine swap any day of the week!! This type of work is slow and time consuming. Couple this fact with winter weather temperatures, and now pouring down rain, longer cure times for paint and sealants. Now I know why I waited so long to try to address these "quality of life" type issues!!!
Going to probably wait until Saturday before I goop the rubber seal to the windshield frame. I don't want to disturb the glass to rubber goop.
That's it for now.