To Fill.....Or.....Not to Fill, camper hightop gutters

[GrahamL]

Not sure what to do......
When purchased; my MY90, Atlantic, hightop came with gutters totally filled with sealant.
The van had been restored last year including the gutters repainted and sealant applied (Sika flex) as found when purchased.
Not happy with the guttering; I am having work to the guttering redone. The bodyshop was surprised to see the guttering filled and suggested that any replaced sealant should only half fill the gutter to cover the joint of the van roof and fibreglass high top.
What is the correct detail for this.
Any advice will be appreciated.
Regards
Graham

[Plasticman]

picky or two would be good.
often see the gutters 1/3rd full, not an issue as long as its not being done to hide /cover the rot.
as said it would be good for folk (and me ) to see picks of this and what was done ,also the rectification works as they are not that easy to do right
mm

[aerovolito]

i'm halfway through resealing the gutters on my Westy Hi-top because the sealant is cracking (due to age) and probably letting water through. Westfalia used a metal retainer strip which runs the length of the gutter and is spot welded at the base. The whole lot is then covered in sealant which results in it coming quite close to the top of the gutter. At least that is what I found on mine. I have no experience with any others.

[Oldiebut goodie]

What is the point of putting sealant in a gutter? Surely the only place it needs to be is between the fibreglass top and the roof (applied from the inside). The only reason that I can see for it being in the gutter is cosmetic covering the hard edge.

[GrahamL]

There is a rubber like material between the fibreglass high top and the roof of the van.
It would be nice to get a definitive detail from archive material produced by either Westfalia / VW.

Lacking this; without a manufacturers detail I can only replicate that which was used on the van when purchased.
My enquiry is driven by the observation of the bodyshop......, which does have some practical credibility.
As mentioned above, there is a steel longitudinal fastener which secures a fibreglass lip and rubber like material / gasket to the steel roof.
I think as a practical improvement to the detail is to remove surface rust, coat inner gutter with a corrosion resistant paint, possibly Galvafroid, and fill the gutter to a level which covers the steel fastener.
Regards
Graham

[Plasticman]

i think the op means something has been added but i have no xstal ball and pickies are not forthcoming yet so......
there is a fairish depth added to seal the roof down, but if its full or whatever then its there to hide stuff thats for sure , have a look here, ok not the same roof but near enough same fixing method i believe
http://archive.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic ... 8&t=121297" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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[GrahamL]

Sorry
Can't up load photos; the indicated post does show the gutter detail very well, although I suspect that the translucent sealant used was not factory spec and installed sometime after manufacture / conversion.
Regards
Graham

[metulmick8y]

Ok ,that be bath sealant ! Why can't you upload pickies
mm

[what2do]

Since when did we have the pleasure of 'metal' and 'metul'?

Never noticed that before.

[Oldiebut goodie]

He must have forgotten his password in 2013!

[davegsm82]

My gutters were filled with body filler to about 1 inch above the top of gutter and then shaped so that there is an angle 45 degrees downwards. They were then covered with alloy plates and rivetted in place after being stuck down with sikaflex.

The result is that the water has got in and rotted the gutters away as well as the original outer skin of the roof.

Its going to be a very expensive repair, so my advice is, no dont fill the gutters.

Dave.

[GrahamL]

Hi,
Can any one further assist with this issue.
After taking the van to a "restorer" and agreeing with them to part fill the gutters, I have found that they have ignored my advice to fill the gutters to a point which covers the fibreglass lip of the high top; only using the supplied Sikaflex to fill the external return cavity which faces outwards. This seems a waste of material and time. Athough they have replaced three sections of rusted gutter they have along both sides cleaned, painted and coated with a zinc primer. The internal base of the guttering is exposed.

Please any help will be appreciated; I am inclined to increase the amount of sealant to the gutters to at least cover the join between the roof and the high top flange.
Regards
Graham

[Plasticman]

Please would YOU help by going and taking a load of pickies and posting up , its like asking if this color is too dark with only written description
mm
Take picks ,host to peebucket etc then to here ,if you can't then get someone who can or send a Li d to where they are and that will suffice