Replacing rubber seals on main (large) windows/ports [Master Thread]

[Blue Streak]

What about prep? Any other suggestions as to how to best clean the old silicone and adhesives off of aluminum frames?

 

[Loren Beach]

I have heard that mechanical removal by scrapper and wire brush is best, but have not done this myself. (Our fixed ports are external lenses.)

 

[Christian Williams]

If it's actually silicone, my new favorite expensive caulk remover, "Anti-Bond 2015," won't work. But you never know. Acetone does help. As Loren says, mechanical removal is always required.

 

[bigd14]

Took me hours and hours with various bronze brush wheels on a grinder and drill. Persistence and patience is key.

 

[Blue Streak]

Took me hours and hours with various bronze brush wheels on a grinder and drill. Persistence and patience is key.

I wonder if there is a good Dremel brush for that.

 

[kapnkd]

What about prep? Any other suggestions as to how to best clean the old silicone and adhesives off of aluminum frames?View attachment 43313

Sadly, there is no easy way out short of the needed elbow-grease and frustrations that we ever found when tackling our ports years ago.


I DID see this product advertised on the web but have never used it. ...Maybe others can provide feedback on it for you???
https://siliconesolutions.com/silicone-remover/ss-srr.html

 

[bigd14]

I wonder if there is a good Dremel brush for that

In order to fully remove the silicone you essentially have to remove the layer of aluminum that it’s bonded to. A tiny Dremel brush may be good for some tight spots but I think it’s too small for bulk removal. I found that a brass wire wheel from Harbor Freight on my little bench grinder worked well on the flat sections and various drill mounted paint removal wheels worked (sort of) in the curves. I also employed various sacrificial chisels, mini screwdrivers, picks and other implements for the small areas that inevitably remained

Put on some good music, use a headlamp and reading glasses (if needed), and gut through it!

The test for success is a mist of water sprayed on the frame. If it beads up you’re not there yet.

 

[kapnkd]

I wonder if there is a good Dremel brush for that.

Dremel tools and accessories are great - BUT - recently using multiple heavy duty full size wire brushes for cleaning just the engine compartment/frame - during the engine rebuild - (of my also and now 50 year owned ‘67 Corvette), “SADLY - NOT HAPPENING”! Dremel brushes are good for small areas but in your small area lurks a determined silicone adhesion monster!!

The built up road grime, similar to Silicone, is out and out…STUBBORNLY TOUGH SCHTUFF to get off!!! (Just wish silicone stopped all the leaks equally as hard as it is to get rid of!)

…Nature, along with the laws of physics. I’ll hydraulics and simple physics of gravity make water THE most insistent and invasive invaders on our planet!

Certainly

 

[JPS27]

Debond or Remov-It adhesive remover have worked well for me. here's a blog I wrote about the process. the pics have disappeared.

 

[Christian Williams]

Debond or Remov-It adhesive remover have worked well for me. here's a blog I wrote about the process. the pics have disappeared.

The photos are there, at the bottom (at least I can see them). They lost their place result of the migration to the new blog software. Send me a private message if you'd like me to move them back into the body copy, it's easy enough to do.

 

[Mr. Scarlett]

Could they be safely bead blasted? Is there a dip tank somewhere that would take care of silicone? A friend's dad would take our bike frames to his shop (commercial truck mechanic?) and bring them back as bare metal. We didn't do any prep at all. And we could change the colour of our bikes!

 

[Tin Kicker]

Bead blasted yes, dip tank no. The problem is that silicone gets into any & every pore at the microscopic level and virtually nothing sticks to it for long, setting up the potential for future leaks. That's why you need to remove the surface of the aluminum, fiberglass, or whatever else the silicone has adhered to.

But then the bare aluminum will corrode because the anodized surface layer has been removed or at least scratched thru in numerous areas. In the bad old days, we would apply alodine and zinc chromate, then hope for the best. Now we have barrier coats that are easy to use and actually last like this:

https://www.amazon.com/TotalBoat-Aluminum-Boat-Barrier-Quart/dp/B06X197WTM/ref=sr_1_17?crid=7JT5VO9S4CM&keywords=aluminum+alodine&qid=1655819044&sprefix=aluminum+alodine%2Caps%2C54&sr=8-17