Ready to do some exterior sealing on the body other than the firewall/tulip panel area before paint. I've got my 3M Heavy Drip Chek (in the little hand tube) and 3M Flexiclear Body Seam Sealer (in the long caulking tube). Any help on the following:

-1-Drip Rails: I'm planning on using the Flexiclear with a caulking gun. Is there a tool I can use to smooth it out with?

-2-Rear Body Panel where it meets the Rear Quarter Panel (near the tail lights): Which do I use here and do I leave a groove between the panels or make it flush?

-3-The panel below the Rear Window Glass where it meets the Rear Quarters: Same ? as #2.

Have I missed any other gaps? I'm just talking exterior here. Thanks in advance.

Dan

The 3m drip check is a self leveling product, I used it for all the areas you have questions about, it worked great my drip rails I had to 2nd coated it because it seeped into the roof seam and filled it up good but to achive a good round line I had to add a second line over the first in the drip rail, Use 3/4 tape on the drip rail and 2in tape on the roof line to keep it from making a major mess if you plan on smoothing it out. The tail and two lip pan just out line it with 3/4 tape and run a bead of drip check not seam sealer into the area, and use wax and greese remover to lay it down & smooth it out to looking the way you want it. if you use seam sealer on top side painted areas the paint will flake off due to differant expantion rates. Nothing worse than a flaking paint job just because of seam sealer. If you are intent on useing any seam sealer use 3M 8300 it is by far the best on the market.

Tools required Tape & calking gun and Finger for leveling..lol lots of paper towels and for sure wax & greese remover.

Latex gloves work great for this type of application. ;)


I recommend using the sealer over primer and not on bare metal.



-Wayne

Thanks for the info guys, the wax/grease remover is a good tip I had forgotten about. I'm gonna go with the drip chek for all in question. I think the last painter must have used the seam sealer on the drip rails, it looked horrible.

Dan