Sikaflex question

[Charles in SC]

I have seen some folks post here that they used Sika products for various things on their bus. What product number is used for sticking aluminum? Where do you get it? I cannot find anyone locally that knows anything about it.
Thanks

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Charles,

IPB "International Bus Products" in Alpopka, Fl..  Sells Sika Products. They will be able to tell you exactly which sika to use for your project.

They are listed in our Tech Archives section under Favorites..

Sika.... STICKY...STICKY...STICKY...STICKY... Stuff.... Get it on your fingers and you will live with it for at least a week!

Good Luck
Nick-

[NewbeeMC9]

Check with Fastenal,  there is one in sparkleyburger

[muddog16]

Sika has a website for information, the best for bus siding is Sika 252.   Here are two links that might help.

http://www.ellsworth.com/home.html   a good place to buy!

http://www.sikaindustry.com/ipd-transoem-body  Sika information!

Good luck and read it closely!

[Lin]

Home Depot generally has a couple of Sika products for construction.  I had bought a sealer there that had a pretty long setup and cure time. It was usuable, but not if you were planning on driving off in a couple of hours.  They also had a construction-type adhesive that was supposed to be stronger the Liquid Nails.  That worked fine also.  I think that they also had a self-leveling sealer which I had no need to try.

I think that Sikaflex 221, which is one of the marine products, is commonly used for general RV use and carried by some RV stores.

[boogiethecat]

Like Muddog says, 252 is the one you want to use.  To do the job right you must also use their primer, and clean the workpiece with alcohol first.
When using 252 you must also put spacers in the glue bead to make sure it stays at least 1/10" thick or it won't cure properly.
And last, either "scrubs in a bucket" or naptha will clean it up easily.

252 is dated- it doesn't last long at all once opened,  and beyond the expiry date it gets thicker and thicker - harder to work with and isn't as strong.  That said, I've capped the stuff up very well and stuck it in the fridge and used it just fine two years later.

Get a caulk gun that has a high ratio on the handle.  The stuff is so thick that a normal home depot style cheepo gun will kill your hand before you even get started.  The more expensive guns use a cam arrangement to amplify your hand-squeeze.

If it's done right, 252 is better than mechanical fasteners. In fact, to me it's simply amazing....

[Eagle]

Take a look at this site I used this product on my coach and it is very easy to use as it has a special application gun that mixes the adhesive automatically and no special cleaners are needed.  When this sets up it is there permanently.  I purchased it from
Sherman-Williams.


www.lord.com/Home/ProductsServices/Adhesives/FusorAutomotiveAftermarketProducts/tabid/3398/Default.aspx

[Cary and Don]

On that caulking gun,  next time we will use an air powered gun.  That stuff is almost impossible to get through a regular gun.  We try to use a whole tube,  it does go bad real fast, like the next day it's dead.

Don and Cary
GMC 4107
Neoplan AN340

[muddog16]

I tried the air chaulking gun........it wasn't much better than a normal gun.  What I did do was make sure that the tubes were warm even to the extent of putting them in a wooden box with a light bulb......that worked great!  On using the tubes from one day to the next you have to seal the end with a cap, and it still hardens.........just remove the tip take a nail and push the hardened sika plug out!  I always tried to use each tube up at the end of the day's work! Sika shouldn't be applied below 50F that is a Sika instruction!  If you are lucky enough to have a heated workplace that helps!  Using sika is a tough messy job, but is well worth the effort!  Following the application instructions from Sika is the best advice I can give, and follow it to the "T"!  One more thing sika has a "use before date" stamped on each tube! If you are trying to save Sika to cut down costs, you are in the long run going to regret that!  Again read the instructions use the proper amount of sika they suggest!  

Aluminum will expand and when it does.......the bead thickness will either stretch with it or will tear if the bead thickness isn't correct!   Using the rubber tile floor spacers is recommended by Sika.....this gurantee's that when you do use them that the thickness is correct!  Even fiberglass, and steel will also expand....all do!  

When clamping a sheet of what ever you are using, use a 2"x4" along where you clamp this will spread the pressure out evenly and eliminate highs and lows in your final result!  If clamping isn't possible I used 2" wide ratcheting cargo straps, I would clamp from one side of the bus to the other completely over the top, I used wood where chassis metal attaching points  to apply more pressure where I needed it!

Proper cleaning methods should be first and foremost both to the chassis steel, and the panel being applied, take it down to bare metal, use Sika's cleaning solvent to clean, allow the solvent to evaporate before applying Sika primer to the metal, allow proper time for primer to dry........"follow the directions".  I tried to apply two sections a day to make sure they were right, don't get in a hurry (slow work takes time).

These are the things that I did after reading all of the information I could find.  Time will tell just how successful I was!   Good luck....!!