Repainting my 86 F150 and noticed there is a seam where the cab gutter "I guess that's what it is called" meets the cab and there is remnants of some kind of putty or caulk. Most of it is gone. What should I replace it with?

Thanks!
Ben

 

Seam sealer. DO NOT use any type of silicone. Silicone actually corrodes steel and you will not have any paint adhesion where silicone touches. ( even silicone on your fingertips that touch a door panel will not hold paint)!

 

Make sure you also redo the same seam as it goes across to the top back corners on the cab. This is were it likes to leak and it rusts out your cab corners.

 

Seam sealer, rip out all of the old stuff you can. I did this when I repainted the top of my cab.

 

Does seam sealer also act to provide strength to hold the two mating surfaces together, or is it just to level and seal a weld under it?


Put another way. if the seam sealer is cracked now, does that mean there might be a weld under it that is cracked, or is replacing the seam sealer the entire fix?

 

The seams are spotwelded, the sealer makes it watertight. Like all other seals and sealers, the seam sealer gets old and hardens, and then cracks.