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Which Butyl Mastic for rack?

nU7OuxIx

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I'm gathering the parts I need to install a roof rack and it seems like butyl isn't easy to find....I thought it would be. Here's what I came up with and was wondering if there's something better, or if any of these would work:

- Butyl Tape: Second Skin Butyl Sealant Tape from Amazon. Probably the easiest to apply and least messiest.
- Caulk: CR Laurence 777 Butyl Sealant. Says it's butyl but it looks like it may harden over time, according to an amazon comment. The web site for the caulk says it won't harden though. May harden at -20F.
- Caulk: Red Devil 06970I Butyl Sealant. Looks good but it's only in white and gray. May harden at -20F.

These are the ones I found that are easiest to obtain online. Does anybody have a recommendation of what to go with?
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Fonzilla85

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I'm gathering the parts I need to install a roof rack and it seems like butyl isn't easy to find....I thought it would be. Here's what I came up with and was wondering if there's something better, or if any of these would work:

- Butyl Tape: Second Skin Butyl Sealant Tape from Amazon. Probably the easiest to apply and least messiest.
- Caulk: CR Laurence 777 Butyl Sealant. Says it's butyl but it looks like it may harden over time, according to an amazon comment. The web site for the caulk says it won't harden though. May harden at -20F.
- Caulk: Red Devil 06970I Butyl Sealant. Looks good but it's only in white and gray. May harden at -20F.

These are the ones I found that are easiest to obtain online. Does anybody have a recommendation of what to go with?
I used Dynaflex Ultra, no issues with leaks or it cracking. You can pick it up at any hardware store.
 
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nU7OuxIx

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I used 3M Scotch Seal Mastic (2229)

Found Here
Thanks! That was another one I saw and was thinking about it. My experience was 3m products previously has been great so I thought it may work too. It doesn't really say butyl and I got the impression it was more electrical, but maybe it sounds like it works just as well.
 

Jeeperz Kreeperz

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@nU7OuxIx Curious as to what you ended up going with for a solution, and if you have any tips to share. I’ve got the Rhino Rack Backbone system, and am having trouble finding this stuff as well.
 

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nU7OuxIx

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@nU7OuxIx Curious as to what you ended up going with for a solution, and if you have any tips to share. I’ve got the Rhino Rack Backbone system, and am having trouble finding this stuff as well.
Replied to your PM but will post here in case others had the same question...

Lol...yes... I had the same problem. I went with C.R. Laurence 777BL CRL Black 777 Butyl Rubber Sealant from Amazon. Link below.. Mind you, I just had this for about a month, but so far, no leaks.

I don't know how the tape would work. I will say that the caulk is messy...really messy. I would had liked to fill the screw hole with it too, but after making a loop around the screw holes, I said that was good enough. What I ended up doing is gently placing the rhino mount on the roof, putting some blue painters tape around that piece, and then torqueing them down. The butyl squishes out from there and then would get on the tape instead of all over the roof. I tend to go overboard with sealants though so maybe I overdid it.

Some recommended silicone caulk and gasket sealer. I read something somewhere that said gasket sealer can be used...this is the stuff that you would use to make an o-ring or put around the diff cover to reseal it. Personally, I wouldn't recommend silicone or any other caulk like that because it's not anywhere close to what the instructions said and I think it would cause headaches later.

Good luck!!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TBCQ92/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

DarkAardvark

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I used RTV on a hole in my flappy soft top for my TJ and it lasted for 7 years (would probably have gone longer, but I replaced the whole top)

I have it on my JL's hard top with the maximus 3 rhino rack system and it hasn't leaked in the whole month it's been on there
 

cristofer

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I reached out to RhinoRack customer service to get some recommendations, here's what they said:

From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, Sep 10, 2021 at 6:18 AM
Subject: RE: Butyl Mastic for JL Backbone?


Hello, Thank you for reaching out to Rhino Rack. Here is a couple of links our engineering team recommends as Butyl tape -

https://www.permatex.com/products/g...makers/permatex-the-right-stuff-gasket-maker/

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Scotch-Se...&keywords=butyl+rubber&qid=1594903946&sr=8-14


Beth
Customer Service & Tech Support

Rhino-Rack USA, LLC.
2450 Airport Blvd. Unit D
Aurora, CO 80011
P (303) 706-9700
W www.rhinorack.com

Consider the environment before printing this email

Sent: 9/9/2021 11:23 PM GMT-06:00
To: [email protected]
Subject: Butyl Mastic for JL Backbone?
Hi there,

I've got the RhinoRack JL Backbone in my garage ready to install, but I can't seem to find a good place to get Butyl Mastic to use during the installation.

Would you be able to recommend some products that I could use instead, or provide a link to where I could acquire what's necessary?

Thank you,

Cristofer
Jeep Wrangler JL Which Butyl Mastic for rack? {filename}
 
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nU7OuxIx

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I reached out to RhinoRack customer service to get some recommendations, here's what they said:

From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, Sep 10, 2021 at 6:18 AM
Subject: RE: Butyl Mastic for JL Backbone?


Hello, Thank you for reaching out to Rhino Rack. Here is a couple of links our engineering team recommends as Butyl tape -

https://www.permatex.com/products/g...makers/permatex-the-right-stuff-gasket-maker/

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Scotch-Se...&keywords=butyl+rubber&qid=1594903946&sr=8-14


Beth
Customer Service & Tech Support

Rhino-Rack USA, LLC.
2450 Airport Blvd. Unit D
Aurora, CO 80011
P (303) 706-9700
W www.rhinorack.com

Consider the environment before printing this email

Sent:
9/9/2021 11:23 PM GMT-06:00
To: [email protected]
Subject: Butyl Mastic for JL Backbone?
Hi there,

I've got the RhinoRack JL Backbone in my garage ready to install, but I can't seem to find a good place to get Butyl Mastic to use during the installation.

Would you be able to recommend some products that I could use instead, or provide a link to where I could acquire what's necessary?

Thank you,

Cristofer
Jeep Wrangler JL Which Butyl Mastic for rack? {filename}
D'oh. I followed the instructions and used the caulk instead. It worked, but I had a leak. I think the leak was due to one of the rubber washers getting torn. After replacing it with an o-ring, it hasn't leaked, but I haven't had any weight on it and haven't been through any monsoons again.

If Rhino recommends the tape I would go that route. I've never used it, but it has to be less messier than the butyl caulk.
 

psucanary

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I used butyl tape (second time around after both fronts had dribbles) and it was way easier to work with and been almost a year without a single drop. Also been through extreme temps (hot and cold), still pliable. Wish I woulda just used that to begin with. It'll also be way easier if you have to remove one or two in the future to retrieve a nut (they can fall in; you need to remedy with some sort of spacer under the nut to keep it in place IF a nut falls in). Tape won't permanently adhere to the roof surface like various caulk options seem to do..
 

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nU7OuxIx

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I used butyl tape (second time around after both fronts had dribbles) and it was way easier to work with and been almost a year without a single drop. Also been through extreme temps (hot and cold), still pliable. Wish I woulda just used that to begin with. It'll also be way easier if you have to remove one or two in the future to retrieve a nut (they can fall in; you need to remedy with some sort of spacer under the nut to keep it in place IF a nut falls in). Tape won't permanently adhere to the roof surface like various caulk options seem to do..
If you have a 3d printer, I ended up making a spacer and printing it in ABS. I put it on two of the nuts, and I'm guessing I'll put it on the others when the bolts drop.

I wished rhino would had included a metal one.
 

psucanary

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If you have a 3d printer, I ended up making a spacer and printing it in ABS. I put it on two of the nuts, and I'm guessing I'll put it on the others when the bolts drop.

I wished rhino would had included a metal one.

Such a bad design..* I used pieces of rubber to keep a little "spring" under the nut so it can't fall.. But your way is much better... Just no 3D printer..

*The Backbone itself works, I mean, its been on for a year without issue other than those stupid nuts. I change from a platform to bars a few times per year, and I say a quick prayer prior, then un-bolt.
 
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cristofer

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Such a bad design..* I used pieces of rubber to keep a little "spring" under the nut so it can't fall.. But your way is much better... Just no 3D printer..

*The Backbone itself works, I mean, its been on for a year without issue other than those stupid nuts. I change from a platform to bars a few times per year, and I say a quick prayer prior, then un-bolt.
Yeah, that part was rough during the install. I gorilla glued the nuts in on the driver's side, but I'd already installed the passenger side ones. The ones on the passenger side ended up falling down but an hour of messing with it let me bolt the platform on. I think I'll print a spacer next time I need to remove something.

I used "the right stuff" but no rain yet for a verdict.
 

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I also contacted Rhino for recommendations on the replcaement for BUTYL MASTIC.

I was planning to use the RIGHT STUFF sealant to make a ring and some in the hole.
And apply the tape around the caster's back, making a seal around it.

Has annyone tried that?
 
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nU7OuxIx

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I also contacted Rhino for recommendations on the replcaement for BUTYL MASTIC.

I was planning to use the RIGHT STUFF sealant to make a ring and some in the hole.
And apply the tape around the caster's back, making a seal around it.

Has annyone tried that?
Do you mean the expandable foam, right stuff? If so, I would not use that. Even though the butyl is messy, it's still removable.

I would be afraid that, especially with the front most casters, if you used foam and get a leak, mold will start growing in the hard top. I would also be concerned that once dry, the foam doesn't really shift. If you were to put a load on the rack it would compress the caster against the hard top. When you remove that load, the great stuff foam wouldn't bounce back, whereas the butyl should.

Personally, even though it's messy, I would stick with butyl. I would probably try the tape first, then the caulk tube as a second choice.
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