Replacing Factory Caulking

[JoshStratton]

Hey all.

I am replacing a few panels on my car that required sanding away the factory caulking. Would you spread it back on before or after you paint?

[merriman44]

When I ripped up my seam sealer it sure looked like they sealed it then painted over that as the metal underneath the sealer was bare. And after 40 years it still looked brand new... Maybe I'll just rub the stuff all over my car and call it painted

[Hammered]

After epoxy primer.

[JoshStratton]

Well hey hey. Its an Ohio thread!

I was going to prime then put it down, but like merriman44 said, I was worried about not putting it on bare metal. I wasnt sure if it would matter what was directly on the metal.

[dhardison]

I'll join the Ohio thread!

If it were me I'd sand/grind to bare metal then apply the sealer/caulk, then paint over. I'd think the sealer/caulk would adhere better to bare metal than primer which might peel.

[JoshStratton]

Well there goes the neighborhood LOL

I think I will put the sealer down first. If it's the way it was done at the factory, then it's probably the best thing to do.

[slenning]

After epoxy primer.

Sorry to screw up the Ohio thread but I agree with Hammered.
Nothing is better on bare metal than epoxy primer.

[HILROD]

The caulking will stick to primer best. If you are going to paint over it soon , an etching primer is O.K. If it has to sit awhile epoxy primer would probably be good. The seam sealers I"ve used before seem to stick to porous primers best. The shiny epoxy might not let it adhere as well. There are two part sealers that will, but they cost a lot more.

[merriman44]

Whatever you choose will probably work best, but I'll say again that after 40 years the metal underneath my sealer looks great! In fact, it was the best metal that I still had in my rockers when I replaced them.