Replacing marker lights with LED's

[Willard Goldsmith]

Somewhere along the line the prior owner of my 1997 Monterey must have replaced all the marker lights on the Beaver. And to make everything "waterproof" he LADLED sealant around, under and over the lights. The stuff has set up over the years and I'm finding it very hard to clean up. Does anybody have any easier way than scraping, with all the accompanying, unavoidable, scratches? I'm replacing all 5, front and rear, markers with sealed LED's. Any ideas??

Thanks,

Bill the "buellfooll@msn.com"

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Bill,
 Heat from a heat gun or hair drier might soften the silicon. Otherwise Kent Acrysol or xylene will work. https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_107375_Install-Bay-P60170.html?utm_source=shoppingcom_cse&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=sidecar&sc_intid=107375&scpid=8&scid=scsho
Be sure to reseal the lenses, suggest using Lexel, to keep water from entering coach.
Steve

[Jerry Emert]

I replaced mine a few years ago and did the same thing.  I used Lexel and expected it to act like normal caulk.  Lexel and Proflex are not the same as caulk.  It sticks to everything and does not come off.  I tried denatured alcohol on it with neg results.  When I have to replace one I will suffer.

[David T. Richelderfer]

A year ago while in Houston I tried to seal my leaking windshield gasket.  First, I tried using Flexseal - as seen on TV.  At that time it came only in a spray can, so I had to mask the two sides of the gasket to avoid spraying/splashing the Flexseal out on the windshield and on the coach paint.  Soon I discovered this would take a month to complete.  So I switched to Lexel which I could apply from the squeeze tube only where I wanted it placed, and then press it into place with my finger.  At an Ace Hardware Store where I picked up the supplies I saw a pint can of solvent called Xylol... which I purchased.  That stuff will take the ugly off a shih tzu.  It dissolves the flexseal pretty much on contact.  Before the Lexel dries it will dissolve it easily too.  Even after Lexel dries it will soften it and slowly dissolve it.  I have not left it on the paint too long for fear it will take it off.

The windshield is always wanting to shift in the gasket which tears the Lexel seal apart leaving a crack in it and letting water come in.  I am thinking about applying a 4" wide strip of Gorilla Tape or Eternabond over the gasket so that when the window moves the tape will move with it.

Anyways... the discussion about removing Lexel reminded me of my windshield leak... which mostly is off the thread's subject.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

To remove the 3M shield from the front of our Thunder I found and used plastic razor blades. They did not scratch the paint. You may give that a try on your removal of the old silicone.
Marty

[Edward Buker]

David,

I was thinking about your shifting windshield issue and some other possible options. Weathertech manufactures their own set of sun roof wind deflectors that have a rubber gasket and a screw down system to tighten the gasket against the vehicle. Typically they use a clip that goes into the sunroof opening as  the holder of the nut that the screw ties into but on our motorhomes a couple of screw holes in the glass seem like a minor deal. What came to mind is two of these over your windshield split at the center point. Just thinking something like this if it could be sized appropriately could keep the leaking at bay.

https://www.carid.com/weathertech/sunroof-wind-deflectors-mpn-89041.html?singleid=205596

The sunroof on my Toyota Highlander is 36 inches wide so a deflector would be at least 40 inches and they must be bigger ones. Weathertech may have some options if you talk with them. Just a passing thought...

Later Ed

[Willard Goldsmith]

I replaced mine a few years ago and did the same thing.  I used Lexel and expected it to act like normal caulk.  Lexel and Proflex are not the same as caulk.  It sticks to everything and does not come off.  I tried denatured alcohol on it with neg results.  When I have to replace one I will suffer.

Lexel? Proflex? Is that the stuff that reminds me of SNOT but will NOT come off? This coach has a little of everything on it. The old theory of "if a little is good a lot is better", has never been more wrong.

I spent 4 hours on my belly on the roof at the rear cleaning up the mess using lacquer thinner, wooden Popsicle sticks and paper towels. But the result was worth every swear word uttered. Tomorrow we do the front.

Thanks for all the advice. But before buying another miracle cleaner I tried a small spot with the thinner and it seemed to work well. The only problem now is with all the clean area around the lights I might have to have the whole coach professionally detailed. It's gonna GLOW!!

[john brunson]

heat...

[Roy Warren Co-Admin]

Bill,
I noted one item in Steve's reply that you should not overlook when you reinstall your lights.  One of the biggest problems with our coaches is leaking into the coach and not into the lights.  Please make sure when you reinstall that you seal between the coach and the light. 
For this needed action, you may have found the reason for so much sealant on all of your lights.  You can most likely do a better job than was previously done, but it is an action that needs to be done.
Roy

[Bill Sprague]

Don't read my reply unless you like weird stories!

Our '04 Monterey was about 5 or 6 years old and it started leaking on the dash.  When I looked, a few of the clearance light lenses were cracked.  I was nowhere near where I could get new lenses.   On a whim, I got some bathroom caulk that went on white and dried clear.  It was not silicone.  I think it was "latex".  I didn't want silicone or Lexal because I was expecting to have to remove it to replace lenses. 

Because it was the lenses themselves leaking I smeared the caulk all over the lenses and around the base.  It dried clear and the leak(s) stopped.  I never got around to replacing the lenses!  The rubbery texture of the bathroom caulk seemed to strengthen the plastic lenses! 

As far as I know, nobody ever looked up there with a critical eye to notice my "repair".   

FWIW a secret part of my past was working in a Seattle truck parts place in the '70s.  One of our product lines was Truck-Lite.  I learned that the appropriate material for lenses was LEXAN, a brand of polycarbonate.  It does not break or crack like Beaver lenses do.  When I did try to find Beaver lenses the brand embossed inside was "KII".  Googling lead to an "importer" based in Vancouver, WA that didn't answer their phone.   Our Monaco built Beaver used the lowest quality lights available!

[Jim Edwards]

Hi KII is still around. I was able to order replacement lenses that were a direct fit for my 05 Monterey. I also needed to order a replacement assembly that was damaged. When my coach was factory painted they did so with the marker lights installed so the profile of the replacement needed to be the same or larger than the original. I was able to order the exact item directly from them at that time. No Paint was needed!

https://www.kaperii.com/

[Bill Sprague]

Hi KII is still around. I was able to order replacement lenses that were a direct fit for my 05 Monterey. I also needed to order a replacement assembly that was damaged. When my coach was factory painted they did so with the marker lights installed so the profile of the replacement needed to be the same or larger than the original. I was able to order the exact item directly from them at that time. No Paint was needed!

https://www.kaperii.com/

Good find Jim.  That website looks like they recovered from what may have been a bad time for them when I was needing lenses!  FWIW, the lenses on our '04 Monterey were of a size and shape that some other manufacturers also used.  A local RV supply shop had enough that I got by OK for some side markers. 

[Neal Strickberger]

Had a similar issue - wanted to replace with a well-sealed LED with wire exiting the center, only ones I found were  http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/marker-clearance/rectangle-led-truck-and-trailer-lights-4-pc-rated-led-side-clearance-lights-w-14-high-flux-leds-pigtail-connector/587/1811/

[Joel Ashley]

Bill's comments prodded me to look, and I found the following page.  Not sure it's an exact match dimensionally, but anyone seriously looking for replacements could check.  They are all polycarbonate at least, if not Lexan exactly.
http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?urlRequestType=Base&catalogId=10002&categoryId=13109&productId=50502&errorViewName=ProductDisplayErrorView&urlLangId=&langId=-1&top_category=15554&parent_category_rn=15554&storeId=10001

The cheaper lens-only acrylic variety is available, but likely will crack eventually like our originals:
http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&errorViewName=ProductDisplayErrorView&urlLangId=-1&productId=49894&urlRequestType=Base&langId=-1&catalogId=10002

Joel

[Bill Lampkin]

Does anyone know the Kaper cat # for the clearance lights? PO had a leak problem and the mech filled the recess in the cap completely with silicone. I still get drips of water occasionally.
For clearance and all lighting, here is a very good vendor-made in USA too!http://www.commandelectronics.com/

I'd like to cross the Kaper part # with one from Command. Then tackle the silicone removal job. I haven't removed the clearance lights on the front cap, has anyone pinpointed the cause of water leaks in this area? Is it that the cap recess is curved just a bit so the clearance light just doesn't seat well? Would a closed cell foam gasket or weatherstripping seal this area??