Neoprenes

[salmonoid]

It has been a number of years since I've made the switch to breathables. For the most part, I can duplicate the warmth of neoprenes by wearing fleece under breathables and can go as far as commando to cool down a bit in the summer, so there really hasn't been any looking back. However, I haven't quite yet been able to toss the three(!) pairs of slightly porous neoprenes that I accumulated from the late 90's and early 2000's, because who knows when I might (never?) want to go fishing, wearing them again. Fast forward to early summer; I started a new job and bought a new (to me) car. One of the first things I noticed after a heavy rain was the trunk well had accumulated quite a bit of water. So one Saturday afternoon, I set off to finally pinpoint the leak source, if possible. It didn't take too long to find the source of the majority of the water.

What the left side looked like, sans tail-light assembly:

From Recycling neoprenes

What the right side looked like, sans, well, anything:
From Recycling neoprenes

Apparently, the dealer I purchased the vehicle with did a half-arsed job in replacing the tail-light assemblies, as the vehicle had been involved in a slight fender-bender before I bought it. The neglected right gasket was the obvious culprit for the leak. Anyway, having owned one vehicle previously with a leaky trunk, and having returned to that vehicle with a few gallons of water in the trunk, after it was parked in a Seattle parking lot while I was back east for a few weeks' break, I really wanted to fix the problem. I tried to find replacement tail-light gaskets online and came up virtually empty. Some sites suggested that the manufacturer only sold the gaskets with the tail-light assemblies and having paid once for the assemblies, there was no way I was paying again, just to get a gasket. So after stewing for a bit, the stew turned into an idea.

I tracked down my neoprenes in the garage and found them to be of a similar thickness.

The unwilling donor pair:

From Recycling neoprenes

Trace,
From Recycling neoprenes

Cut,
From Recycling neoprenes

and use a nail to "drill" a few holes for the screws and posts.

Affix to tail-light assembly, and reinstall the tail-light assembly.
From Recycling neoprenes

Leak checked it and 95% of the leak was gone. Still need to hit it with caulk at one spot, but its been through a number of deluges, with no ponding of water in the trunk anymore.

See, it pays to hang onto things, sometimes..

 

[Swattie87]

Very nice MacSalmonoid.

Had a similar leak from the third (cab) brake light on the Colorado I had. Bead of silicone around the gasket did the trick.

 

[Six-Gun]

That's a pretty danged creative use of parts, I must say.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Recycling:gotta love American ingenuity. G

 

[KeithS]

Browning brand gaskets.....

 

[IdratherbePhishing]

Not as creative but I took my chest high neoprenes and cut them to make knee high waders. Just enough for summer where my feet don't get wet blocks against ticks from wet wading and I can also wear shorts. Legs sweat but wearing shorts is nice.!

 

[Maurice]

IdratherbePhishing wrote:
Not as creative but I took my chest high neoprenes and cut them to make knee high waders. Just enough for summer where my feet don't get wet blocks against ticks from wet wading and I can also wear shorts. Legs sweat but wearing shorts is nice.!

I've always said it'd be cheaper to buy a pair of $80 neoprene chest waders and cut them off at the knees to make knock off Muck boots. But I don't think they' be as comfortable.