Ruscoe Permanent Sealer – 983 Joint Sealant
Ruscoe Permanent Sealer 983 is a one part, elastomeric, nitrile rubber material that readily extrudes over a wide temperature range and cures to produce a durable, tough, flexible rubber highway joint seal unaffected by water, chemicals or fuels. Due to its excellent adhesive characteristics and good extension/compression recovery, Ruscoe 983 gives outstanding performance in highway joints in which extreme movement occurs.
SUGGESTED USES
Ruscoe Permanent Sealer 983 nitrile rubber sealant is especially effective for sealing transverse and longitudinal contraction and expansion joints, center line and should joints. These joints can be on a bridge or roadway. It can be used as the original sealant in new concrete or to repair old construction sealant.
Ruscoe 983 is uniquely effective as a joint sealant between a concrete roadway and an asphaltic concrete shoulder. It will bond to both materials to assure no intrusion of water into the joint.
PRODUCT FEATURES
Easy application – one part ready to use as supplied; no mixing is required; dispensed directly from container into the joint.
- No priming
- No tooling
- Superior adhesion
- Fast drying
- Seals irregular surfaces
- Good weatherability
- Elastic
- Exceeds Federal Specification TT-S-00230C Type II, Class A, except for 3.5.5, weight loss
Permanent Sealer 983 when packaged in cartridges can be applied with handheld cartridge guns, available in manual, air, and rechargeable battery pack type guns. When using 5-gallon pails, a follower plate air pump is necessary. There are several manufacturers of these pumps and additional information is available by contacting The Ruscoe Company customer service.
Being a self-leveling sealant, Ruscoe’s 983 Highway Join Sealant never needs “tooling”. The sealant will seek its own level and flow even into areas which may be spalled or have irregular shapes. The solvent evaporation cure takes effect almost immediately by “skinning” over within 10 minutes to a tack free surface.
Permanent Sealer 983 is an adhesive formulated sealant and adheres to virtually any substrate with which it comes into contact, except for expanded polyethylene foam backer rod. This backer should be used in all sealant work, whether new construction or repair. Backer rod should be a minimum of 1/8” larger than the width of the joint.
Traffic may be resumed within 10 minutes without pick up or tracking.
Ruscoe Permanent Sealer 983 should not be used on vertical sealing applications. The self-leveling product would flow down. For vertical curb sealing on bridge decks use Ruscoe 965.
Ruscoe 983 can be used for constant water immersion; however, the sealant should be allowed to cure the full 28 days prior to immersion.
When stored in unopened, original containers at or below 90°F (32°C), Ruscoe Permanent Sealer 974 has a shelf life of one year from the date of shipping. Keep all containers tightly closed.
Health and safety data sheets available upon request at The Ruscoe Company.
Typical Properties:
| Color | Black, Gray | |
| Solvent Formulation | Methyl Isobutyl Ketone | |
| Flash Point of Solvent | 60°F (15.5°C) | |
| Drying Time – ASTM D1640 | Dry to touch 2-3 mins. | |
| Viscosity, Brookfield, Spindle #7 @ 4 rpm | 350,000 – 450,000 | |
| Pounds Per Gallon @77°F (25°C) | 8.4 | |
| Shelf Life | 12 Months |
Performance Properties:
| Flow, Sag or Slump (1/4″ Bead) | Self-Leveling | |
| Cure Time @25°C (77°F), Days | 21-28 | |
| Full Adhesion, Days | 7 | |
| Tack-Free Time @25°C (77°F), Minutes | 10 minutes or less | |
| Chemical Resistance ASTM D471 | No effect by use of deicing chemical, gasoline, hydraulic brake fluid, motor oil, calcium chloride (5%) or jet fuel |