Check here for leaks!!!

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WarpathEngineering

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
101
Hi Guys!

Had the roof of my camper down on a set of saw horses today to begin puting in the new headliner. Decided to clean up some of the old caulking which was just peeling away when I found about 5 or 6 stress cracks in the aluminum up front. They're right where the aluminum skin is folded down the front edge of the roof frame. I guess I know where my water is coming in now! It rained about 2 inches here just Thursday, first rain over a 1/8 inch we've seen here since mid June....we're 12 inches shy of rain this year! Anyway there was about pint of water standing in the left front corner of my overhang this morning. The campers only been out in the weather since Wendsday and I doubt that condensation caused this so I went looking. Might want to double check your roofs if you've got a repeating roof problem.


Anyone know how the drip edge trim around the roof is sealed from the factory. I took mine off because a couple of the cracks go all the way to the edge. There's foam tape and 2 types of caulk. The way their coming off I'd say one is latex and the other is silicone. I know some people have said that 3M 4200 is good but I've never had any experience with it. Though about using Lexel caulking. It dries perfectly clear and doesen't yellow with age that I've seen. Sticky like you won't believe too! Any thoughts?

Rick
 
Though about using Lexel caulking. It dries perfectly clear and doesen't yellow with age that I've seen.
I wonder if UV rays are causing the yellowing? I would "assume" the caulk needs to be not affected by UV... right?

Mike
 
My experience has taught me that using a "clear" caulking outdoors leads to frustration after a couple of years because they tend to yellow. This Lexel caulking hasn't yellowed yet. I've used it at work and it's going on 8 years without a sign of changing color.

I'm not sure what the factory uses to seal the drip edge. As I said above there was the foam tape, used to seal the majority of the camper under the drip edge trim. I'm assuming that the caulk was added by the previous
owner(s). The silicon was not present on all of the trim and was under the latex which had turned dark and moldy. It just rolled off with your finger and it's all over the roof. The silicon was still bright white but as I said it was under the latex. I know that there is a fasination with latex caulking but I just don't think it hold up.


On another subject, does anyone want to weigh in on the idea of using FRP panels, the kind with a pebled finish that you find at Home Depot for shower enclosures, as a head liner replacement? Just can't think of a good way to finish off the fabric headliner without taking the roof all the way down to the framework to install.
 
I have mine tore down to the bare frame right now. I have also considered using the frp (dairy board). The only consideration I have heard about would be the fact that it may bow after time and may get brittle when its cold. I talked to an outfit that builds fishhouse up in this area and he really likes the frp board for interrior finish. I had intentions of finishing the inside of mine with all dairy board to make it brighter and a lot easier to clean/maintain. May not be as comfortable as the wood but wouldn't rot.
 
How were you considering attaching it to the frame? I thought for the headliner either gluing it with silicone or construction adhesive or using truss head screws and just gluing the perimeter so as not to wear holes in the side liner when the lid is down.
 
I really don't like the idea of glueing it up and was considering using screws or rivits. From what I understand using a metal fastener will allow the temp to transfer through and may allow condensation at those points. I don't like the idea of glue simply for the fact of if a guy has to or wants to remove it again for something. If you didn't have any intentions of removing it, construction adhesive would probably be the best option.
 
roof

For the headliner, we actually use a 3M 77 spray glue to just attach it first and then the batton strips are stapled on for the finish. I have seen plastic rivets used also to prevent any condensation problems down the road.

The outer trim on the roof does has the foam seal put on when it is installed and then we normally go over the top edge with a white silicone currently.
 
Yea, that sounds about right. About half of the roof had white silicone just around the rim. The rest had a generous coating of what I can only assume was off white latex which would peal off with very little pressure.


Well for better or worse I installed the FRP dairy board on the roof today. I think it looks good and clean, others may not like it. I was really on the fence with what to use to fasten it up to the ceiling. I wound up using #8 truss head screws spaced every 6 inches. I didn't fasten around the perimeter yet but I'm going to try using my pneumatic stapler so there won't be a problem with screw heads wearing thru the liner. The only down side is it added about 30 pounds to the roof.
 
Should have added some strength also along with the weight. Got any pictures? What do you think about using the plastic rivits with it.
 
I don't know that I'd trust a plastic or nylon rivit on the ceiling. I'd be concerned with the shifting of the camper the rivit might wear over time. You put a series of holes in the aluminum and fill them with nylon or plastic and shift and twist over a bad road, over time the aluminum will cut thru the rivit and....you'll be sleeping under that 10lb sheet of FRP! Just my thoughts.

I'll try to get some pictures. I have to reconnect the liner and then I should have a good shot. I hope this FRP works. I couldn't find any other way to use the fabric liner without completely dismantleing the entire lid. The camper is too far apart now as it is.
 
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