Rusty
Senior Member
I have an older (73') cabover that Im refurbishing for my son. Yesterday, with the threat of rain in the near future, I undertook the complete replacement of the seals on all the gutters and eyebrows/screws on the exterior. I discovered a few things that I'm sure will start some interesting conversation.
1. I have a heavy aluminum boat, with zinc anodes all over it as sacrificial metal anodes so the salt (or fresh) water won't corrode the aluminum of the boat hull. We have, in these beautiful campers, an upside down boat. Every galvanized screw I removed for replacement yesterday was rusted thoroughly. I've replaced screws before but never thought about the zinc plating as sacrificial until now. Several of the light fixture screws had been replaced with stainless steel and they were fine, but every galvanized screw was rusted through its threads and heads. Something to think about if your undertaking a thorough waterproofing where you're removing gutters and eyebrows. Galvanized screws will last a few years...but if you're serious about doing things right the first time...stainless steel...every screw on my boat is stainless...none are rusted....I'm headed back to the store this am to get some new myself...all these years...duh...BTW..replacing screws on the gutters and eyebrows...because the rust has degraded the threads and weakened the screw holes...upsize to size 10 screws from 8, they'll get a bite where new 8's won't. A small dab of silicon at each and every screw hole will aid in a number of things...help isolate the screws from the aluminum...and seal under the head and along the threads.
2. the curved gutter section transitioning from the main body of the camper to the cab over section. Pay close attention to your sealing of this gutter....I've discovered why so many people have problems with this section.
a. the aluminum siding under the gutter is reverse lapped, that is, the roofing aluminum is tucked behind the lap tab coming up from the bottom aluminum under the cabover. This creates a trap for moisture to penetrate the frame of not only the curve but under the cabover section itself. I've seen several repairs done here which have ended up in entire section rebuilds and one individual here, Rippers, which ended in a total rebuild.
b. The curved gutter of the cabover, passes over a seam in the siding opening up two penetration points for water intrusion...above the seam and below...if you're using glazers tape as a seal...double the tape over the seam...the screw nearest the lap will suck the gutter down to the top of the seam but the void above and below would normally be left open....the nose of the gutter at the front of the cabover stops abruptly leaving no plausible way to transition to the gutter over the top of the cabover at the front....this area is subject to what I call "dew drip"...every night there is dew, it rolls down the gutter and drips off...very slowly....providing a water source for any crack or void to neatly absorb and continue absorbing until the dew is dry....deadly for rot persistence. When all of this is complete....go back and tighten the screws of the gutter one last time...then apply a sealant finish to the top of the gutter after trimming off the glazers tape excess...this will redirect the water away from the gutter lip and seal to the siding. One last thing....the nails which were used to secure the siding to the frame (4d box steel) have rusted and the rusted heads have pushed out the joint under the gutter....if you can remove a bit of that corrosion your seal will be more effective. Don't forget to finish both sides of the gutter...top and bottom....cut the tip of the tube as small as you can and use a wire to break the seal on the tube...the smaller amount of caulking you can use the neater the job will end up.
c. Near the gutter are the bolts for the guides....larger than screw holes...and...left unsealed will take on a significant amount of water...remove them, fill the holes with sealant.and using a wire section of a hanger...move the sealant around in the hole until the sides are thoroughly incorporated in the sealant...apply addition to the bolt and replace the bolt...there's a better way of fixing this with epoxy but this will stop water penetration....make sure the sealant comes out of the hole on both sides when tightened.
d. The pirelli retainer strips under the curve provide another water intrusion point...after the pirelli has been replaced...or if you're just doing the gutter....caulk a line along the trimmed outboard edge of the pirelli against the retainer strip. the retainer strip has screws every 4 inches or so...additional points of water intrusion...a small bead here will stop the water....
More than likely the curved sections of the frame in your camper has experienced some level of rot. I'm working an a fix for this area with a structural injected foam....rather than have everyone disassemble the top section to get to the frame at the curve....a structural foam could be injected into the hole for the guide and then re-drilled after setting. this will save enumerable discouraging days spent disassembling, removing rot and rebuilding this particular section.....there have been a few here with the persistence to take on this particular rebuild....and several who have left in disgust. The aim, as always, is to get you back on the road camping as quickly as possible....not to spend all summer/winter repairing.
If you choose glazers butyl tape for sealant..use the 3/8x1/8" black tape...there is a sufficient amount of butyl to make the seam and produce a flash to cut off......
by the end of this process you'll be an expert at caulking...no mess...no paper towels in the other hand...LOL....at least you'll be able to do the tub in the house without making too much of a mess
1. I have a heavy aluminum boat, with zinc anodes all over it as sacrificial metal anodes so the salt (or fresh) water won't corrode the aluminum of the boat hull. We have, in these beautiful campers, an upside down boat. Every galvanized screw I removed for replacement yesterday was rusted thoroughly. I've replaced screws before but never thought about the zinc plating as sacrificial until now. Several of the light fixture screws had been replaced with stainless steel and they were fine, but every galvanized screw was rusted through its threads and heads. Something to think about if your undertaking a thorough waterproofing where you're removing gutters and eyebrows. Galvanized screws will last a few years...but if you're serious about doing things right the first time...stainless steel...every screw on my boat is stainless...none are rusted....I'm headed back to the store this am to get some new myself...all these years...duh...BTW..replacing screws on the gutters and eyebrows...because the rust has degraded the threads and weakened the screw holes...upsize to size 10 screws from 8, they'll get a bite where new 8's won't. A small dab of silicon at each and every screw hole will aid in a number of things...help isolate the screws from the aluminum...and seal under the head and along the threads.
2. the curved gutter section transitioning from the main body of the camper to the cab over section. Pay close attention to your sealing of this gutter....I've discovered why so many people have problems with this section.
a. the aluminum siding under the gutter is reverse lapped, that is, the roofing aluminum is tucked behind the lap tab coming up from the bottom aluminum under the cabover. This creates a trap for moisture to penetrate the frame of not only the curve but under the cabover section itself. I've seen several repairs done here which have ended up in entire section rebuilds and one individual here, Rippers, which ended in a total rebuild.
b. The curved gutter of the cabover, passes over a seam in the siding opening up two penetration points for water intrusion...above the seam and below...if you're using glazers tape as a seal...double the tape over the seam...the screw nearest the lap will suck the gutter down to the top of the seam but the void above and below would normally be left open....the nose of the gutter at the front of the cabover stops abruptly leaving no plausible way to transition to the gutter over the top of the cabover at the front....this area is subject to what I call "dew drip"...every night there is dew, it rolls down the gutter and drips off...very slowly....providing a water source for any crack or void to neatly absorb and continue absorbing until the dew is dry....deadly for rot persistence. When all of this is complete....go back and tighten the screws of the gutter one last time...then apply a sealant finish to the top of the gutter after trimming off the glazers tape excess...this will redirect the water away from the gutter lip and seal to the siding. One last thing....the nails which were used to secure the siding to the frame (4d box steel) have rusted and the rusted heads have pushed out the joint under the gutter....if you can remove a bit of that corrosion your seal will be more effective. Don't forget to finish both sides of the gutter...top and bottom....cut the tip of the tube as small as you can and use a wire to break the seal on the tube...the smaller amount of caulking you can use the neater the job will end up.
c. Near the gutter are the bolts for the guides....larger than screw holes...and...left unsealed will take on a significant amount of water...remove them, fill the holes with sealant.and using a wire section of a hanger...move the sealant around in the hole until the sides are thoroughly incorporated in the sealant...apply addition to the bolt and replace the bolt...there's a better way of fixing this with epoxy but this will stop water penetration....make sure the sealant comes out of the hole on both sides when tightened.
d. The pirelli retainer strips under the curve provide another water intrusion point...after the pirelli has been replaced...or if you're just doing the gutter....caulk a line along the trimmed outboard edge of the pirelli against the retainer strip. the retainer strip has screws every 4 inches or so...additional points of water intrusion...a small bead here will stop the water....
More than likely the curved sections of the frame in your camper has experienced some level of rot. I'm working an a fix for this area with a structural injected foam....rather than have everyone disassemble the top section to get to the frame at the curve....a structural foam could be injected into the hole for the guide and then re-drilled after setting. this will save enumerable discouraging days spent disassembling, removing rot and rebuilding this particular section.....there have been a few here with the persistence to take on this particular rebuild....and several who have left in disgust. The aim, as always, is to get you back on the road camping as quickly as possible....not to spend all summer/winter repairing.
If you choose glazers butyl tape for sealant..use the 3/8x1/8" black tape...there is a sufficient amount of butyl to make the seam and produce a flash to cut off......
by the end of this process you'll be an expert at caulking...no mess...no paper towels in the other hand...LOL....at least you'll be able to do the tub in the house without making too much of a mess
