Leaking 2001 Hawk

Airstream uses a sealant called Vulkem that seems to be very long lived. They do not use (or did not use) silicone as it tends to peel off aluminum. I have had great results using this stuff on my Argosy and used it to seal the Fantastic Fan on my Bobcat. Just a thought for those seeking to seal. Vulkem is slow to set so patience is required.
 
I don't have a tube of it right now, but when I need some I call Ricky Bunnel at Oasis RV in Tucson. He can fill in the details for you. 1-800-658-5863. Inland RV in CA is another source and you may be able to get the info from their web site.
 
I had a part number, but no mfr... Here is a link to similar product: P-strip

'P' S: 60 durometer grey silicone


Hi Mark W,

Thanks for the info!

Was the P-strip easy to install? Did you retrofit it on the bottom of the liner as shown in the photo of the new FWC above? Do you think your fix is working?
 
I have had a couple of leaks this spring in my mid 80 FWC and think that I finally figured it out this weekend. I thought it might be the screws but upon further investigation the silicone seal I had between the top trim piece that wraps around the top of the camper and the top itself had a couple of spots where it had pulled away from the trim, so I decided to re-caulk it and do the screws at the same time. I took the screws off the trim on the front of the camper and pulled the trim away a little to clean it and lo and behold the top of the canvas side panels of the camper were not underneath the metal roofing like I assumed they were but are on top of it. This means that any water that gets in between the metal trim and the camper roof has a very good chance of getting into the camper itself.
It looks to me like this is the way it came from the factory and this is not good. Anytime you have to rely on caulking for a seal you are going to have problems. I hope the new campers are made with the canvas under the metal roof edge. For now I caulked it with some RTV silicone but down the road I think I will try to slip some thin narrow strips of aluminum underneath the edge of the roofing and lays over the top of the canvas. That should take care of the problem. I would rather rely on gravity than caulking any day.
Has anyone else seen this on their campers? I would be interested in hearing if they still make them that way.


Hello Again All,
Thanks to all for all of the great input! Jimmythec might be on to the root cause of the leakage in my camper. My wife and I just got back from a short road/ camping trip up to the wet Northern CA coast, near Eureka (Richardson Grove, Patricks Point, etc.) and drove through some pretty good rain. Did not yet install "P gasket" or take apart aluminum trim (again) but did finish sealing seams. Good news first, very little moisture (maybe a two tablespoons of water total at front port corner - bad news, two tablespoons of water! If I have a chance in the next couple of weeks I am going to take that trim off and take a really good look for improper flashing/ waterproofing technique then reassemble using Vulcum sealant. Now that the dry season is just about here I should have that leak issue fixed.... timing is everything! Thanks Again.

SIDE BAR: Thought you guys might want to see my Mr. Buddy heat sheild- first time out! This set-up really works pretty good. Obviously we do not run without proper ventilation and never when sleeping. It is sure nice to get out of bed and make coffee in a warm/ dry area and helps to dry condensation from previous evening or leaks!. The sheild is simply bent sheetmetal that friction fits to prevent the heat from overheating cabinetry yet keeps the heater out of the way. When done the metal just slips behind the heater... is this hijacking?
 

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I just ordered the new taller canvas and lifts today from FWC and am going to try to install the canvas under the lip of the aluminum roofing. It will probably be a couple of weeks before I receive it but will post some pics when I do it. I took the trim off the fleet today to measure it and the canvas was attached the same way as my other FWC, so it looks like all the older campers are put together that way. I think a guy could pull the trim off the top and glue or caulk the canvas to the aluminum frame, put the trim back on and caulk that too and have a leak free installation for a long time for a quick and easy fix.
 
Hi Mark W,

Thanks for the info!

Was the P-strip easy to install? Did you retrofit it on the bottom of the liner as shown in the photo of the new FWC above? Do you think your fix is working?


All I did was to remove several screws from the bottom trim strip, insert the tab of the P-strip in behind the trim, screw in three screws, and move to the next location. I carefully measured the length of strip,the locations of the ends on the camper and center of the strip on the strip to try and keep everything in alignment.

I think it definitely worked, although that wasn't the only place water was getting into my 2000 Hawk-- I also had to seal underneath the feet of the (old style) roof rack, and there were cracks in the frame of my exhaust fan. Everything seems to be holding up now.
 
All I did was to remove several screws from the bottom trim strip, insert the tab of the P-strip in behind the trim, screw in three screws, and move to the next location. I carefully measured the length of strip,the locations of the ends on the camper and center of the strip on the strip to try and keep everything in alignment.

I think it definitely worked, although that wasn't the only place water was getting into my 2000 Hawk-- I also had to seal underneath the feet of the (old style) roof rack, and there were cracks in the frame of my exhaust fan. Everything seems to be holding up now.


So, Mark, you removed the black trim strip and got to the screws under it?

I hope all your fixes work!
 
Bringing up an old thread here...
What P strip does FWC use? Is it rubber or a harder material?
Where can I get some..
I need some as when I drive in the rain a bit of water gets in.. Not much but I don't what ANY...
Thanks for any info...
 
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