You are not logged in or registered. Please login or register to use the full functionality of this board...


Roof maintenance
#1

Hey everyone. As my better half Kimberly has said here, we are brand new to the RVing life and the brand new owner of #637. We endured a tropical storm type rain last night and our Newell and our 2 boxer dogs did great. however we did have a couple small leaks. One coming in from the top of the 2nd window back on driver side next to the booth area. There’s a awning that is practically new And fully operational However this rain was coming in horizontally. The second leak was coming from the ceiling in the cupboard next to the kitchen gallery which I think is coming from the fantastic fan. 
My initial question before I go up to inspect it today is is there a preferred product for sealing the roof and is there a preferred product for ceiling around windows? My second question, again before going up to visually inspect The roof and fantastic fan is there a way to make the fantastic fan lids more waterproof in situations like this? I appreciate any input from the group.

Brian

Kimberly & Brian 
  • Grasshopper Newell Owner
  • 2002 Newell P2000i
  • #637
Central Florida 
Consciouscontent.org
[email protected]

Reply
#2

The best way would be to pull out the window, clean off all of the old butyl tape then re-apply new butyl tape then re-attach the window. Easier solution is to use a polyurethane caulk like Dicor or other brands. Dicor makes a caulk that self levels and one that doesn't.

Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
PO 1999 Foretravel 36'
1998 Newell 45' #486 

1993 Newell 39' #337 
Reply
#3

Before you start tearing things apart you may want to check where the awning power goes through the side of the coach to the awning motor. Sometimes the sealant breaks down and the water will follow the electrical wire into the coach. Had this happen on my coach when Newell was doing a leak check in their rain booth.

My 2 cents,
Oscar

Oscar & Janet Valent
Full timing
2004 Foretravel U320 3820 PBBS
2007 Newell Coach #815 - Great Coach Sold
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
Reply
#4

Eternabond tape is an excellent product for flanges etc on the roof.

Tony Van Helden
2003 Newell #646 2 slide
Tow 2017 Grand Cherokee Trail Hawk
Citroen Charleston  2cv
Spencer, Iowa (summers)
Mesa, Az. (winters)
Reply
#5

Water leaks can really fool you as to where the leak is coming from.  Use some vinyl stucco tape to cover what you think is the source.  Then apply water or wait for the next rain and see if it remains dry.  If it remains dry, you found your leak--caulk it.  If it still gets wet, keep looking.  This method will keep you from caulking where it is not needed.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Shurtape-Stucco-Tape/3063563

Good luck.............................

Steve Bare
1999 Newell 2 slide #531
Reply
#6

Thanks for the responses guys. So the suggestions or ethernabond tape polyurethane caulk by decor or stucco poly tape. I read that polyurethane caulk can take up to 48 hours to fully cure and I am in Florida which is 98° and raining each afternoon. Based on what I am researching on these three choices I feel ethernabond tape may be my best choice for the roof
and to cover a giant hole I just discovered ion the top of my rear passenger slides which looks like the locking pin came down through it as some point before I owned it.
I will use the caulk around the awning where the electric comes through and any small seems that look like they need it.
This will be a good distraction from working on our book today.

Kimberly & Brian 
  • Grasshopper Newell Owner
  • 2002 Newell P2000i
  • #637
Central Florida 
Consciouscontent.org
[email protected]

Reply
#7

If you caulk the window frames, use masking tape on both the coach and the frame to get a clean line. Prep the area with solvent to promote adhesion. Pull the masking tape right after you caulk. If you leave it for even 15 minutes it will get stringy and make a ragged line when you remove it.

Check the seams where the slideout outer wall meet the slideout roof. A small crack there dumps a lot of water in the coach

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
Reply
#8

Ditto on what Richard says about the outer wall and the roof. Don't just look...press and pull and see if there is any give. I had one leak there that was only apparent if you pulled the wall skin away from coach. That opened up a hairline crack.

Bill Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
Reply
#9

mine too. i spent quite a bit of time taking out the old hard brittle sealant/adhesive all around there and replace it with 3m 5200.

tom

2002 45'8" Newell Coach 608  Series 60 DDEC4/Allison World 6 Speed HD4000MH

Reply
#10

Does anyone have experience with 3M 4000 UV adhesive/sealer? It was mentioned on my recent visit to Newell as what they're using to seal the outer slide seams. All my usual sources are out of stock, so I haven't been able to experiment with it. But is sounds ideal - dries to a slightly flexible but strong hardness (I've had cracks in my 5200 repairs which seems counterproductive.) Both 5200 and 4000 are designed to be applied to boat hulls in the water. They need water or at least humidity to cure. So I have high hopes for the 4000 UV.

BTW, for window caulking, where the factory sealant has oozed out from between the frame and exterior skin, I like Sikaflex 221.

2001 #579 ("Chester's Coach")
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)