Silverback a frame roofs keeping dry

hughd033 · 11-29-2015, 07:33 PM

Just went on our first outing with our new cedar creek silverback 31rk and when we went to leave in the early morning hours we had water come in off the 2 A frame roofs. Any ideas out there on how to preclude this from happening. Would be really bad on a rainy day I would guess based on what happened already.

Brentf · 11-29-2015, 08:45 PM

That's the negative of the 'cathedral' roof, you don't really have a slide cover option and when you close your sleep des whatever you did not clean off comes in. It's minor but annoying. But it happens on flat slide outs that don't have a cover.

jtownstumpjumper · 11-29-2015, 09:06 PM

We have a 2014 Silverback 33RL with 3 cathedral slides....the rubber seals do a good job of wiping away most water that's draining from the roof but we still get wet from water dripping from the roof as well as the sides of the slides...we just take towels and wipe up....yeah it's going to puddle on the vinyl and get the carpet wet...don't really have a good answer for bringing in a wet slide....I still like them over a flat roof slide like we previously had...they had no toppers and you would bring in plenty of water that was laying on top of the flat roof.

richp · 11-29-2015, 10:41 PM

Hi,

We see very little actual water come in, because the seals wipe pretty well on our 2014 33RL. But we have been known to put folded towels down beside the slide walls once they are in, to sop up any drips or draining that comes as we go down the road.

Hope this helps.

Rich Phillips

dalford · 11-29-2015, 11:00 PM

The bigger pain for me is the leaves! I have an awning on my flat top but can't have one on the cathedral roof. I ended up buying a small electric leaf blower and an attachment for cleaning gutters. Works great until I have to leave early in the morning. Won't use due to being neighborly and not wanting to disturb my neighbors.

richp · 11-29-2015, 11:22 PM

Hi,

I carry an eight foot step ladder, and use my washing brush (on a six foot extension) to sweep off debris. Tiresome, but effective and worth it for the improved feel the cathedral ceilings give you inside.

Rich Phillips

dalford · 11-29-2015, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richp

Hi,

I carry an eight foot step ladder, and use my washing brush (on a six foot extension) to sweep off debris. Tiresome, but effective and worth it for the improved feel the cathedral ceilings give you inside.

Rich Phillips

Yea, I tried that but I'm at the age where when I fall it is a long way down and even harder to get up...

Oakman · 11-30-2015, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hughd033

Just went on our first outing with our new cedar creek silverback 31rk and when we went to leave in the early morning hours we had water come in off the 2 A frame roofs. Any ideas out there on how to preclude this from happening. Would be really bad on a rainy day I would guess based on what happened already.

Do an internet search on EZE-RV gutter systems. You can buy a 10 foot section at Camping World and cut it so it catches water coming from the slideout roof and direct it away from the interior of the trailer. It is applied with 3M acrylic foam tape. Apply it on the side of the slideout near the bottom with a downward angle. It won’t stop all of the water coming in but it will channel 95% away from the interior.

richp · 11-30-2015, 08:57 AM

Hi Bob,

Is there a chance you can post a picture of your installation?

Based on how my cathedral rooftops are designed and operate, I'm not sure how what you suggest solves the problem. But I'm sure open to anything that would further reduce the water that dribbles down the slanted rooftop once the slides are in.

Thanks.

Rich Phillips

Oakman · 11-30-2015, 09:37 AM

Perhaps your problem is worse than mine. The gutter is designed to channel water coming from the roof that gets passed the rubber sweeps and runs down the sides of the slideout. No pictures, the Silverback is tucked away in winter sleep.

dieselguy · 11-30-2015, 10:05 AM

Bob ... perhaps you misunderstood the OP. He doesn't have an issue with water coming in his fiver past the seals ... he has an issue with water draining off the roof when he breaks camp and retracts the slides in wet weather.

richp · 11-30-2015, 10:40 AM

Hi Bob,

It's actually not us that are having the problem -- mine seems to be manageable with the occasional application of a towel in the right place.

But in the interest of expanding my knowledge, I'm still curious how those gutters prevent water from the sloping top of the slide from dribbling down to the floor once the slide is in -- which I understood to be the question in the original post.

Color me slow on the uptake...

Rich Phillips

Oakman · 11-30-2015, 10:44 AM

Sorry I said anything. Apparently you have a problem I don't have. I guess I'm the slow one.

SilverbackMel · 11-30-2015, 10:56 AM

2x Richp on leaf removal. I have a 6ft ladder and also extendable wash brush. 5 minutes both sides total. Even use it for my kitchen slide as well. No big deal!
I am 73 with back issues. So unless you have a chronic severe issue, not that hard.
I AM putting a topper on the flat slide this Spring.
I also use towels to absorb excess water then retracting slides.
Our unit is the 2015 33RL.

richp · 11-30-2015, 11:15 AM

Hi Bob,

I hope you weren't taking offense at my post.

This kind of drainage doesn't really seem to impact our rig all that much. But it evidently does present issues for the original poster. I was just trying to figure out if the add-on device you are using could further reduce the modest issue this design potentially creates.

Best to you.

Rich Phillips

jackssilverback29 · 11-30-2015, 01:04 PM

I have a Silverback with 3 Cathedral roof slides. The easy way to keep the inside dry when closing slides is to ,go to camping world and buy the white vinyl gutter material that has adhesive on one side. Cut them to length from the top corner of the slide out at a 45 degree angle and put them over or under the windows make them long enough so they start under the rubber seal and go to the outside corner. Trim them at an angle so they go in and out under the seals.Gutters should run from the inside top corner down at an angle to deflect the water to the outside corner, then the water will run out the hole in the floor where the slide meets the inside floor.

richp · 11-30-2015, 01:19 PM

Hi Jack,

I think I can visualize what you are describing. I don't suppose you have a picture available?

Also, does the seal close in tight enough where it goes over this channel to prevent leakage there?

Thanks.

Rich Phillips

jackssilverback29 · 11-30-2015, 01:26 PM

Sorry the trailer is in storage,as for the gutter make it so it sits outside of the rubber slide seal when the slide is open.

richp · 11-30-2015, 01:32 PM

Hi Jack,

If i am visualizing this correctly, I think also about wear on the seal from cycling back and forth up over this gutter/track.

Any thoughts about that?

Rich

Jim in Halifax · 11-30-2015, 08:05 PM

On our 29Re the rubber seals do a pretty good job of sweeping any water from roof.....A day or two before we plan to leave I take my blower and clean any leaves etc from roof AND if it calls for rain the morning we are leaving I usually bring in the bedroom and the slide with the chairs, fridge and stove the night before...Then you only have to deal with the slide on the table and chesterfield side!!!

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