2014 Blue Ridge 3715BH

[Narboza]

Operational Hints

• The hydraulic pump uses a lot of power and depends on having a good battery charge. If you run the battery down, you'll have a problem operating the jacks to hitch up to the truck. You'll have to hook the truck up and run the engine for a while to get enough charge and go from there.
• If the truck is not perfectly level when you back it up to hitch up, sometimes you can correct an degree or two by raising or lowering the jacks on one side.
• Right side low is a negative angle.
• You will not find a public copy of Lippert's limited warranty.

Warnings – These come from various Lippert documents and stickers.

• Failure to act in accordance with the following may result in serious personal injury or death.
• The use of the Level-Up system to support the unit for any reason other than which it is intended is prohibited by Lippert’s limited warranty. The Lippert leveling system is designed as a “leveling” system only and should not be used to provide service for any reason under the coach such as changing tires or servicing the leveling system.
• Lippert Components, Inc. recommends that a trained professional be employed to change the tire on the unit. Any attempts to change tires or perform other service while unit is supported by the Level-Up system could result in damage to the 5th wheel and/or cause serious injury or death.
• When operating in any mode and under all conditions, ALWAYS check to see if the jacks are fully retracted before starting to travel.
• Be sure to park the unit on solid, level ground. (Silly since this is for a leveling system.)
• Clear all jack landing locations of debris and obstructions. Locations should also be free of depressions.
• When parking the unit on extremely soft surfaces, utilize load distribution pads under each jack.
• People and pets should be clear of unit while operating the leveling system.
• Be sure to keep hands and other body parts clear of fluid leaks. Oil leaks in the Lippert leveling system may be under high pressure and can cause serious skin penetrating injuries.
• Never lift the unit completely off the ground. Lifting the unit so the wheels are not touching ground will create an unstable and unsafe condition.
• Your coach should be supported at both front and rear axles with jack stands before working underneath. Failure to do so may result in personal injury or death.
• Read and understand operator's manual before using. Do not use jacks for tire removal or under vehicle service. (Touchpad)

Some of these warnings are interesting and have generated lots of discussion -- such as the one about not lifting the wheels off the ground. I think it is fairly easy to figure out why they say this. Lippert has no control over where you use their system. If you are on a tilted site, and raise the trailer off the wheels, the jacks could be subject to more side loads than they can handle. If they buckle and fail, the trailer would drop onto the wheels. That is where their injury warning comes in.

When I post some numbers later, you can see the jacks can lift four trailers worth of weight. Lifting it to change a tire is trivial. I have lifted my trailer tires to put a leveling board underneath the low side wheels to get the suspension compressed more.

[Narboza]

• Leveling Control - Mounted in the overhead of the front utility compartment (or somewhere near the front of the trailer), the Leveling Control is the brains of the system. The Leveling Control receives user input from the Touchpad and data from the Rear Sensor to determine how to level the trailer. It sends control signals to the hydraulic valves and pump. The zero point (mechanical level) is saved in the Leveling Control for comparison to the Rear Sensor during an Auto Level sequence.
• Rear Sensor - Also called the Remote Sensor or the Rear Remote Sensor. The Rear Sensor is mounted on a plate above and behind the rear axle in the center of the trailer and is connected to the Leveling Control. The Rear Sensor senses the angle of the trailer and sends it to the Leveling Control.
• Touchpad - The Touchpad is connected to the Leveling Control and provides the user interface to the system. Functions include: on/off, extend/retract, front/rear, right/left. You can scroll through a list to see battery power, angles, enter Manual Mode, and enter Auto Retract Mode.
• Six Point System - The six jacks are powered in pairs so it functionally is a three point system. The front landing gear work as a pair. The left middle and rear work as a pair. The right middle and rear work as a pair. When you raise just the front jacks, you are not putting undue stress on the rear jacks. Since the rear and middle jacks work as a pair, as the trailer tilts up, it pivots about the axels, the rear jacks are compressed, and fluid is transferred to the middle jack on the same side. All brackets are welded to the frame at 1.5-2.0 degrees for stability.
• Front Landing Gear Jacks - These are two 14,000 pound lifting capacity jacks with 21" travel, and 10-12" clearance off the ground while traveling. Landing gear jacks can be operated any time the system is ON but not in the Auto Level Mode. By pushing the FRONT button, both front landing gear jacks can be extended. If the system is put in the Retract Mode, indicated by the orange illuminated LED next to the Touchpad RETRACT button, the front jacks can be retracted together by pushing the FRONT button.
• Middle and Rear Jacks - Also referred to as the "Level-Up Jacks". These are four 8,000 pound lifting capacity aluminum jacks with 15" travel. Retracting or extending the rear jacks will not move them equally. The freest moving jack will move first, though they should be pretty equal. The Level-Up jacks operate when the Auto Level Mode is activated or the system is in Manual Mode. Once the system is in Manual Mode, pressing the REAR button will move all rear Level-Up jacks at the same time. Press the LEFT or RIGHT buttons to operate Level-Up jacks on the left or right side of the trailer, respectively.
• Auto Level Mode - The system has a standard operating pattern: front, left, right, front. When AUTO LEVEL is pressed, the front jacks will move the trailer below but close to front-to-rear level, then the left jacks extend until movement is sensed, then the right jacks extend to match the left, then any difference between left and right is finalized to level side-to-side, and then the front jacks move to level. When Auto Level is complete, the Touchpad LCD will display "Auto Level Success" followed by "READY | Jacks: Down" and the green light in the middle of the jack buttons will light. The system will shut off after three minutes.
  • Never hit AUTO LEVEL unless the truck and tailgate is completely clear of the trailer and/or pin box. AUTO LEVEL with the truck too close can damage either the truck, trailer, or both.
  • If you use the AUTO LEVEL while hitched, expect the level process to take longer. This is commonly done while staying hooked up for a single night stay. The system will try and lower the coach first, so if you don't already have the landing gear down with a little extra lift, the process can take longer due to confusion. (I manually level when I stay hitched.)
• Hitch Recognition Function - This function moves the front jacks to the position they were in when you pushed the AUTO LEVEL button. This feature is disabled if you began an Auto Level sequence with the front below level. Start this function by pressing the LEFT and RIGHT jack buttons simultaneously. The memorized hitch height (actually the front-to-rear trailer angle) is reset each time you press AUTO LEVEL.
• Timeout - The system will timeout and shut off after three minutes of inactivity.
• Menu Options - Scroll through the menu selections via the UP and DOWN arrow buttons. The menu is in the following order. Menu selection is made by pressing the ENTER key.
  • System Status: When turned on, the Touchpad displays the current status of the trailer (level/not level) and jacks (up/down). Display example: "LEVEL | Jacks: Down".
  • Battery Voltage: Battery voltage as sensed at the Leveling Control.
    • Display example: "11.8 V".
  • Level Side to Side: Degrees different side-to-side from saved zero point. Right side up is positive.
    • Display example: "Side to Side | +0.0°".
  • Level Front to Rear: Degrees different front-to-rear from saved zero point. Front up is positive.
    • Display example: "Front to Rear | +0.0°".
  • Auto Retract Mode: This function will fully retract all jacks.
  • Manual Mode: This mode will allow you to retract or extend any pair of jacks.
• Auto Retract Mode - All jacks will retract and the system will shut itself off when it detects high retract header pressure.
  • Display: "Auto Retract | ENTER to begin".
  • Upon pressing ENTER, the display will show "Retracting | Jacks" and when complete "READY | Jacks: Up".
  • This mode may be terminated by system low voltage.
  • AUTO RETRACT should generally never be executed unless the trailer is securely attached to the truck, though it should not do any damage. Items under the front of the trailer may be damaged.
• Manual Mode - All jacks can be extended or retracted in any sequence.
  • The side-to-side movement in Manual Mode is limited to 5° of tilt.
  • The front-to-back movement in Manual Mode is limited to 3° of tilt.
• Zero Calibration Mode - With the system off, you enter the Zero Calibration Mode by pressing the FRONT button ten times, and then the REAR button ten times. The panel will start flashing. Use the extend/retract buttons to adjust the trailer to the desired mechanically level position. When satisfied, press the Enter button. The unit will check its stability, beep, and shut off. If someone is shaking the trailer during the stability check, it will fail to set the zero point. You can also do a manual level then enter the Zero Calibration Mode to set the zero point immediately. The sequence is:
  • With the system OFF, enter the Zero Calibration Mode by pressing the FRONT button ten times, and then the REAR button ten times.
  • The Touchpad jack diamond will start flashing, beep, and display "** ZERO POINT ** | * CALIBRATION *" alternating with "ENTER to set | Power to exit".
  • Use the extend/retract jack buttons to adjust the trailer to the desired mechanically level position.
  • After setting the new level zero position, press ENTER.
  • The Touchpad will display "Zero Point | Stability Check" alternating with "Please wait…"
  • The Touchpad will beep, display "Zero Point | Set Successfully", and then shut off.
• Panic Mode - The system may be instantly stopped during automatic operation (Auto Level or Auto Retract) by pressing any button.
  • This will set the "Panic Mode" and must be acknowledged before proceeding.
  • Display: Beep then "Function Aborted" | "Check Component" alternating with "Press ENTER | to acknowledge".
• Slides - The hydraulics for the slides are a convenient collateral usage of the leveling hydraulics. They all share a single supply Hydac valve along with the three pairs of jacks, and a common return. The orange extend lines are supplied through a manifold that has manual isolation valves. Individual slide operation is done by closing or opening the appropriate manual isolation valves.

[Narboza]

• Manual Override - Use this procedure to retract slides and jacks when there is no trailer power or there is a problem with the pump motor.

NOTES

• • Each of the hydraulic solenoid Hydac valves for the slides and jacks has an Allen head screw on the end of the valve that needs to be snugged COUNTER-CLOCKWISE (not over torqued) for normal operation.
  • Turn the desired valve CLOCKWISE by hand using a 5/32" Allen wrench to override the internal spring and force it open. Do not use excessive force. It normally takes about three turns to cycle the valve.
    Manually retract slide outs first, and then the leveling jacks.
  • The pump has a quarter inch hex drive socket. Run a drill forward or CLOCKWISE to extend, and reverse or COUNTER-CLOCKWISE to retract.
  • Once done, turn each valve to the normal (shut) COUNTER-CLOCKWISE position.
  • Manual override for slide operation requires the slide Hydac to be overridden and then the appropriate manual isolation valves to be positioned.

PROCEDURE

• • Locate the Hydac blocking valves for the slides and jacks to be operated.
  • Using a 5/32" Allen wrench, manually open the Hydac blocking valve by turning the manual override set screw in the end of the valve CLOCKWISE by hand approximately three revolutions.
  • If needed, remove the protective label from the pump motor end.
  • Using a cordless or power drill, insert a 1/4" hex bit into the coupler on the pump motor end. (The coupler is 5/8" deep.)
    Run the drill forward or CLOCKWISE to extend jacks and in reverse or COUNTER-CLOCKWISE to retract.
  • Be sure to turn the Hydac manual override set screw back to the COUNTER-CLOCKWISE position by hand after extending or retracting each ram/jack.
• Emergency Kit - For use in manually overriding the system
  • 5/32" Allen wrench
  • 1/4" hex bit made from a cut off Allen wrench, this should be at least 2" long
• Cold Weather Operation - When operating in temperatures below 30°F, inconsistent performance may occur in the Auto Retract Mode. The combination of low battery and low temps may cause the system to turn off before the jacks are fully retracted. If this should happen, operate the system in Manual Mode to get the jacks to fully retract.
• Reset/Reboot - The system has no reset button or function, so you have to do it by powering the entire system off then back on. The system has no on/off switch and is connected directly to the battery. There are three ways to cycle power to reset/reboot the system.
  • On the Leveling Control, locate the 6-pin harness connector that has only one red wire. Unplug this connector from the Leveling Control. Plug the connector back into Leveling Control after the appropriate time has passed.
  • There is an inline fuse holder on this red wire as well. This fuse may be in a separate compartment from the Leveling Control. The fuse can be pulled from the fuse holder. Return the fuse securely to the fuse holder after the appropriate time has passed.
  • The motor and inline fuse holder is powered through a 100 amp breaker. Open the breaker to cycle power and close it after the appropriate time has passed.
    Any of the above methods will cut 12 VDC power to the system. Be sure to leave the power off for at least 10-20 seconds before restoration.
• Lock Up - If the system locks up, reset/reboot the system.
• Clearing An Error - To clear an error, press the Enter button. If the error remains, the message will reappear. Reset the Leveling Control to try and permanently clear the error.
• Power - Power for the system comes directly from the battery and is not cut off by the battery disconnect switch. The system has its own 100 amp breaker, with a smaller 10 amp fuse downstream of the breaker to power the Leveling Control, Remote Sensor, and Touchpad.
• Hoses - Extend hoses are orange. Retract hoses are black.
• Pressure Switch - The retract header manifold pressure switch is used during jack Auto Retract to stop the system when all jacks are retracted. During slide retract operation, it has no effect.

[Gee Whiz]

Originally Posted by Narboza

This is more preparation than mod. If the hydraulic pump motor or the electronics die, there is no screw connection on the side of a slide or jack to get it retracted. You need to move the fluid.

My emergency kit started life as the least expensive Allen wrench set I could find on Amazon that had the two sizes I needed.
Attachment 53395
You need the 5/32" and 1/4" Allen wrenches. You have to cut off the short part of the 1/4" wrench so you can use it with a drill to operate the motor. Here are my two emergency tools. The Allen wrench is hardened so it takes a bit of effort to cut it without power tools. Once you have it mostly cut through, you can just break it from there since the metal is also brittle. I made it at least 2" long since that is the depth of my drill chuck (1-3/8") and the motor socket (5/8").
Attachment 53396
In an emergency when you have to operate the system, the first thing you have to do is manually override the Hydac valve for the component you want to operate. You do this by hand with a 5/32" Allen wrench. The by hand part is important since you can damage the valve if you crank on it too much. They are precision parts, so hand snug is sufficient. Here is a close-up of a Hydac solenoid operated valve.
Attachment 53397
The Allen wrench goes in the left side of the valve in this orientation. It takes about three turns to override it to the open position. With the hydraulic path open. It is time to move fluid.

You do that by using the cut off 1/4" Allen wrench which is now just a hex bit. Put it in your drill chuck and then insert that into the end of the hydraulic pump motor. If you still have it, peel off that sticker at the end of the motor to access the manual operator socket.
Attachment 53399
Run the drill forward (clockwise) to extend and reverse (counter-clockwise) to retract. To help myself remember, I posted a short procedure in the hydraulic space.
I am sure would forget the process if I needed it. Now I do not have to be concerned about what to do. To retract everything, override the first jack Hydac and retract the slide/jack using the drill. When retracted, remove the drill from the pump motor and reset the Hydac valve to it normal (shut) position. If you are moving slides, just keep going until everything is retracted. The process will take longer with a drill, so you may want to have a second battery handy.

May i ask how fast you turned the motor with your power drill?

[Narboza]

Originally Posted by Gee Whiz

May i ask how fast you turned the motor with your power drill?

Full speed. The 20 volt DeWalt cordless drill I have is 2000 RPM max. While I am not sure what the motor to output shaft gear ratio is, I suspect it is 1:1 in my system. I found the standard Klauber C-800 motor runs at about 3200 RPM. The drill drives it at 63% or its usual speed. There is no drill speed caution in the Lippert procedure. I started slow to make sure it was solidly engaged before I went to full speed.

[Narboza]

I need to correct something in my previous post. I went to the Lippert store site and identified the wrong replacement motor for the hydraulic pump. While Klauber does indeed provide motors to Lippert, the one I identified is used as an electric slide motor. Oops. I did a little more searching and finally identified the OEM for the hydraulic pump/motor.

I used Parker-Hannifin hydraulic fittings for many years in the Navy. They are a standard and highly respected. I had always suspected that Parker manufactured the pump. As it turns out, they make the entire hydraulic power unit in their Oildyne division. That division appears to make their own 12 volt motors.

The Parker web page for the system is here. The instruction manual is here. The catalog pamphlet can be found here. I have not had time to read through all the information yet, but I wanted to correct my error. Here is the 165 Series description.

The 165 Series Hydraulic Power Units are completely self-contained with a DC motor, gear pump, reservoir, internal valving, load hold checks, and relief valves. Parker designed these units for intermittent duty and offers them in three standard pump sizes producing flows of .032, .050 and .065 cubic inches per revolution. The units are available for single or bi-directional application with a number of hydraulic circuit options similar to our 108 Series.

Single direction units are commonly used to charge accumulators, power single direction hydraulic motors and single acting cylinders, as well as for use with multi-function circuits with external valving. Bi-directional units are commonly used to operate double acting cylinders and reversible motors. Typical application for these units are wheelchair lifts, scissors lift tables, RV levelers, RV room slides, cab tilts, mobile signs lifts, boat lifts, and pallet movers.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Narboza

I need to correct something in my previous post. I went to the Lippert store site and identified the wrong replacement motor for the hydraulic pump. While Klauber does indeed provide motors to Lippert, the one I identified is used as an electric slide motor. Oops. I did a little more searching and finally identified the OEM for the hydraulic pump/motor.

I used Parker-Hannifin hydraulic fittings for many years in the Navy. They are a standard and highly respected. I had always suspected that Parker manufactured the pump. As it turns out, they make the entire hydraulic power unit in their Oildyne division. That division appears to make their own 12 volt motors.

The Parker web page for the system is here. The instruction manual is here. The catalog pamphlet can be found here. I have not had time to read through all the information yet, but I wanted to correct my error. Here is the 165 Series description.

Thanks for all the great info on your last couple of post, I have saved them all, for reference incase I need them....

[Narboza]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Thanks for all the great info on your last couple of post, I have saved them all, for reference incase I need them....

You're welcome. I have some more info I'll post when I fill in a few more blanks. It is all stuff I found while learning about my shiny new toy. I figured someone else would also be interested too.

[Narboza]

Once I got the technical documents for the Parker hydraulic pumps, I was able to get a few numbers. From replacement part websites, I learned that the pump puts out 1.4 gallons per minute. Assuming I have a pump with the largest capacity, it moves 0.065 cubic inches of fluid per rotation. With 231 cubic inches per gallon of fluid, I can deduce the pump rotation speed.

Like I was taught, I first make my units cancel. (The periods below are to keep the forum software from removing the extra spaces.)

Gallon | Cubic Inch | Rotation . = Rotation
Minute | Gallon ... | Cubic Inch . Minute

I have to multiply the first two terms and divide by the third thusly.

1.4 x 231 / 0.065 = 4975

That is close enough to 5000 RPM for me. That is about 83 revolutions per second. No wonder the motor draws about 67 amps! My 2000 RPM drill is wimpy by comparison.

About that amperage. The documents say these are 800 watt motors. At 12 VDC, 800 watts divided by 12 volts equals 67 amps. No wonder my unit has a 100 amp breaker. Raise the voltage to 13 volts, and the amperage drops to 62 amps.

To confirm my calculation, I sent a customer service question to Parker via their website. I'll see if they respond.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Narboza

Once I got the technical documents for the Parker hydraulic pumps, I was able to get a few numbers. From replacement part websites, I learned that the pump puts out 1.4 gallons per minute. Assuming I have a pump with the largest capacity, it moves 0.065 cubic inches of fluid per rotation. With 231 cubic inches per gallon of fluid, I can deduce the pump rotation speed.

Like I was taught, I first make my units cancel. (The periods below are to keep the forum software from removing the extra spaces.)

Gallon . Cubic Inch . Rotation . = Rotation
Minute . Gallon ..... Cubic Inch . Minute

I have to multiply the first two terms and divide by the third thusly.

1.4 x 231 / 0.065 = 4975

That is close enough to 5000 RPM for me. That is about 83 revolutions per second. No wonder the motor draws about 67 amps! My 2000 RPM drill is wimpy by comparison.

About that amperage. The documents say these are 800 watt motors. At 12 VDC, 800 watts divided by 12 volts equals 67 amps. No wonder my unit has a 100 breaker. Raise the voltage to 13 volts, and the amperage drops to 62 amps.

To confirm my calculation, I sent a customer service question to Parker via their website. I'll see if they respond.

Thanks again for all the time you spending on this to help our members, my hat is off to you.... I also have a 100 amp breaker by the motor, I wondered why so high, now you have answered that question to...Thanks for the true facts.

[Bunkfamily]

Just a quick somewhat related idea. You can always hook jumper cables to the coach battery in the trailer to run the system and expidite charging. 6 ft of 2 guage cable beats 24 ft of 16 guage plus the pumps will work immediately.

[Narboza]

Originally Posted by Bunkfamily

You can always hook jumper cables to the coach battery in the trailer to run the system and expidite charging.

True, but I do not regularly carry them in my one-year-old diesel. If I need a jump to start a dual-battery, dual-generator truck, I have other issues to resolve. My jumper cables are very heavy 4 gauge similar to these.

I resolved the core issue by replacing the battery. Though the Interstate deep cycle battery was less than a year old, I have no idea what was done to it before I bought the trailer. It obviously was not treated well or it would not have failed so quickly.

[Narboza]

It has been a while, but the trailer is now parked out behind the garage of a new house. That purchase and subsequent work has kept me busy. Courtesy of the prior property owner, the trailer is now plugged in all the time. It has become a favorite weekend "camping" spot for the family. Now that the trailer is readily at hand, I can get back to doing more customization.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Narboza

It has been a while, but the trailer is now parked out behind the garage of a new house. That purchase and subsequent work has kept me busy. Courtesy of the prior property owner, the trailer is now plugged in all the time. It has become a favorite weekend "camping" spot for the family. Now that the trailer is readily at hand, I can get back to doing more customization.

Good for you, your going to like it so much more. Next will be an intercom so people can call you in for dinner....

[Narboza]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Next will be an intercom so people can call you in for dinner.

Actually, a wireless intercom is in the plans, though I had not thought of putting one at the trailer. Hmmm....

[Narboza]

We will soon pass the one year point for ownership of our trailer. The love of using it is still strong. It is to the point that the kids want to sleep in it every weekend now that we have moved it to our new house.

Of the 4600 miles on the unit, we added 3300, mostly during last year's Epic Summer Vacation.

We had it all of four days before I crunched it into a post. I never did that again. The lawnmower scrape at the storage lot was NOT my fault. Now that wood breakage by the slides -- yea, that was my fault.

We used it for 35 nights, which is a respectable amount for the first year. That time was across 11 campgrounds and the back yard. There was one night on the road it spent alone in a Dover AFB parking lot when there was no room at the Family Camp.

The trailer was an excellent purchase for the family. We are looking forward to where 2015 takes us.

[Swift 2]

Congrats your 3715. Many good times ahead I'm sure.

[Narboza]

Well, it has been a while. There has not been much trailer use except for a trip to Ft. Wilderness last year. We have another one coming up, so I have been looking at my work list. During a walkthrough, I found the shower floor stained. I found what I suspected when I went on the roof -- a cracked shower skylight. I cannot say if it was due to the heat or due to getting hit by a branch. in any case, I did a quick shipping tape repair to beat one of our usual thunderstorms. I went back up today and put a piece of Eternabond tape over the crack and some weak areas on the edges.

I ordered a replacement from Amazon. While they promised two-day shipping, that ended up becoming 4-6 weeks. Looks like it has to be manufactured first. I'll post any interesting info I learn about the replacement. It should be relatively straightforward, if a little messy.

[Narboza]

Every major trailer project seems to attract extra adventure. So here I was replacing a skylight. How hard could it be? Well, it helps to understand the terminology first before you go buying things.

To recap, our shower skylight cracked, probably from a falling branch. I checked and measured I thought I was getting the proper size replacement. It turned out the one I ordered was two inches shorter than the one I was replacing. In the end, I made it work, but therein was the adventure.

Skylights are ordered by the size of the bubble area. Each is assumed to have 1.5-2 inches of flange around the bubble. Replacements come with pre-drilled holes, which is a very good thing. The bubble is supposed to correspond to the opening in the roof of the trailer. I now know to measure from underneath to get the hole size correct. For the record, my bubble/hole size was 36”x25”. The original flange dimensions were 40”x25.5”.

My replacement skylight was shipped with one caulk tube of white Surebond SB-140 skylight and window butyl sealant. The instructions said to seal the underside of the flange with butyl tape. The tape is readily available at Amazon, Lowe’s, or Home Depot. I set the skylight upside-down on my bed to apply the tape. Besides the skylight, I carried a few things up onto the roof with me.

· Battery screw gun with a Phillips bit
· Caulk gun with the butyl sealant loaded
· Rubber gloves
· Rags
· Plastic grocery bag
· Putty knife
· Extra screws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYXFwCOT0Iw

This video shows a replacement on a fiberglass roof. Mine did not go this way while removing the sealant. I used the putty knife to start scraping off the old Dicor lap sealant from the top of the skylight. I used my fingers to peel the Dicor off the rubber roof. All the old Dicor went into the grocery bag.

With all the Dicor gone, I removed all 41 of the skylight screws. I reused the screws in the new skylight, adding two more to complete the install since the new skylight had more holes than the old one.

I used my fingers to separate the old skylight from the rubber roof. The manufacturer used a white sealant underneath, but it had hardened over the 2.5 years since it was built. Most of it came off with the skylight. I manually removed the rest and cleaned up the roof seating surface. The rubber roof material was wavy where the old skylight had been seated. There was nothing I could do about that.

With the butyl tape already on the skylight, I just dropped the new skylight in position. Putting in those 43 screws was tedious. I started at the front inboard corner and worked my way down the sides. The butyl tape sealed all the old holes and did a reasonable job of sealing around the screws. It even squeezed out around the edges a bit.

Now for the Surebond sealant. This stuff is thicker than silicone caulk. It is also stringy. You have to plan your caulk gun movement to allow for that or you may get sealant all over your new skylight where you do not want it. I ran a bead all around the skylight then went back over all the screws. I could have done the job with 75-80% of the tube, but I used it all. I smoothed the caulk with a gloved finger. The rags got used controlling the Surebond.

After drying, the caulk volume was visibly less, but it still looked like it would seal well. The work took about 90 minutes, was not difficult, and can be done by any competent DIY-type. The video was a big help by providing a good how-to before going onto the roof.

It looked like the old skylight had not had predrilled holes based on the uneven pattern. The screws had been overdriven and there were eight or so cracks already present that explained why there was so much Dicor on the flange. My recent crack did not come from a screw and did not reach the flange which is why I suspect it was from an impact.

[Narboza]

A correction to the previous post. The bubble/hole size was 36”x21”. The original skylight flange dimensions were 40”x25.5”.

I used 1" butyl tape. It was the widest easily available and worked well.

To drop the inner liner from the skylight, use a screw gun to remove all the flange screws except for two, one on either side. If you feel unsure, put blue painter's tape over the shower drain to prevent losing a screw down the drain. Hold the liner near a screw and remove one of the two remaining screws. Then remove the last one and lower the liner. When replacing the liner, only partially drive the screws with a screw gun to prevent breaking the liner flange. Finish with a screwdriver.

The liner's clear plastic is held in place with double-stick tape and is easy to dislodge. You can see a liner removal and tape replacement here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehcjYNsFsOo