A Frame Roof Gap/Opening

[Big Red Camper]

Hello - looking for help/advice on a roof issue........

We purchased Our A128S about a year and a half ago. We've made several trips and this past week while camping noticed something I had not seen before. As I woke up, the sunlight must have been just right and I noticed light coming in from the top of the roof.

This is the best I can describe the situation and hopefully someone knows what might be wrong. The light coming in was at the very top of the roof where one of the side panels meets up with the roof right at the peak. Only one side seemed to have this issue and not the other side.

The light coming through came down the side panel about one foot from the peak. The direction is from the peak moving towards the front of the camper.

I looked up from the inside of the camper and clearly saw daylight between the side panel an the roof. It almost seems as if there should be some type of barrier between the roof and side panel that might be missing???

I checked both sides after tear down when we returned home and both sides seem to have the same characteristics . Don't notice one side having different trim, etc. than the other. The only thin I know for sure is that if I can see daylight from the inside of the camper, that will certainly be an entry point for rain water.

Has anyone had a similar experience or know of anyone who has and what is the specific issue and potential fix???

Thanks in advance for you help!

Terry

[mzak]

On mine the weatherstrip was a little loose and out of position. It didn't completely hang down but a little lower than it should have been. I just rebonded it. You also might want to push in a little on a-wall and see if it seals better. I had to tighten my clamp a little because sometimes there was just a bit of light visible indicating a slight gap between a-wall and roof. With that said you might still see a little light at the peeks of a-wall. There have been previous posts about this in the past but I don't believe anyone had leaks in this area.

[Big Red Camper]

Thanks mzak,


Tried pushing in on the wall to see if that closed it up...no luck with that as it is as tight as it can be and I think as tight as it can go. I don't see any weatherstrip at all that you mention in the upper most part of the peak where it meets with the side wall. Maybe I'm missing a weatherstrip??? I'll have to get on a ladder and check this out vs. the other side that does not seem to have the same gap issue.


Issue seems to be an approx. 1/4" gap. Strange that all looks normal and secure from the outside, but much different when looking up from the inside.


We have not yet had to deal with camping in the rain, but pretty sure this will without question be an issue if we do. I did see after reviewing a few other posts of similar concerns and leakage points. Some have talked of stuffing weather stripping up to plug the 1/4" gap and stop the rain from entering. I'm kind of hard pressed to understand how this is acceptable and or part of what the manufacturing end result should be.


I think if I'm camping during an extended hard rain that significant amounts of water would enter through this gap......

[D-mo]

There is a roof gap..when the unit is set up.
What your seeing is a lacķ of weatherstripping between the two roof sections , below the 2inch roofing flashiing.
No issues....if you didnt have these gaps ...no external air would be available when heating or cooling.

Completely normal

[Big Red Camper]

Really!!!!???? I would have never thought of that D-mo. From the inside it looks so vulnerable and a certain entry point for rain water! This is excellent news. It seemed odd that this could/would be a missed manufacturing point. I appreciate your quick response!


Of course since my wife tells me and she's correct in that I'm way too anal, I'll have to test this on my driveway with a garden hose to simulate rain!


I'll post a reply back after my in-driveway rain test! My fingers are crossed for a positive result.


Thanks again!

[mudman2]

Cotton balls work well. Can't sweat the small stuff 😎


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

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2015 Toyota Tundra crewmax lmtd

[mzak]

There is a lack of weather stripping on the roof overlap that goes up against the a-wall near the apex where the two roof panels meet but only about an inch or two on each roof half. You should not see a foot of daylight though. I have a 2012 a124 and the only time I have seen daylight other than a little at the apex on both sides is when my weatherstripping became detached or trailer was not level or a-walls not completely latched. I never had any rain come in that area but have had a little snow blow in when up in the winter. As Mudman stated use cotton balls or as I do, foam cut to size and put in that area if necessary. A few people claim insects have gotten in at night, through these kind of openings, while camping.

[lonewolf465]

We ocassionally see a gap at the top when we set up our Flagstaff a-frame. We have been in some downpours and never have had water come in. However, on a trip to Alaska, the mosquitoes did find their way in. A couple of pieces of 1 inch foam plastic pipe insulation stuffed up into the corner from the inside closes up the gap.

[Big Red Camper]

Thanks lonewolf....funny you mention the misquotes. Last fall (late fall), we tried to camp and literally had thousands of Asian Beetles swarming the camper. It was like the Hitchcock movie "The Birds" and we could not kill them fast enough. Tried all kinds of bug killer/fogger on the outside of the camper to keep them off but they were relentless. We tried to keep them at bay, but hundreds found their way into the camper. Killed many of them from the inside but could not keep up because when we'd kill 20, 40 more would climb in. Ultimately had to pack up and leave after fighting them for about two hours. I could not figure out where they were getting in from.......I think I now know where their main entry point was!


I'll try using some foam to plug that up.

[mudman2]

Originally Posted by Big Red Camper

Thanks lonewolf....funny you mention the misquotes. Last fall (late fall), we tried to camp and literally had thousands of Asian Beetles swarming the camper. It was like the Hitchcock movie "The Birds" and we could not kill them fast enough. Tried all kinds of bug killer/fogger on the outside of the camper to keep them off but they were relentless. We tried to keep them at bay, but hundreds found their way into the camper. Killed many of them from the inside but could not keep up because when we'd kill 20, 40 more would climb in. Ultimately had to pack up and leave after fighting them for about two hours. I could not figure out where they were getting in from.......I think I now know where their main entry point was!


I'll try using some foam to plug that up.

When we got mosquitos I couldn't belief it. But cotton balls work at the peak as well as where the Dutch door (entry door) meet.

[Pooneil]

My camper had small gaps from the factory. Then the seal was replaced under warranty and it still had the gap, only the tech put the new seal in so the gap is all on the curb side not split between the sides. Some people have reported using various types of sealing foam from the big orange box home store to fill it in.

[riiich]

Originally Posted by Big Red Camper

Really!!!!???? I would have never thought of that D-mo. From the inside it looks so vulnerable and a certain entry point for rain water! This is excellent news. It seemed odd that this could/would be a missed manufacturing point. I appreciate your quick response!


Of course since my wife tells me and she's correct in that I'm way too anal, I'll have to test this on my driveway with a garden hose to simulate rain!


I'll post a reply back after my in-driveway rain test! My fingers are crossed for a positive result.


Thanks again!

We got ours last weekend (2016 rockwood hardside). I see the exact same gap. Also concerned about water. What were your results with the garden host? I am considering sealing with extra weather stripping but I do not want to close a vital vent.. nor do I want to put extra pressure on the motor that raises the top (since a seal would rub).


Thanks
Rich

[The Tipper]

Yes, I see light on ours sometimes at the peak of the roof next to the walls. It's not always on the same side. I think there is a little flex in the unit. Yes sunlight or no, or on which side, depends on how the unit is leveled. A strain on either side changes things.

Been through lots of rain and never a leak there.

[Zoinks]

Ditto. We can occasionally see a little light come through at the peak where it meets the sidewalls. Never had any rain leaks.

[JArry]

Originally Posted by Big Red Camper

We have not yet had to deal with camping in the rain, but pretty sure this will without question be an issue if we do. I did see after reviewing a few other posts of similar concerns and leakage points. Some have talked of stuffing weather stripping up to plug the 1/4" gap and stop the rain from entering. I'm kind of hard pressed to understand how this is acceptable and or part of what the manufacturing end result should be.

With or without rain coming in, I too have a hard time understanding why this would be acceptable. I don't buy the explanation of needing a gap for ventilation. There are certainly other small gaps such as along the wall hinges (and the hinges themselves, for that matter) where air can make it through. Certainly some dust gets inside when I tow down gravel/dirt roads, and I'm not thrilled about that either.

For what it's worth, I have never seen light along my roof peak except possibly a tad at the very ends of weather stripping at ends, and it's hard to get a perfect seal there. Never had any rain come in.

[Punkinhead]

We just bought our new 122A a couple weeks ago. Same issue. Also, difficult to close the side wall clasp without both of us pushing up on the ceiling panel. And the Dutch door is misaligned by about 1/2 inch. So we have an appointment with dealer and they are replacing the door and checking on the wall/roof alignment so we don’t see sunlight at the top! Shouldn’t take two of us to set up.

[Big Vic]

I think this is a common finding in A Frames. Many have noted this small open area, most find that it is not a problem in the rain - but insects may find their way in. It should be easy to add a bit of weatherstrip insulation on the side wall to fill in the space. Or use a cotton ball with insect repellent on it.

[Smrtmom1]

We just got our first Aframe, Flagstaff 2021. We watched a video on youtube that suggested pool noodles to fill the gaps to block out wind and insects. We’ll if that works. ����

[bensinc]

My 2014 A122BH has the same very tiny crack of light on each side if I look just right.

The only time I ever had a leak was during a severe storm with rain pelting the camper sideways. A trickle came in there, for the few minutes until the rain stopped going sideways.

It's not something I really worry about.

[JArry]

Originally Posted by Smrtmom1

We just got our first Aframe, Flagstaff 2021. We watched a video on youtube that suggested pool noodles to fill the gaps to block out wind and insects. We’ll if that works. ����

I must say, if I bought a brand new trailer that required that kind of mitigation I would head right back to the dealer.