Roof issue that’s become a problem

[YoungKopernik]

It started off with two small bubbles (less than 3 inch dia each), just something watch.
When I got back from my last trip my little bubbles have turned into a 12x20 bubble. Its at the front edge of the camper so my guess is that there is some kind of air leak enlarging it and will only get worse with more travel. The pic doesn’t show it but when I first got home the whole area was one big bubble now its just wavy looking.
So my plan is to take the front metal transition strip off and see if I can shoot some self leveling Dicor under to re seal the roof. Maybe I’ll take some 3/8 tubing to extend the tip being sure I get good coverage all the way to the back of the bubble. Then a fresh strip of buytl tape and put the metal strip back down.

Anyone ever have something like this? Does anyone see a problem with my plan?
Thanks all
John

[Cypressloser]

By no means am I an expert at this, but I doubt that Dicor is the best product for this. Dicor is a sealant, but you have an adhesion problem.

[YoungKopernik]

always better with a pic

[YoungKopernik]

cypressloser maybe your right but that stuff is so sticky and it seals so well and its what I have on hand. I always carry a tube of that stuff, just incase.
John

[BigJohnD]

John, I think you're spot on with the problem, and the fix. Problem being that air is getting in some how. Lucky you caught it before you really had a baloon going down the highway. I've seen some show up on the dealer lots looking like that, brand new. Happened to my brother in law a couple of years ago. Pretty much pull the strip, reglue the roof, and resecure the strip with new butyl underneath, and dicor on the screw heads and edges.

[Cypressloser]

John, I agree with Big John, it's the Butyl that holds it down. I changed vent fans once and found removing the dicor was the easy part.
Funny, is this a John only thread ?
John

[BigJohnD]

Somebody will break the trend soon.

Plenty of youtube videos on doing this, or just a google search on how to.

A hair dryer can help in removal, or a heat gun if you're very careful.

[glnel]

Our neighbors have a 2009 Wildwood and condensation has ruined their ceiling in the front by the windows. The repairman said it was a manufacturers defect. It cost them 2900. to fix. We have the same model that is a 2008 and we checked and we also have the same problem. They have to tear the whole front off and replace all the wood and insulation inside. If its a manufactures defect why are we paying for it?

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by glnel

Our neighbors have a 2009 Wildwood and condensation has ruined their ceiling in the front by the windows. The repairman said it was a manufacturers defect. It cost them 2900. to fix. We have the same model that is a 2008 and we checked and we also have the same problem. They have to tear the whole front off and replace all the wood and insulation inside. If its a manufactures defect why are we paying for it?

Limited warranty and no "Lemon Law" for travel trailers.

A tub of Damp Rid or some kind of dehumidify will reduce the chance of it happening again.

[glnel]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

Limited warranty and no "Lemon Law" for travel trailers.

A tub of Damp Rid or some kind of dehumidify will reduce the chance of it happening again.

I am afraid its too late for that. Evidently they have to put in some kind of drips on the side so this wont happen again. The wood inside is rotten and has mold. We bought this 2 months ago and I can't believe we have to spend 3000. more to repair this.

[harderd]

I would remove the cap as you say and then use the rubber roof adhiesive to glue the roof back down. Then re-assemble with the butyl tape, then put self leveling caulk on the edges of both side of the roof strip and on each screw. I would be more generous than what was previously done as shown in your picture. That may be why you had the leak. For extra measur you can then cover the strip and seam with 4 inch wide eternabond tape. Nothing will get past that stuff.

[wana65stang]

glnel I would be going back to whom you bought the unit from and raise some questions , did they know about the rot and mold and didn't tell you? Maybe they did and thats why they sold it!!!

[YoungKopernik]

I was leaving for a trip in a week so I had to get something done….
I went to a local RV shop and they suggested the product used to stick down the rubber roof but they only sold it in gallon cans for $88 and they would have to order it. He wouldn’t say the Dicor self leveling stuff wouldn’t work.
So, I went and did it my way. I cleaned the front edge very well removing all the old butyl tape and caching.I Pulled the metal transition piece watching for anything that would have started the bubble. Never did see a defined issue but the transition between the corigated siding and the rubber roof had a fairly big gap. While this area/gap is covered by the butal tape and metal strip it wasn’t filled and was an open gap.
The rubber roof was rolled down and under the wooden roof material and I wasn’t going to lift the roof. So where the rubber rolled over the edge of the wood I made my slit(yep I cut my rubber roof).
I added 3/8 flex tubing about 2ft to the Dicor tube, extending the length of the tip, and pumped that stuff as far back in as I could.
I had a small hand roller and worked the Dicor all around working hard to push all the air out the slit.
I took a 4ft strip of butyl tape and worked it out to 8ft so about half as thick. I pushed this down into that gap between siding and roof(closing the gap).
Between all the Dicor coming back out the slit and the Butyl tape covering the slit I feel pretty okay that it will not leak(time will tell).
I put a new strip of butyl tape under the transitional metal strip and screwed it pack down. I knelt on the metal strip while screwing it down to really push the butyl tape down and get a good seal. Then I took the rest of the Dicor covered the screw heads and added a bead down the front edge.
I put down some wax paper found a piece of plexi glass and weighted that with some sand bags
The rubber had gotten stretched out when the bubble formed so trying to flatten it back out was a challenge.
After two days I pulled off the weights to take a look and wasn’t as happy as I was hoping to be. The rubber roof was still not flat; it was still distorted from being over stretched. But the roof did seem firmly held down and all the edges looked great. What ells could I do(I’m leaving in 3 days)?
300ml later I get up to the mountains and its thunder storming. I drove two hours through the rain and then parked for a full night of rain. What a test and it held, I couldn’t find a leak or a bubble. A week later while packing up to move on I climbed up on the roof and it looks better, much of the stretched rubber went flat.
I feel comfortable that it will hold the life of the camper but definitely a section I will pay close attention to while cleaning watching for any issues.
Roof Glue might have been the right product to use but the Delco seams to be okay and its what I had.
Thanks all
John