Roof leaks at A-frame ridge

[pgandw]

Well, it finally happened to me. We were scheduled to camp at Oregon Inlet - one of the Cape Hatteras NC National Seashore campgrounds - 10 and 11 April. We arrived Wednesday to 25+ mph winds from the south, with our camper facing north-northwest. When I unlatched the A-frame roof, it lifted open by the wind with zero assistance, all the way up, just an inch short of latching. I had only seen this once before in winds in Wyoming. An omen of things to come.

Starting late Thursday afternoon, gusts to 50mph were forecast with thunderstorms and heavy rains. And we got them, with the wind hitting the left side back corner but mostly directly behind. Sure enough, the camper started rocking in the wind on the wheels even with some load on the stabilizers. I could feel the wind blowing through the seals on the roof ridge. Then the rains came, and it started raining inside from the ridge. Not a lot, but enough to wring water out of 4 hand towels.

I plan on ordering a new set of ridge seals, and new seals for the dormer roof. The dormer roof didn't leak during the storm, but I can see daylight where the dormer roof meets the dormer front wall and there is no further adjustment on the roof latch.

Any A-framers have any experience along these lines, or in replacing these seals they wish to share?

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2022 Hyundai Palisade

[NJKris]

Wow! Your storm dumped 3 inches on us in NJ. We don't get a half inch here half inch there anymore. Now it's usually in the inches. I always read your threads with interest, because I came a hair away from buying a Rockwood HW214, and was talked out of it by the salesman at the Hershey RV show who didn't have any to show, and sold me on the GeoPro TT line.



Reminds me of one of my first cars, a Triumph Spitfire. Whenever it would rain, I would toss whatever girlfriend was in the passenger seat a towel to put on her lap. If a new girlfriend, they would ask what the towel was for. My response, "you're about to find out".

[NJKris]

BTW, hope the weather finally cleared for you. I hate to wish the summer away, but can't wait for our usual OBX trip to Hatteras in September. I stay for 2 weeks on the sound at Frisco.

[pgandw]

I always read your threads with interest, because I came a hair away from buying a Rockwood HW214, and was talked out of it by the salesman at the Hershey RV show who didn't have any to show, and sold me on the GeoPro TT line.

Thanks, I still really love the A-frame. It's now 6 years old (it was an early 2019, bought summer of 2018), has gone through some modifications. I had re-caulked all the lower seams, and appeared to have stopped all the leaks until this mother of storms came along. Now I get to redo the ridge line. Doesn't look like too terrible a project, just access to the middle of the 7ft wide ridge line could be a little problematic.

Just put new tires on, new grease in the bearings. Batteries look due for replacement (I have 2 Costco GC-2s), not holding charge as good as they used to anymore. I'm waiting for the LP/CO detector to time out - apparently the internal clock stops running if power is cut to the detector. Did remember to replace the battery in the smoke detector this year.

The storm did a nice job of washing away all the green pollen dust (normal in the spring in Eastern NC) from the exterior, so there's that.

I hate to wish the summer away, but can't wait for our usual OBX trip to Hatteras in September. I stay for 2 weeks on the sound at Frisco.

DW prefers the ocean side. Probably our favorite to date is Onslow Beach (located on Camp Lejeune), although I've been trying to find an opening at Carolina Beach SP with electric. Oregon Inlet CG, being close to Nags Head and Manteo, was pretty nice until the storm hit.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2022 Hyundai Palisade

[NJKris]

Originally Posted by pgandw

Thanks, I still really love the A-frame. It's now 6 years old (it was an early 2019, bought summer of 2018), has gone through some modifications. I had re-caulked all the lower seams, and appeared to have stopped all the leaks until this mother of storms came along. Now I get to redo the ridge line. Doesn't look like too terrible a project, just access to the middle of the 7ft wide ridge line could be a little problematic.

Just put new tires on, new grease in the bearings. Batteries look due for replacement (I have 2 Costco GC-2s), not holding charge as good as they used to anymore. I'm waiting for the LP/CO detector to time out - apparently the internal clock stops running if power is cut to the detector. Did remember to replace the battery in the smoke detector this year.

The storm did a nice job of washing away all the green pollen dust (normal in the spring in Eastern NC) from the exterior, so there's that.

DW prefers the ocean side. Probably our favorite to date is Onslow Beach (located on Camp Lejeune), although I've been trying to find an opening at Carolina Beach SP with electric. Oregon Inlet CG, being close to Nags Head and Manteo, was pretty nice until the storm hit.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2022 Hyundai Palisade

Glad you got SOME nice weather! Would love use Onslow, but I don't have retired privs, wasn't crazy enough to stay in that long! I've taken a liking to the sound side, so nice to wade around in shallow warm water without getting beaten up by waves. We still drive cross 12 on the beach, it's like a 3 minute drive, don't even have to air the tires back up. I use the Billy Mitchell Air Field ramp.