Re using rubber

Erikh425 · 09-21-2011, 09:02 PM

I have another thread going where I am replacing part of the roof structure on an 02 Wildwood 26BH. The rubber is in pretty good shape other than the tear that caused the roof to rot. I have the structure of the roof replaced, put down new plywood, sealed edges and seams of plywood with Butyl tape (Like you would use on windows). When I get back in town I am hoping to be able to pull the rubber back down (I pealed it back) with some adhesive. I am going to use a piece of PVC to roll it flat. Then I am going to use eternabond to seal the rubber to the side of the camper and the area that was torn. Then I will replace the trim and moldings and use sealant to seal any place that look like they need it.

Does anyone see any glaring issues with this? I am out of town for work now, but I want to finish it up when I get home on Friday.

Thanks in advance,
Erik

sherdep · 09-21-2011, 09:13 PM

Not sure about you but if the tear is what cause the roof leak and then rot the wood wouldnt you want to replace the rubber membrane instead of keeping it and trying to piece it back together. just my .02

I know the tape can pull the rubber together but whats not to say you are driving down the road and the tape pulls off - you will be back to square one with a wet and possibly rotted roof again.

I would seal the edge's with Dicor Lap Sealant - like stated

Erikh425 · 09-22-2011, 07:28 PM

I have heard great things about Eternabond. I have heard about people using it for years with no issue. The tear was only about 4", but the PO did not do anything to fix it. I can only buy membrane in the 25' sections and it will run me $500+ dollars. I am thinking that I could patch this and it would hold up for several more years. Then down the road I could shell out the money to replace the whole thing, or sell it. This is our starter camper and we got it for super cheap. I mostly want to enjoy it and see how my family like camping.

sherdep · 09-22-2011, 07:37 PM

I have zero experiance with eternabond

I have read where the surface has to be clean and dry for it to stick but when it sticks it sticks very well.

If this is a starter camper and you want to fix it up to just camp to see if the family likes it or not - I say seal it well so you have no more leaks.

the only other thing I would make sure that you got any and all mold removed before closing it up cause once it is closed up and you have mold your family could get sick.

backin15 · 09-22-2011, 07:53 PM

I discovered the surface has to be prepped very well for Eternabond tro work. When I taped my rear seam I cleaned the area and wiped it down with acetone before applying the tape. I then rolled it according to the instructions but the next day it had lifted in several areas. Removing it was not hard except where I overlapped it onto the fiberglass where it was almost impossible to remove. After a bit of reseach I lightly sanded the roofing with 400 grit then wiped it down with the acetone. The eternabond is now holding up well.

Erikh425 · 09-22-2011, 08:05 PM

good advice about sanding it to rough it up a bit. I am planning to scrub the heck out of it and then use acetone to make sure there are no oils or anything else on the surface. I am not sure what else would be better to seal the corners and edges. Maybe it is overkill.

As for mold, I cut out anything that had been wet and there is no wetness or damage on the interior of the camper, so it hasn't been leaking long, only every time it rains this summer I am assuming.

sherdep · 09-22-2011, 08:13 PM

I bought a brand new camper and had to go over the roof with Dicor Lap Sealant -
I wouldnt call it overkill - just make sure all the edge's and any place you think water will get in and seal it - always better to be safe then sorry.
If I didnt seal my roof I would have had a water leak from the Antenna cause it had pulled away from the sealant when I put the antenna up.

Glad to hear you got any and all damage - mold is a bad thing and very hard to get rid of.

Erikh425 · 09-22-2011, 08:18 PM

I have a few bottles of Dicor lab sealant I was going to use to reseal everything on my roof. Maybe I will use what I have and make sure to seal it all well. I suppose the Dicor will get into the nooks and crannies better and I wont have to worry about it bubbling or coming off of the surface and letting moisture in.

sherdep · 09-22-2011, 08:26 PM

as long as you are replacing the existing trim and moldings and run a bead of the lap sealant to seal it I dont see why it wouldnt work for what you are trying to accomplish.

I used the self leveling stuff and had a spatula and a rag just in case - worked great

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