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Old 05-20-2013, 01:20 PM   #1
Stone859
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Default Elkmont 24 Roof Problem

Hello:

I've been reading the post and following this group for some time, but this is the first time I've posted anything. My wife and I recently purchased a 2010 Elkmont 24 and took it out for the first time this weekend. The first day it rained almost all night and the next morning I noticed there was a small amount of water in the front closet (drives side). I went on the roof and noticed that the previous owner must have had some sort of a problem because they had taped (using a heavy RV tape with a thick black backing) over the plastic molding that holds the two panels together in the front of the trailer. The tape had lifted allowing the aluminum and the rounded plastic molding to pull away from the styrofoam center. The aluminum is lifted so much you can easily sick your finger under neath it, and it runs almost across the front half of the trailer. The other side seems fine. It seems like I should be able to glue it down and maybe re-stick that decorative piece down...or maybe purchase another plastic piece of trim.

We really love the trailer...it has a couple of issues that I think we can take care of but we were not expecting the roof to look like that. I've been towing some type of RV trailer for more than thirty years now and this is by far the easiest one I've ever pulled. Now I know that I should have gotten up there to take a look at the roof, but I just didn't think it was necessary...it was a recently widowed woman that was nice as could be and told me "It has never leaked"! Live and learn.

Any help anybody could give would be much appreciated.

Thanks
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Old 05-21-2013, 07:23 AM   #2
brulaz
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Sorry to hear about that, but thanks for posting it. I'll be keeping an eye on ours from now on.

As for gluing the Al back to foam, I dunno, maybe somebody else here on the forum can help. Or call the factory and talk to Ed Lyttle.

The plastic strip can be ordered from the factory. Think it comes with a self-adhesive strip. Or it can be replaced with something else and a good adhesive like the marine stuff 3M 4200 or 5200. I've used 4200 to reset the Fantastic Fan and it's great.

I had a leak in the middle side-to-side seam. The Trailmanor factory fixed it under warranty by replacing the thin plastic strip with a big sheet of plastic across the top, sealed with a similar 3M hybrid polyurethane adhesive, or so they said. I painted the plastic with marine paint as I wasn't sure how UV resistant it was.

Isn't nice not to worry about wood framing and plywood in the roof?
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Old 05-21-2013, 12:41 PM   #3
Stone859
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Thanks "Brulaz" for your post, and your help. I've been reading yours and other posts on this site and they're a great help. I guess I'm wondering...do all Elkmont 24's have this seam in front? Also, I've been looking at closely and I think now that aluminum that as far back under the seam there is aluminum...not two joints just butted up against each other. I think this will make bonding the pieces together much easier. I contacted Ed L. at TM and this is what he said:

"Good morning,

This appears to be a adhesive trim over the seam of a aluminum metal overlay in that area. The metal that is coming up can be cleaned between the two parts with mineral spirits as best you can and then add clear silicone adhesive and then weighted down over night. You then can clean the seam area and install a new trim strip. I can send this strip to you.

You ca also use a contact cement but it can harder to install.


If your leaks does not stop, check your lights to make sure they are sealed.



Hope this helps."


I'm going to have Ed send me the trim strips, and I will some type of Silicone under the aluminum then apply weight...it should hold. Then apply the trim strip. I had also thought that maybe along with silicone underneath you could use some small rivets, and then put something like "Eternabond" over the seam. Actually that would probably work better then the system they have now, but I think for now I will keep as stock as I can. Really the Silicone should hold pretty tight if I clean it well. By the way...what do you use to clean it? Ed says use Mineral Spirits (turpentine), but won't that leave an oily residue? Wouldn't it be better, after cleaning with the Spirits, to use alcohol, or acetone?

Thanks
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Old 05-21-2013, 01:36 PM   #4
brulaz
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OK, but I'm not sure if I agree with Ed here. First, I don't know what Silicone Adhesive he's talking about. I know Silicone Caulks, but found them to be useless when my roof was leaking. And it was Ed that told me they had switched to 3M Hybrid Polyurethane sealants like 3M 4200 or 5200 to put the panels together. But I have no idea if these would work with Al to Foam. If the problem joint is Al to Al then I would use 3M 5200. Just make sure you get it right the first time, cause I understand it's impossible to get off.

Also if you end up using Eternabond to tape the whole seam (which might be an even better idea than the strip), I think any previous silicone application would cause problems.

As for cleaning, Acetone would work for sure, but it might dissolve the foam? I know people on this forum have made similar repairs to the top shells of their folding Trailmanors. Maybe try searching, and posting a question in the Exterior section might catch their eye?

EDIT: and yes mine, and I guess all have that seam in the front and down the middle. There's also a seam down the side covered by an Al strip.
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Old 05-21-2013, 05:15 PM   #5
Stone859
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Ed's latest email came through as follows:


"Do not have a brand preference but 3M is good and it could be white and you could use this on the edge of the strip also but make sure it is a marine/RV type of sealant/adhesive.


The silicone is easy to clean off if you get it on places you do not need it and any glue would be more difficult.



Hope all works out."


I think he's talking about the 3M 4200 and 5200. What I think I'm going to do is use 5200 between the two panels (I'm almost certain it is aluminum to aluminum). I think I had better do the other side at the same time. I'll remove the plastic trim and that way I can really get in there and get it all cleaned and distribute the 5200 evenly. I'll probably also remove the plastic trim piece that goes down the center-front of the trailer (at least the top part...the part above the Trailmanor sticker). I'm going to think long and hard about the Eternabond. It may actually do a better job then those small little plastic trim pieces but I'm afraid of the way it might look. If I drop a line using masking tape to line the Eternabond up I think it will look pretty good. Also, the Eternabond will probably allow water to drain off the front of the trailer better (and not trap it on the roof) because it's not be as thick. Have you seen the Eternabond Youtube video:
It looks pretty easy to use and effective.

Thanks for letting me know about the front piece of plastic trim, I'm glad to know this is the way they were supposed to be built. I was afraid the factory had built mine differently then others.

Thanks
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Old 05-21-2013, 05:45 PM   #6
brulaz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stone859 View Post
...
I'm going to think long and hard about the Eternabond. It may actually do a better job then those small little plastic trim pieces but I'm afraid of the way it might look.
...
Yep, some people don't like the way it looks. Maybe you could use the plastic strip on that front vertical bit, and eternabond across the top. With a neat caulk line on the front side it should look pretty good.

That video is interesting. Never knew you could get eternabond off!

Have fun. Pictures as the project progresses would be nifty.

Oh, another thing, how will you hold the panels together as the glue/sealant sets? Can you use weights, or ...?
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Old 07-05-2013, 05:36 AM   #7
brulaz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brulaz View Post
...
and yes mine, and I guess all have that seam in the front and down the middle. There's also a seam down the side covered by an Al strip.
Oops. Was up washing the roof and mine doesn't have that front seam after all.

2 panels start in the middle of the front wall and go up and fold over onto the roof, heading back to a side-to-side seam about where the door is. Think you have that one too.

Guess we got lucky, the fewer seams up there the better.
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