About to seal a deal, but hit a snag... please help

07-23-2012, 10:47 AM

Hi all! You've all be soo helpful and informative. I'm about to seal the deal on a 2005 3023. Ran into some snags, and wanted some opinions...

There is a roof leak where the front fan is. I know that, and she has lowered the price accordingly, in my opinion. The previous owners to her did a patch job on it, and a pretty shoddy one, again, in my opinion. They used a ton of caulking. Well, she got up on the roof for me yesterday and took pics, and noticed that there is some type of mesh used under the caulking, to the side of the center seam. So maybe there was some type of repair?

It appears right in between the two vents in front, and frankly, it doesn't look that big deal to clean up the repair. The roof inside isn't cracked, isn't sagging, etc. So we don't know what was being repaired. A hail crack? No idea.

So my question is, would this scare you? Or would you steer clear of it?

My thought was to remove both vents and all the caulking, clean it all up, use eternabond on that whole area, then regasket the vents and reinstall.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 07-23-2012, 11:18 AM

That is one of the most hideous repair jobs I've seen on a TM.

That being said, based on your description, it may be mostly cosmetic. But who knows. I can't think of any common problem that would have necessitated a patch like that. The mesh type material is probably cloth used to support a patch job -- like to cover a hole. But you're not supposed to see it when you're done, and I think it's obvious the repair person here wasn't very skilled, so I doubt he used the cloth for its intended purpose. It looks like he just squirted caulk all over the place, and didn't even try to smooth it out.

The top part of the repair looks like an attempt at sealing the seal between the 2 roof panels. That's not the way to do it, of course. And having peaks and valleys in your caulking can actually CAUSE leaks, as it allows water to sit up there instead of allowing gravity to take it off the roof.

If you're getting a good deal on it and are fairly handy, it's probably something you can take care of in a weekend as you describe. That's just a guess. You won't know what's in that rats nest until you get that stuff removed and cleaned up. I don't know if the earlier model TMs (pre-2002's perhaps) had wood in that area or not. If so, rot could be a possibility, which would be challenging to fix.

Dave

**mjlaupp** · 07-23-2012, 11:27 AM

My first impression is to stay away from this TM unless it is priced well below NADA. Replacement of the front roof shell by the factory will be in excess of $2K.

Do you have a picture of the inside of the roof at this area? Also ask for pictures of the whole front roof taken from the inside front to back and back to front to look for sagging.

Is the roof soft in that area? Place your palm on the roof from inside and press upward. There should be no flexing of the roof.

Last of all. Do not commit to this sale until you have inspected it in person.

07-23-2012, 11:40 AM

Its a 2005 so no wood there. Price is well below nada.

I have tons of pics, no noticeable problems inside. Cant inspect, its 1000 miles away. Sellers have agreed to deliver for a fee.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 07-23-2012, 11:53 AM

I don't think I would buy sight unseen, especially absent any definitive explanation as to what is under that mess. Why not spend a few hundred bucks and fly up there Saturday to inspect it in person? You'd still be saving a bunch of cash if it's priced like you say, and then you'd have a much better idea of what you're getting.

Dave

07-23-2012, 11:59 AM

Something I hadn't thought of Dave, and a good idea. If i didn't have four of my five kids that would have to go with me, lol.

I know the story of the repair, done by previous owner as a quick fix when the current owners were there to purchase and discovered the leak. They have emailed the previous owners to find out what was covered up.

rvcycleguy · 07-23-2012, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moneeleann

Something I hadn't thought of Dave, and a good idea. If i didn't have four of my five kids that would have to go with me, lol.

I know the story of the repair, done by previous owner as a quick fix when the current owners were there to purchase and discovered the leak. They have emailed the previous owners to find out what was covered up.

Wow, where to begin....

I'd walk away from this unit and wait for another deal unless you can R&R what you see and what might be behind all that caulk, patch material, etc. not a good job done by the previous owner. Nice that the current owners are pointing out the leak. You mention a soft roof and to me it's problematic.

Good luck.

07-23-2012, 02:13 PM

Well, I talked with an RV guy here locally, and if I can't fix the problem myself, he thinks the repair is doable. What he did suggest, is like someone else mentioned, getting a picture of the entire roof end from the inside, to ensure it isnt sagging. He also suggested I ask the seller for some type of guarantee.

So, I've emailed the seller, and asked for a guarantee that the roof isn't sagging/soft, and that the floor below the leak is also sturdy and not sagging/soft. If they'll guarantee that for me, I think I'm good. After all, they're surely not going to bring it to me if there is a remote possibility something isn't right on it, kwim?

Everything else, I'm willing to accept as is. Aside from the roof spot, it is in great condition. Maybe I'm just that someone who is needed to return it to its former glory.

07-23-2012, 02:26 PM

I'll cross my fingers for you!

Sure hope it all works out

**Bill** · 07-23-2012, 06:26 PM

I can't tell from the picture, but do you know if all that mess sitting on the top of the aluminum roof skin? Or has a section of the roof skin been removed, and the mess is sitting on top of the ceiling, or on top of the foam between the roof panels?

Like others, I can't imagine what sort of situation would necessitate that kind of repair. Perhaps the owner-at-the-time started to install something in that location, got part way through the installation, and decided to stop for one reason or another. But what was he installing? A bigger vent? An antenna? A telescope dome? An anti-aircaft missile launcher?

I may be wrong, but I can't imagine that the situation would require replacement of the entire shell. I tend to agree with you - scrape off all that frosting, and see what the cake underneath looks like. The fact that the ceiling isn't sagging suggests that no structural members were compromised during "the event", whatever it was. There are 12-volt wires for the fan in that area, and maybe for lights - but that shouldn't be a big deal even if you have to replace a section of the wires. So a properly done patch job should get you home.

Bill