At one point my front cap on the driver side looked just like yours. This is more common than you think and it's not hard to fix. So no need to be overly concerned if you do it sooner rather than later.
IMO, Winnebago makes a great product, but I'm not a fan of their roofs for this reason: Wind will enter... right behind the front cap... and rip your roof off. I know. This happened to me in a high wind storm... I fortunately documented with TV weather reports... and more importantly, the local airport maintains wind records I was able to submit to my insurance company.
The cost to replace my roof was in the $35,000 range. And no, this is not a typo. And here's what I really want you to know. My insurance "The Hartford" was great, but only because I logged in my RV maintenance manual (8 months earlier) an entry where I wrote: "Annual roof inspection preformed and all roof caulking replaced in the side channels; and all roof lap-sealant inspected and repaired as necessary."
My point is this: After you repair your roof, you need to log it as proof you preformed the annual roof inspection as recommend by Winnebago or your insurance company will not pay. (They may not pay anyway based on other owns reports, but you will have better LUCK if you keep a detailed maintenance log like aircraft owners do. This log book does not have to be fancy. I just use a "Pee-chee" note book, but it was enough to show/prove I kept up on my roof maintenance.)
The problem with Winnebago roof maintenance, for the last 20 years, is this: What is the right sealant to use?
...But fortunately, with new sealant technology, I think this type by GeoCel seems to be the best, because it's clear and resists the sun better than most:
Geocel GC28100 Pro Flex Rv Flexible Clear
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FC98X2...v_ov_lig_dp_it
Silkaflex #221 is another type of roof sealant, but I don't have any experience with it either.
QUESTION: Is there another member out there who has used this Geocel product and if so how long has it been holding up without cracking? A lot of people have their own brand, but none of them are "perfect."
100% silicon is the best for UV protection, but it does not have enough "hold" to be used for this application. And polyurathane sealants have great holding power, but will crack in 4-8 months and then you will lose your water protection.
Alternatively, some Winnie owners run a 4" strip of Black or White Eternabond tape (because you can't buy a 2" strip) along the entire roof edge and your gutter, but this maybe overkill, since the problem areas are really on the ends of the roof if you are talking about wind ripping off the roof. Here's a link for Eternabond Tape on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/EternaBond-EB...6201425&sr=8-6
Also, it's a real PITA to remove your old sealant. So plan of 3-4 hours... on your knees. Maybe longer. But it's very important you do this!
Removing your old glue from your Winnebago roof channel is one of those jobs I would definitely would want to pay a teenager $20/hr to do if you know one? (Use mineral spirits and a wood scraping tool.)
The weakest part of your roof is right where you show your front cap separating from the sidewall. It's also not uncommon for this crack to be 1/4" so just pump the Geocell in there and smooth over with your finger.
You can both glue and then tape your roof the entire (driver) side of your coach, but I'm hoping they will come out with a clear Eternabond tape or just a 2" version of black, because I have a dark green cap and the black Eternabond tape blends in pretty good. In actuality I think a 1-foot to 4-foot strip of Eternabond tape would be all you really need, but that's a cosmetic decision.
There have been countless threads on how to best re-glue the roof channel. And to my knowledge there is no "clear tape" that will hold-up in the sun.
Tip: When you re-glue your roof, run some paint tape down the roof edge and then apply your sealant. And then take a old toilet paper roll tube and scoop-up the residual sealant. Then use your finger... and pull up the tape to get a smooth edge.
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