Roof Popping Up/What to do?

Avatab · 01-08-2012, 11:53 AM

Hi! We have a 99 Suncruiser and a few days ago noticed about 3 feet of the roof was popped out of the channel holding it. This was above the awning and the MH had not been moved/driven for a few weeks, so I assume it was the temp swings lately that caused it...

Anyway, made appointment at RV shop to have it resealed, then went up to take closer look. I was able to tuck it back down into it's channel, but I can't see any sign that it was ever caulked or sealed down in any way?!?

So... 1. Is it just the channel itself that keeps the roof edge secured?

2. What do I tell the RV place to do to keep it from moving? I assume it needs to be re-caulked, but w/ what and just down in the channel or along the outside? (which doesn't appear to have been done)

3. If it was warm enough, I would just get some Eternabond and do what others have done and tape along both sides, but its too cold for me to do caulking or taping until Spring, which is why its going to the shop.

Thanks for any help
Steve

Lt46 · 01-08-2012, 02:29 PM

Steve,
This is not unusual for a Winnebago roof, in fact, Winnie advises frequent inspection and caulk replacement as needed. A call to Winnie customer service will tell you what caulk to use. I got fed up with all this inspection and re-caulking and went with Eternabond tape a few years ago. Haven't had a concern since.
I never could understand how Winnie thought such a thin bead of caulking, within that little channel, would hold a roof at 60 mph. BTW, don't be surprised if other area's of the roof show a need to be re-caulked. Good catch on your part!

Avatab · 01-08-2012, 06:19 PM

Thanks for the reply. The place I am taking it is not a Winnebago DLR (nearest one is in RI...) so I am not sure if they are able to take the roof edge out of the channel along both sides, put caulking in to the narrow space and then reseat it. It looks to me that the simplest fix is to clean and dry the roof edges as they are, then put caulking all along the outer surface where it goes into the channel, correct?

It's not going to look as nice, but it should hold better than whats there now, which is nothing!

I would let it sit until spring and then Eternabond the crap out of the roof, but we are planning on a couple of trips before then and I don't want to hear the roof peeling off in the wind!! (already had the awning do that to us a couple of years ago...

)

I'm still amazed that none of the roof edges ever popped out before this considering how little seems to be holding it in place....

Avatab · 01-08-2012, 06:23 PM

BTW, I just noticed you are on the Cape. Have you had any work done at Majors RV? Thats where I am taking it this week.

Duner · 01-08-2012, 09:55 PM

Do not let them use silicone. It will not hold for long and then makes it very hard for the specified polyurethane sealant to stick when you have redo it later.

Here's the Winnie drawing that shows where you apply the sealer:

AFChap · 01-08-2012, 10:15 PM

The roof side seam caulking is required to be inspected/R&R'ed at least annually. When properly maintained, there is no concern with the roof sheeting coming loose.

Davel · 01-08-2012, 10:39 PM

Avatab,

I had the same issue this summer. While giving the coach a bath 3 days before leaving for the Workhorse Chassis Motorhome Club rally in NE Ohio I noticed a 4' section had come out of the channel. I immediatly got on IRV2 and did a search. Because I only had 3 days before we were leaving I did not have time to get the Winnebago recommended product. I used a non-silicone material from Lowes, sorry, can't recall the name, but a search here will give you options. The material used at the factory is put on very thinly. Don't think that more is better as you don't want to seal the "weep holes" you can see from the bottom of the channel. I don't think this product is really used as a sealent, but to hold the fiberglass panel in place. With it in place and the weep holes open there is no way for water to get under the roof.

Another tip is to not wait until the 2 hottest days of the year to have to do this project out in the sun under the gun. That ladder got awfully tall toward the end. It only took a few hours with the removal of the old material and cleanup with alchohol taking the most time.

A quick search here will give you plenty of info.

Good luck,
Dave

RVJeeper · 01-09-2012, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avatab

Hi! We have a 99 Suncruiser and a few days ago noticed about 3 feet of the roof was popped out of the channel holding it. This was above the awning and the MH had not been moved/driven for a few weeks, so I assume it was the temp swings lately that caused it...

Seems to me I remember reading somewhere on this forum that Winnebago admitted to a customer that in certain years of motorhomes they actually cut the roof material a bit too short, giving it the potential to pop out of the channel if the caulk is not maintained.

It's not unusual that you didn't see any caulk in the channel. I just cleaned and recaulked our entire roof and there were areas along the edge that showed no sign of caulk ever having been installed. It was quite a job to clean all the gunk out of the channel and then put a good bead of marine grade polyurethane caulk in.

Duner · 01-09-2012, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVJeeper

Seems to me I remember reading somewhere on this forum that Winnebago admitted to a customer that in certain years of motorhomes they actually cut the roof material a bit too short, giving it the potential to pop out of the channel if the caulk is not maintained.

It's not unusual that you didn't see any caulk in the channel. I just cleaned and recaulked our entire roof and there were areas along the edge that showed no sign of caulk ever having been installed. It was quite a job to clean all the gunk out of the channel and then put a good bead of marine grade polyurethane caulk in.

Ya Steve, you might be right about the edge cut a little too short and not in the slot far enough. I bought a 99 Chieftain brand new ..... same year as Steve's Suncruiser and owned it for 5 yrs. I checked the seal every yr and had to touch up a few spots. I sold it to my nephew and he didn't check the roof seal. One trip coming back from the sand dunes in very strong head winds, he lost abut 4 ft of roof that ripped off. So maybe the '99 units were built with short roof edge.

My 2004 Chieftain had very little sealer in the slot and I had to re-do 2/3 of the roof in the second year of ownership.. I used OCI QUAD from Home Depot clear polyurethane sealant and it has held up very well for 6 years.

Just last month I completely striped out the old sealant. Taking advice from the forum here, I used 0.140" window screen spline down in the groove to provide a wider gap and to keep the sealant from running down deep into the extrusion. Using the same OSI sealant, I noticed that the specs stated that for best results it should be about 1/4" thick. Using the rubber spline in the crack gives you a gap much closer to 1/4" so I expect good results over time. I think polyurethane needs the greater thickness to allow for more stretch/compression moving down the road and over the temperature swings thru the years.

I hope i don't have to mess with this roof seal for 8 more years.

Bill

Greger · 01-09-2012, 07:58 AM

Unfortunately we have had a lot of problems with these roofs the biggest is te screws are broken that hold those moldings on. Hopefully the hope you take it to is careful and knows how to work with these roofs because they crack extremely easy. Then you are looking at some fiberglass repair. The product I use on these roof edges is proflex I have probably done 50 or so of these and never had a problem after wards. Hopefully the shop has some good techs and knows the process good luck

Lt46 · 01-09-2012, 10:05 AM

Steve,
I've had Major's do a gas valve recall on a refridge but nothing else. I use Major's for most of my RVing purchases, odds and ends etc. Haven't had any major service work done because I try to do all my own work. I am however, considering having them replace leaking HWH hydraulic lines. I've scoped out the work myself and have decided it would be too much of a hassle for me to undertake alone.
Let us know if you're happy with the roof repair. Thanks.

jimmyjnr · 01-09-2012, 07:34 PM

why is silicone so bad ?

Duner · 01-09-2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyjnr

why is silicone so bad ?

Silicone has only a fraction of the adhesiveness as polyurethane rubber. The elasticity of urethane is probably 2-3 times more than silicone. With the hot/cold expansion of the fiberglass roof, and the lateral stresses of the twisting action going thru driveways, a durable seal has to have a lot of adhesion and be able to stretch and/or compress.

Another big problem is getting anything to stick to a surface that has treated with silicone. Even silicone won't stick to itself once it's cured. So when the silicone seal gives way, you can't reseal it without cleaning the surface with a very strong solvent.

Avatab · 01-12-2012, 12:42 PM

Thanks for the replies!! I appreciate the info and even a diagram

Luckily, Majors has seen this before and know about the seam, the silcone/urethane issues and that Winnebago's have a history of this

They tell me there was a leak at the shower dome which got under the roof and popped it up in that area, but they are going to fix that and reseal that entire side of the roof edge w/ polyurethane. I am also having them re-do all of the roof seams, since it hasn't been done right since the factory...

I will let you know how it looks after I pick it up. I would not have known what questions to ask if it had not been for the great replies here