A little over two years after we bought our coach, we were in a hard wind-blown rain from the front while the slides were out. The next morning, I discovered water dripping onto the leather couch from the overhead cabinets in the lounge/galley slide. The carpeted ceiling in the cabinets was soaked from end to end. We dried it out and went to visit our local dealer in VA (we bought the coach in TX). I had discussed the leak with Winnebago Owner Relations. They recommended all slide top seams be caulked, and advised it should not make any difference that the seal across the top was not fully "flipping" outward when the slide was extended. I requested the dealer remove the slide top awning and caulk all top seams. They did caulk the seams along each end, and on the outside. They told me they found two screw holes in the top of the slide in the area of the microwave, and they caulked the two holes.
Almost exactly one year later, we were again in a wind-blown rain from the front while the slides were out. The next morning, I again discovered water dripping onto the leather couch from the same area of the overhead cabinet. This time, I found only two small areas of the carpeted ceiling of that cabinet that were quite wet. I decided I would look for my own solution.
By poking my head a little under the slide-top awning and pulling the across the top seal up, I found that the seam along the inside edge (end to end) was not caulked. And the top seal still did not "flip" out when the slide was extended.
I finally got a couple of nice days to work on it when I had help to removed the slide top awning. Yesterday my son helped me take the awning loose and lay it over on the roof. I found the holes the dealer had found and caulked. They did an excellent job, and no repair was needed there.
Lying on the roof with my head out on the top of the slide, looking back toward my belly button, I went to sticking the dispensing tube of the caulking gun under the top seal so I could get some caulking on that inner seam of the slide roof. It would have been much easier if the dispensing tube had been an inch longer, but after trying unsuccessfully to rig up an extension, I used what I had. When held at just the right angle, the tube barely reached under the seal to the inner edge seam. I ran a bead of caulk on the seam from one end to the other. I then ran another bead of caulk on the slide roof from end to end, curving into toward the coach at each end, hoping that will discourage water that collects on the top from drifting back against the seal. I then ran another bead about 8 inches in from the outside edge, leaving gaps periodically, with the vision that this bead would help the seal to "flip" out as the slide goes out.
I let it all dry overnight, and today we put the slide top awning back in place. Then I watched outside as the slide was run in and back out. The two beads of caulk on the top work as I envisioned. The seal flips as it should. I can't help but believe that the seal being flipped out will help in keeping water from getting behind the seal. And if water does get behind the seal, the caulk I got behind the seal on the inner seam can't help but stop water too!
Hopefully, we have a resosution. But I'm not going to spray water up there to find out like I did when the dealer had to reseal the basement StoreMore compartment.
We'll just have to wait for another wind-blown rain storm to test it out.
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