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Old 04-18-2012, 09:44 AM   #1
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Class A roof...Rubber or Fiberglass??

Is there a clear cut winner here.....rubber or fiberglass??..which is better?? Roof!! thanks,,All
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Old 04-18-2012, 09:59 AM   #2
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There are pro's and con's to both.. The pro's of fiberglass is that they're less susceptible to tree branches and damage by heavy hail. The con's are that they are slippery when wet, they oxidize and streak the sidewalls, they stress-crack over time and when you do have to repair a stress-crack it's not cheap..... the EPDM roofs pro's are they're less slippery when wet, they don't stress crack, and are easily repairable if ripped. The con's are that they streak the sidewalls and are more easily gouged by tree limbs, etc, and sustain less damage by large hail because it's flexible. There are ardent fans of both. I've had both on various coaches I've had.. IMHO one's just as good as the other, just cared for differently.
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Old 04-18-2012, 10:15 AM   #3
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I just traded in a 2000 Holiday Rambler Admiral which I purchased in 2002. It had the fiberglass roof and I never had a problem with it.

My new Bounder has the rubber roof, similar to my tow camper I had in the 90's. I had no problems with that either.

One thing I would add, rubber requires more annual maintenance. Fiberglass all I had to do was clean and check the sealing around the vents (ect). Rubber needs a special cleaner and protector each year to make sure it holds up for the environment and the sun.
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Old 04-19-2012, 08:20 AM   #4
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And in-between the two is a TPO roof, aka Briteply and similar products. More durable than EPDM and doesn't chalk, so easier to clean and keep clean. But still susceptible to tree branches.

Personally I like fiberglass the best, though. Cracks are not hard to repair - often they can just be caulked or covered with Eternabond. Nor do I think they are common. Mine is 8 years old now and holding up fine. I wash it once or twice a year and use a floor wax on it to help it shed dirt in the rain. Have not found it to be particularly slippery either.
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Old 04-19-2012, 09:32 AM   #5
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Gary nailed it. I have owned all three. The 'rubber' roof was the softest and IMHO the most vulnerable to damage. Favorite was fiberglass on the Itasca - just clean and check the seams a couple of times a year. The TPO on the current coach is like plastic (sorta) Seems to be OK as it is not chalking and streaking - the coach stays ina covered building. BUT, this stuff seems to be pretty soft compared to fiberglass.
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Old 04-20-2012, 02:54 AM   #6
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Thanks very much here folks....
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Old 04-20-2012, 06:09 PM   #7
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The higher end coaches have fiberglass.
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Old 04-20-2012, 08:30 PM   #8
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I had rubber on the 5er and now have fiberglass on the MH. Much prefer the fiberglass. Seems easier on maintenance. I don't have any cracks to speak of. It seems a lot easier to clean too.
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Old 04-21-2012, 02:51 AM   #9
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Thats what I was looking for too....did I get a higher end coach...thanks very much!!!
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Old 04-21-2012, 05:00 AM   #10
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Never have had a fiberglass roof yet. Have had both EPDM and now Brite-Tek and have not had a problem with either.
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Old 04-21-2012, 02:31 PM   #11
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Let's don't forget #4 aluminum roof of the older holiday ramblers I had a 2004 with one it want crack, tear it just needs to be retaped.
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Old 04-21-2012, 02:40 PM   #12
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I have had both and prefer the FG over the rubber. Less maintenance, hardly any chaulking.
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Old 04-26-2012, 06:18 PM   #13
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I have owned fiberglass, rubber and aluminum..... Out of the 3 I prefer the fiberglass.
Both the rubber and aluminum leaked.
Rubber at the rear joint where the rear cap met up with the top.
The aluminum roof leaked around the sides above the awning both where newer than the fiberglass roof a 1996 HR.
Any of them can have problems but from my experiences I prefer fiberglass....
Just my 2 cents.
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Old 04-26-2012, 06:24 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve N Sal View Post
Never have had a fiberglass roof yet. Have had both EPDM and now Brite-Tek and have not had a problem with either.
Same here, on a Newmar the BriteTek carries a 12 year warranty, the fiberglass is the same as the house, 1 or 2 year depending on the model it's on.
We have the BriteTek and find it very satisfactory and after 10 years it still looks good, no chalking and easy to clean.
Had a fiberglass one on our 2000 DSDP, it was OK too but it was three pieces and we only had it 2 years before we traded for the DSDP we now have.
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