Community Forums

Wallaby Dan · 12-19-2017, 12:18 PM

My 5th wheel has a edpm roof. Its about 26 years old now. Around 5 years ago before we bought it the owner had some small leaks and went up and gave the roof a coat of some kind of sealer. It looks like it could be some kind of edpm paint. Its peeling in large pieces and is starting to leak. so far i have most of the back part of the coach cleaned off. Its bubbled and loose some in small pieces other pieces are whole sheets like 3X4 foot sized. I am almost sure he didn't clean and prep before he coated the roof.

Ok, my question is, can i get by with leaving any of the old coating on if there is a area that is still tight? I am wanting to clean off the coating and clean the edpm roof and coat with new edpm rubber roof. Is there anything else besides removing all the coating around vents and a/c. after that i want to coat with edpm caulking first and patch any cracks i find first. If i missed anything here can you let me know. Also, What would be a good coating, brand wise. Also is there a primer i should use to help with adhesive? I know some will say new roof, I can't afford it. Its over 8000 bucks and i don't have anywhere near enough to do that.

Any other ideas or things i should look out for. I do know that Fleetwood used chipboard and the roof feels somewhat soft, so i have seen where it seems to be coming apart,(the wood). One of Fleetwoods not so great ideas...

jim.osborn · 12-19-2017, 12:51 PM

I was advised to not use a brushed on sealer, specifically for the reason you've come across, it won't stick! I purchased several feet of rubber tape made specifically for 5th wheel roofs, and then used a tube of lap seal to caulk the edges and around the openings.

Consult your local RV repair shop.

Wallaby Dan · 12-19-2017, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim.osborn

I was advised to not use a brushed on sealer, specifically for the reason you've come across, it won't stick! I purchased several feet of rubber tape made specifically for 5th wheel roofs, and then used a tube of lap seal to caulk the edges and around the openings.

Consult your local RV repair shop.

So just use lap sealer on all the seams and finish peeling the old rubber coating they painted on. I have three places i used rubber patch and lap sealer on it where i found three places that was leaking. I can keep doing that as more comes loose and see some more places that need patched. Just how much patching can you do before its patchwork? How long does a rubber roof last anyway? Thanks!! Dan

clifford j · 12-19-2017, 02:48 PM

My guess would be you've reached close to the end of the origional edpm foofs life.
I would suggest since your on a tight budget to start to replace the entire roof in sections using edpm sheeting. You can splice sheets with 4 inch wide edpm tape. Tackle the bad areas first. Regarding the 'good' areas that seem to be stuck ,they will fail just as the areas you just peeled off. Yes the origional foof was put down in a continous length, but you discovered that's now an 8K aftermarket job. Even if you had the 8K, I wonder if that kind of money is worth investing in a 26+ year old unit.

CLIFFORD

Wallaby Dan · 12-19-2017, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clifford j

My guess would be you've reached close to the end of the origional edpm foofs life.
I would suggest since your on a tight budget to start to replace the entire roof in sections using edpm sheeting. You can splice sheets with 4 inch wide edpm tape. Tackle the bad areas first. Regarding the 'good' areas that seem to be stuck ,they will fail just as the areas you just peeled off. Yes the origional foof was put down in a continous length, but you discovered that's now an 8K aftermarket job. Even if you had the 8K, I wonder if that kind of money is worth investing in a 26+ year old unit.

CLIFFORD

Yep, I was thinking that too. Do you know what sizes that they sale the edpm in. I am retired and not traveling much as i can't afford it. I love my old truck and trailer. Like me, they are old. The trailer will most likely outlast me. I told my daughter and wife i want to be buried in this truck and i don't think they will but what can i say... Maybe burn the truck and trailer down and cremate me and that would work...

Anyway, got off topic there.

clifford j · 12-19-2017, 05:10 PM

Wallaby, goggle RV epdm , you'll see you can buy it by the runninbg foot 8.5 feet wide. Saw it for 10.50 a running foot.

CLIFFORD

keymastr · 12-20-2017, 10:39 AM

This shows how. This is on a motorhome and used TPO but the process is the same for trailers and EPDM. I think the material can be had for about $800 plus adhesive and plywood. Material has a 12 year warranty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FjyehSLYJM

Gordon Dewald · 12-20-2017, 10:49 AM

If you are going to start replacing the roof you might as well do the whole thing at one time. IMO creating extra joints is creating potential problems.

We purchased a roll of 60 mill EPDM that measured 10 X 50 for less than the 43' piece we needed. Replacing the roof was time consuming and tedious but not difficult. The hardest part was getting the roll of EPDM on the roof.

We got our material at Best Materials. http://www.bestmaterials.com/

Wallaby Dan · 12-20-2017, 11:53 AM

Thanks all for the help. I just hope i can wait till spring to do this job. for right now i will just patch as needed till then. I am not looking forward to this job at all. the last time i did a roof i had lots of help! I am over 10 years older and am not sure Deb and I can do it by our self's. Maybe i can win the lottery and get a new trailer.....