Community Forums

scottandanna · 04-09-2016, 02:23 PM

...how do I prevent mine from doing that???

I had to swap out my A/C gasket, and while up there realized that the roof is just a rubber-type sheet glued to the top of a piece of plywood. When I damaged the gasket (hitting a chain over a gate

Lesson learned: look side to side and UP!!!) I also tore a small chunk out of that rubber layer, so I patched it up while putting on the new gasket.

While up there, I see spots that look a little raised, it isn't all uniformly flat and smooth on the wood.

So in the past couple weeks, I have seen a couple of trailers on I-10 going the opposite direction as I am, and their rubber layer was delaminated and sucked up, flapping in the wind about 2-3 feet above the wooden layer.

I DO NOT want mine to ever do that.

What causes that, and what can I do to prevent mine from doing it?

I wish there was a way to inform them that their roof was coming apart, but we are heading opposite directions at 65 mph, and I could never catch up to them if I tried.

jpharley · 04-09-2016, 05:36 PM

The roof just becomes unglued. It happened to us with our previous 5th wheel. We had it fixed for a couple hundred dollars. The tech loosened the gutters and the front metal piece that held down the roof and pulled up the roofing where it was loose. Glue was applied to the roof, the appropriate time lapsed and then the roofing was put back into place along with the gutters and front metal piece. I think this is a common problem as we see multiple RVs with bubbled up roofs on each day we travel. Not sure that I have ever seen this problem on a motor home though, usually just travel trailers and 5th wheels.

t55watson · 04-09-2016, 05:43 PM

You can inject glue into the loose areas and roll the roof with a heavy round object. Think Doctors giving a shot and rolling pin. Cover the injection area with Dycor self leveling caulk.

Hooligan · 04-09-2016, 07:06 PM

Sometimes caused by using the wrong cleaning products. Petroleum distillates penetrate the rubber membrane, cause it to swell and break down the glue underneath. . Citrus based cleaners are not recommended.

If you can check your roof shortly after coming off the highway, large loose areas may be more noticeable.

Some small bubbles are normal and not usually a concern, it's recommended they be ignored.

cb1000rider · 04-09-2016, 09:06 PM

Mine and several other Keystone Carbons pulled up in the 1st year. I figured it out by finding cuts around the AC frame and then putting a Go-Pro up there while towing and watching it balloon up.

No way to see it when not moving.

The membranes should never come up. Unless water or something else gets under there.. I've had several other EPDM/TPO RVs and they've gone decades.

Best way to prevent it is to maintain the seal on your roof - esp in front. And make sure you buy one that was assembled right from the factory.. :-)

scottandanna · 04-10-2016, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cb1000rider

Mine and several other Keystone Carbons pulled up in the 1st year. I figured it out by finding cuts around the AC frame and then putting a Go-Pro up there while towing and watching it balloon up.

No way to see it when not moving.

The membranes should never come up. Unless water or something else gets under there.. I've had several other EPDM/TPO RVs and they've gone decades.

Best way to prevent it is to maintain the seal on your roof - esp in front. And make sure you buy one that was assembled right from the factory.. :-)

That is what I was afraid of...the owners may never know that their roof is flapping, but everyone they pass on the freeway will!

I get up there almost every time I bring in the slideouts, just to sweep the slideout roofs off and just do a brief general inspection. I assume that if mine did this, I would notice, because i would no longer have the bubbles all around.

jpharley · 04-10-2016, 08:58 AM

Ours bubbled up a pretty large section, at least 3 feet back. We could see it when we stopped because it took a while for the bubble to deflate. After we had that section re glued, we never had another problem with the roof.

scottandanna · 04-11-2016, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpharley

Ours bubbled up a pretty large section, at least 3 feet back. We could see it when we stopped because it took a while for the bubble to deflate. After we had that section re glued, we never had another problem with the roof.

So far, my bubbles are only 1 or 2" around. I will keep an eye on them.