Roof popping up

[RV Manager]

On the drivers side, where the awning is attached my fiberglass roof has popped up out of the channel. I have tried to push it back into the channel with no luck. I also tried to hold it in place using Eternabond and duct tape, again no luck.
MH is currently parked inside and I would like to properly repair this issue. Need your collective thoughts on to push roof down and back into the channel and then how to keep it there.

[Rockwood27]

Winnebago requires inspection, and if necessary, recaulking of the overlap joint, twice per year. They recommend one of 2 caulks (non-silicone based), depending on whether or not you have full body paint. There are several online resources (Winnebago website, Lichtenstein Motors, etc) that have a worksheet for the various caulks for your year/model.

This fall, I resealed the roof channel on my Itasca. It took a lot more time to remove the old caulk and scrub the inner channel clean. If you don't super clean it, I don't think much will stick to it. The Winnebago specified caulk is not only a sealant, but also a great adhesive.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by Rockwood27

Winnebago requires inspection, and if necessary, recaulking of the overlap joint, twice per year. They recommend one of 2 caulks (non-silicone based), depending on whether or not you have full body paint. There are several online resources (Winnebago website, Lichtenstein Motors, etc) that have a worksheet for the various caulks for your year/model.

This fall, I resealed the roof channel on my Itasca. It took a lot more time to remove the old caulk and scrub the inner channel clean. If you don't super clean it, I don't think much will stick to it. The Winnebago specified caulk is not only a sealant, but also a great adhesive.

Yes exactly. Do not use silicone. The adhesive that Winnie callout sheet (Sealant C) specifies is no longer available. The replacement is NuFlex 640 (Clear) which is a Thermoplastic Sealant. These areas are not only to be sealed but to be strengthened. That's why you need to use the right stuff.

I've attached the original PDF callout sheet.

I had to buy several tubes a few weeks ago when I redid my entire roof, and it's tough to find but trust me the cheapest place to find it is at rvautoparts.com, Part# 96600 and no minimum. I ordered 6 tubes of clear. They shipped 3 white & 3 clear. The tubes on the outside looked exactly same and there was no mention of the color and the numbers on the tubes were exactly the same too. The only way you could tell the difference was to turn the tubes over and look at the ends. One was white & one was clear. I called them and brought this to their attention. They sent me replacement tubes. So be sure to tell them to look at the ends and send you CLEAR.

[RV Manager]

Thanks for all of the great information. Will order the sealant today. Next question, as my roof has popped out of the channel, I need suggestions on how to get it back in and hold it there while the sealant/adhesive does its job.

When I push on the roof to get the edge back in the channel it immediately pops out when I release the pressure.

Does anyone know how long it takes for the adhesive to set and hold.

[Rockwood27]

The sealant takes many hours to fully cure.

[Mr. Hipster]

I have to wonder if present Winnie/Itasca owners were aware of the roof sealing protocol before purchase. More over, now aware of the requirements, how many would recommend a Winnie/Itasca product to a friend or colleague.
Frankly I'm stunned that the company hasn't been sued into oblivion, and I'm not a fan of lawyers as a solution to anything.

[ModestMonk]

Originally Posted by Catcoach

Thanks for all of the great information. Will order the sealant today. Next question, as my roof has popped out of the channel, I need suggestions on how to get it back in and hold it there while the sealant/adhesive does its job.

When I push on the roof to get the edge back in the channel it immediately pops out when I release the pressure.

Does anyone know how long it takes for the adhesive to set and hold.

I don't want to throw a curve ball to you, I've never been in or on a Winnie. I'm just tuning into any discussions about roofs.

Anyway is there a chance that heat would help relax the material? Creating a tent with some plastic. Then add some heat, perhaps a heat gun? Then an appropriate sized block and string some cargo straps around the coach to hold the block down and in place while this special silicone sealer dries?

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by Catcoach

Thanks for all of the great information. Will order the sealant today. Next question, as my roof has popped out of the channel, I need suggestions on how to get it back in and hold it there while the sealant/adhesive does its job.

When I push on the roof to get the edge back in the channel it immediately pops out when I release the pressure.

Does anyone know how long it takes for the adhesive to set and hold.

It takes quite awhile to fully cure (several days to really firm up) and especially now that it's winter. I don't know if your coach is in storage or not but if it is, what I would do if I were in your shoes is wait till it warms up. Make sure the tubes of NuFlex are warm too so the material oozes out nicely and seaps down in the groove well. And yes, weight, straps whatever it takes to keep that roof line in behind the channel till the NuFlex totally sets up is what you'll need to do.

Just another note since you are fixing to do this: Don't forget the front & rear cap too. I applied Nuflex to those areas, then applied 4" Dicor tape over that, then applied self leveling caulk over that when I redid my entire roof a few weeks ago. The entire job took about 7 weeks with all the steps involved and curing times. (See attached photos)

Good luck.

[RV Manager]

Yes the coach is in a heated storage facility, so I hope/plan on doing the work right after Jan 1. I was thinking about using very long straps to hold the roof in place, like the idea of adding some blocks to apply pressure.
I will also redo all of my seams once I get the roof in place.
Thanks for the tip on warming up the sealant so it flows better.
Appreciate all of the thoughts, please pass along any other tips. Will let everyone know how it turns out next year.

[charles tuit]

Originally Posted by Catcoach

On the drivers side, where the awning is attached my fiberglass roof has popped up out of the channel. I have tried to push it back into the channel with no luck. I also tried to hold it in place using Eternabond and duct tape, again no luck.
MH is currently parked inside and I would like to properly repair this issue. Need your collective thoughts on to push roof down and back into the channel and then how to keep it there.

I read a old post about using the round rubber strip used to hold screen material to the screen frame. It can be inserted into the roof channel to hold the roof material into the channel. This will keep the roof material in the channel while you apply the sealant/adhesive over the strip and give it time to cure.

I have not used this method. Maybe someone has used this with success and will inform us.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Mr. Hipster

I have to wonder if present Winnie/Itasca owners were aware of the roof sealing protocol before purchase. More over, now aware of the requirements, how many would recommend a Winnie/Itasca product to a friend or colleague.
Frankly I'm stunned that the company hasn't been sued into oblivion, and I'm not a fan of lawyers as a solution to anything.

Any forum, no matter what it's senior subject is, i.e. motor homes, trucks, motorcycles, boats and more, is normally only minutely marginal in representation of the real world of that particular subject. In other words, we read on this forum, of a FEW that have had issues with the Winnebago roof and it's type of fastening to the surrounding perimeter gutter. But, in reality, there's hundreds of thousands of Winnes and Itascas running down the road out there with zero issues on these roofs and attachment methods. But, the thousands and thousands of the owners don't have time and can't be bothered about posting on a forum that their roof has no issues, that would be pointless.

So, primarily, we read of ISSUES, not happy campers and problem free coaches and traveling. Has Winne been sued over this issue, waaaaaaay more than likely, YES! But, since we're not in the particular battles in the courtroom, none of us will ever know the outcome. In the end, even if folks shopping for an RV, new, used and anything in between, and know of or, have been informed of past issues with this "roof" issue, I'd bet the farm that less than .00001% would be swayed away from a Winnebago or Itasca product, especially if it was a floor plan/chassis/engine/color/looks/condition/mileage/ and a whole lot more that they were looking for and found.
Scott

Originally Posted by charles tuit

I read a old post about using the round rubber strip used to hold screen material to the screen frame. It can be inserted into the roof channel to hold the roof material into the channel. This will keep the roof material in the channel while you apply the sealant/adhesive over the strip and give it time to cure.

I have not used this method. Maybe someone has used this with success and will inform us.

Charles,
The "Spline" material that's used for screen retention is the ONLY thing that holds the screens in the groove of the frames. Due to the construction design of that fiberglass roof and the gutter, the use of a spline to "hold" that roof-to-gutter as an assistant to the caulking/sealant/adhesive, is not a good idea at all. There's several reasons.

1. The roof to gutter needs to be completely sealed to stop water penetration and potential damage and dry-rot.

2. The attachment system of using ONLY sealant/adhesive has been used by Winne and Itasca for decades and, like I stated above, is working just fine for the thousands and thousands of coaches out there that owners do not comment on these forums. We read of only the ones that do.

3. By placing that "spline" in the groove, you take up a phenomenally amount of "holding power" away from what ever type of sealant/adhesive is re-used when servicing that joint. NOT GOOD! One would putting the sealant/adhesive ON TOP of that spline. And when the roof is allowed to move/shrink/expand/torque differently than the gutter, that spline has ZERO holding power and also the very limited amount of sealant/adhesive on top wont hold either.

I certainly don't mean to dis any potential suggestions for "improved" attachment of Winnes roof to the gutter, not at all. But, that theory to me, is just not good.
Scott

[charles tuit]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Any forum, no matter what it's senior subject is, i.e. motor homes, trucks, motorcycles, boats and more, is normally only minutely marginal in representation of the real world of that particular subject. In other words, we read on this forum, of a FEW that have had issues with the Winnebago roof and it's type of fastening to the surrounding perimeter gutter. But, in reality, there's hundreds of thousands of Winnes and Itascas running down the road out there with zero issues on these roofs and attachment methods. But, the thousands and thousands of the owners don't have time and can't be bothered about posting on a forum that their roof has no issues, that would be pointless.

So, primarily, we read of ISSUES, not happy campers and problem free coaches and traveling. Has Winne been sued over this issue, waaaaaaay more than likely, YES! But, since we're not in the particular battles in the courtroom, none of us will ever know the outcome. In the end, even if folks shopping for an RV, new, used and anything in between, and know of or, have been informed of past issues with this "roof" issue, I'd bet the farm that less than .00001% would be swayed away from a Winnebago or Itasca product, especially if it was a floor plan/chassis/engine/color/looks/condition/mileage/ and a whole lot more that they were looking for and found.
Scott



Charles,
The "Spline" material that's used for screen retention is the ONLY thing that holds the screens in the groove of the frames. Due to the construction design of that fiberglass roof and the gutter, the use of a spline to "hold" that roof-to-gutter as an assistant to the caulking/sealant/adhesive, is not a good idea at all. There's several reasons.

1. The roof to gutter needs to be completely sealed to stop water penetration and potential damage and dry-rot.

2. The attachment system of using ONLY sealant/adhesive has been used by Winne and Itasca for decades and, like I stated above, is working just fine for the thousands and thousands of coaches out there that owners do not comment on these forums. We read of only the ones that do.

3. By placing that "spline" in the groove, you take up a phenomenally amount of "holding power" away from what ever type of sealant/adhesive is re-used when servicing that joint. NOT GOOD! One would putting the sealant/adhesive ON TOP of that spline. And when the roof is allowed to move/shrink/expand/torque differently than the gutter, that spline has ZERO holding power and also the very limited amount of sealant/adhesive on top wont hold either.

I certainly don't mean to dis any potential suggestions for "improved" attachment of Winnes roof to the gutter, not at all. But, that theory to me, is just not good.
Scott

Scott:

No dis taken. Just wondering if anyone had done it as it was a repair procedure in one of the old posts. A few short pieces would hold the fiberglass in the channel while the adhesive/sealant cured.

Anyone out there try it?