# Travel trailer help



## al_carl (Jan 20, 2012)

So my brother went out to the lease this weekend and sent me this picture.

The spare set of keys seems to have walked off so he couldnâ€™t get inside.

Anyone have a clue of what Iâ€™m going to be facing when I make it back out there? That wall is the bedroom closet and it was fine when I was there in August.










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## bald eagle (Sep 6, 2005)

*travel trailer*

If you will check the seam across the top of the trailer where the front skin meets the roof you will probably find a leak in the seam and water has gotten down behind the outer skin on the front of the trailer and it is delaminating from the wood backing in the wall. For your sake I hope I am wrong but I used to work on trailers and I've seen it many times. This is a well made brand trailer and is not likely a manufacturing defect.


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## Hookem-Guy81 (Apr 3, 2013)

That's Delam. I had it several years ago. Like Bald Eagle said, it's from a leak. I found a tiny leak on the seam that leaked into the front panel and my closets by the bed and the ceiling in the bedroom. I had to have the front skin replaced and I went ahead and had the roof done at the same time. Also had to have all the insulation pulled out of the ceiling and redo the ceiling in the bedroom. The trailer was actually at a repair facility getting something else repaired when it was rained on a lot over several days. Normally it is under cover but it would have done it when out camping too. I hate to see that, and hoping it is just the front panel and not the sides too. By the way, I check my caulking now on the sides and the roof before every trip. Gonna do it tomorrow before our trip next week. They say do a strip and caulk every once in a while.....what in a while means I don't know.


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## al_carl (Jan 20, 2012)

Ugh. Certainly not what I wanted to hear. 

I put that paint on rubberized sealant on the seam last season. 


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## al_carl (Jan 20, 2012)

Ok. Follow up question. 

This was my fatherâ€™s trailer before he passed earlier this year. 

It DID have a leak last year which is why my son and I went up there to put the sealant on. Thereâ€™s no way he was going to crawl around up on that roof. This was done Dec â€˜16. Could this damage be a result of that and just presenting itself now?


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## bald eagle (Sep 6, 2005)

*trailer help*

My guess is that this has been going on for some time since there is a lot of delamination. Once the moisture gets in there the only cure is to redo the outer skin. And hope it has not started to deteriorate the wood backing.The only way to tell is to remove the front vertical metal joints on each side of the end cap and get the skin off and determine what has to be done from there. Not an easy fix!Sorry to bring such bad news but it can be fixed. Good luck.


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## Hookem-Guy81 (Apr 3, 2013)

The best kind of caulk for the roof seams and Roof vents is the Self Leveling caulk. It adheres much better and retains it's consistency with a thick coverage. It can be fixed, by taking all the screws out and removing the metal retaining strips on the top and both sides. The skin is removed, any rotted wood needs to be replaced and wet insulation replaced, then the skin is replaced. The skin is thin but is glued with several layers. The glue is the problem, and it looses it's adhesion and the top layer of skin delaminates when it gets wet. So, you will need to caulk the heck out of the seams, especially the top seam. That seam is a problem on trailers with front caps like that. If it was me, I would get the trailer and get it to the RV repair ASAP.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Previous posters are probably thinking about Dicor brand self leveling caulk. 
If it's insured they might cover some of it. It won't be cheap.


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## Hookem-Guy81 (Apr 3, 2013)

redexpress said:


> Previous posters are probably thinking about Dicor brand self leveling caulk.
> If it's insured they might cover some of it. It won't be cheap.


Thanks Red it is Dicor. Works best on horizontal surfaces. That's what I use on my roof seams.


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## smokinguntoo (Mar 28, 2012)

There is a Dicor Sealant for vertical surfaces. Ask a reputable RV supplier for it or buy on-line.

This fix isn't out of the scope for an individual to do. The edge mouldings have to come off and the front exterior covering carefully removed to determine what structure needs to be replaced. Repair the substructure and replace the insulation, reassemble the exterior.

My 5th wheel siding (left and right) started to come loose from that front edge molding. If you are driving down the road and it catches air, it'll peel the siding off. I removed the moldings (L&R) and the front covering to find an old mishandled repair from when the trailer was driven under an awning, cracking the substructure. No rot. I replaced a couple of wooden blocks that weren't cut correctly and strengthened it with steel mobile home banding.

I have a bunch of it left. There is a molding seal called butyl tape you'll need a roll of it to go under each molding piece. I also bought the white plastic molding strip in 3/4 and 1 inch widths. Lots of that left over too. Bought Dicor horizontal and vertical to reseal. I probably had 6 to 8 hours in the repair.

Two trips since - no issues.

SG2


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