Roof screws snapped off

jpspaz · 06-25-2016, 12:35 PM

I was washing the motorhome today and noticed on the driver's side rear that the roof is pulling away where it attaches to the side. It looks like several of the screws snapped and the edge of the roof has pulled away from the side. I posted a thread about a month ago with this same thing on a piece of slide out trim on the opposite side. I am wondering if it was the same cause, what I suspect was that the entire rig got torqued and twisted when I lowered it down off the jacks on uneven ground.

Anyway, I need to fix it. Removing and installing new screws isn't a big deal to me, I'm just not sure how to get to them. Are they accessible under the drip rail/gutter and if so, how do I remove that? Any help would be appreciated.

cbeierl · 06-25-2016, 04:34 PM

This thread over on rvforum.net may prove useful: Roof separation from sidewall fix?

(Note that you may need to 'join' the forum to see the pictures, but that's free.)

FleetMan · 06-25-2016, 08:18 PM

I had the same problem and had WBGO repair it at the factory. Originally, they used steel screws which corroded, snapped and the molding pulled away just as you are experiencing. Stainless steel screws, many more than the number used in the original manufacturing process, all the way around, both sides, and new caulk comprised the repair. Just one more thing to be aware of when inspecting your coach.

jpspaz · 06-26-2016, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbeierl

This thread over on rvforum.net may prove useful: Roof separation from sidewall fix?

(Note that you may need to 'join' the forum to see the pictures, but that's free.)

Thanks for the heads up. What is explained there is exactly what happened. I also saw some comments about embrittlement of the screws, basically a bad batch. I am going to call Winnebago to see what they recommend with this. I would love to bring it to the factory but living in CT that is not a quick trip. It's over 1300 miles. I will call Winnebago on Monday to see what they recommend. Maybe a local dealer can repair it with their direction.

bobmac · 06-26-2016, 10:56 AM

Check your warranty. I believe the roof has a 10 year limited warranty. I would make the trip to Forest City to insure it is done properly. You will need to sort out the "limited" meaning of the warranty. Good luck,

jpspaz · 06-26-2016, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobmac

Check your warranty. I believe the roof has a 10 year limited warranty. I would make the trip to Forest City to insure it is done properly. You will need to sort out the "limited" meaning of the warranty. Good luck,

That's what the paperwork says but I am not sure what it will cover. We'll see what Winnebago says about it. I'll post back tomorrow. A trip to Iowa really isn't feasible for me. I'd have to take a week off work.

FleetMan · 06-26-2016, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobmac

Check your warranty. I believe the roof has a 10 year limited warranty. I would make the trip to Forest City to insure it is done properly. You will need to sort out the "limited" meaning of the warranty. Good luck,

I believe the 10 year warranty applies to the roof material only, the thin fiberglass. Not the molding, caulk and general installation after the original 100 miles or 100 days expire. (A little satire there for the more serious minded). The owners manual spells it out pretty clearly, however it has been quite a while since I was concerned with warranty coverage.

jpspaz · 06-27-2016, 03:24 PM

Well I spoke with Winnebago and I am less than impressed. They told me that the 10 year warranty only covers the roof material itself. Not sure exactly what could go wrong with the fiberglas but if coming off of the motorhome isn't covered I'm not sure what is. They also told me that the warranty is not transferable. It is for the original owner only. Frankly that's total BS in my opinion.

mel s · 06-27-2016, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpspaz

Well I spoke with Winnebago and I am less than impressed. They told me that the 10 year warranty only covers the roof material itself. Not sure exactly what could go wrong with the fiberglas but if coming off of the motorhome isn't covered I'm not sure what is. They also told me that the warranty is not transferable. It is for the original owner only. Frankly that's total BS in my opinion.

jpspaz
Most warranties are like that....even if the roof blows off and is laying in a ditch somewhere it is likely the warranty will nothing for you if the roof material itself does not fail.

jpspaz · 06-27-2016, 06:47 PM

That's fine, but I still expected it to be transferable. If I buy a one year old Ford, Toyota, BMW, etc., the warranty is still in effect as long as I am below the age/mileage. They wouldn't turn away the fifth owner if the warranty was still in effect. That's why the RV industry gets a bad reputation. The warranties are horrible. A one year warranty on a six figure rig is a joke. And there are people out there that spend a hell of a lot more than that on their motorhomes. But we've heard it all before. It's more about quality control than anything.

The other part that makes no sense is that the manufacturers allow their dealers to turn away warranty work if the original purchase wasn't made there. It's a practice that should be illegal in my opinion.

But anyway, if anyone has experience in tackling this type of roof repair I'll take any tips you have. I'm probably going to end up doing it myself. At least I'll know it was done correctly and I can only blame myself if I screw it up.

jpspaz · 06-27-2016, 07:53 PM

One other thing...I noticed that there is no sealant on the bottom of the J-rail where it meets the sidewall. Has anyone sealed that also?

mel s · 06-28-2016, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpspaz

That's fine, but I still expected it to be transferable. If I buy a one year old Ford, Toyota, BMW, etc., the warranty is still in effect as long as I am below the age/mileage. They wouldn't turn away the fifth owner if the warranty was still in effect. That's why the RV industry gets a bad reputation. The warranties are horrible. A one year warranty on a six figure rig is a joke. And there are people out there that spend a hell of a lot more than that on their motorhomes. But we've heard it all before. It's more about quality control than anything.
The other part that makes no sense is that the manufacturers allow their dealers to turn away warranty work if the original purchase wasn't made there. It's a practice that should be illegal in my opinion.

Sadly a bad reputation, no quality control, non-transferable, (often meaningless), warranties and unhappy/dissatisfied customers do not seem to bother most RV manufactures one little bit.
(Its all about the $$)

jpspaz · 06-29-2016, 06:47 AM

I spoke with a very helpful Winnebago service tech from a dealership who gave me the ins and outs of this repair. I'm going to get it done this weekend. I was concerned about getting the roof back into the J channel but he says that's the easy part. I hope he's right.

jpspaz · 07-23-2016, 06:17 PM

I finally had a day that I could devote to this repair even though it was 95 outside today. I have posted a bunch of photos so those of you with this issue can see what you're up against. The repair really wasn't that bad. There are two difficult parts; removing all of the old sealant, and removing the broken screws. There were a couple that I could not get out so I left them and drilled new holes. Ten new screws in all. The roof membrane slides in and out fairly easy. There was no need to cut it as has been suggested by Winnebago.

While I was up on the ladder I decided to check out the rest of the roof sealant and found that about a 12 foot section on the opposite side needed to be replaced so I took care of that as well. Tomorrow I'll get up there and see how the sealant has cured.