Journey Roof Rot??

Papa Dave · 02-13-2018, 12:06 AM

HELP!! Has anyone seen a roof problem like this on a Journey?

This looks like an ugly problem under the airhorns on the roof.

How serious is this? Can this be fixed? I am thinking of buying this coach. Should I walk away?

And also related to the roofs of Journeys, aren't these supposed to be hard smooth fiberglass? Why am I finding a soft spongey bubble all around the perimeter edge of the roof where the painted side wall wraps up and blends into the white roof?

THANKS

Jim_HiTek · 02-16-2018, 09:50 PM

What year is it?

I have no idea what the discoloration is all about. Certainly doesn't look good.

Here's what mine ('02 Journey) looks like:

The Journey roofs are a single piece of very thin molded fiberglass that hang over the edges of the RV and cover the side wall 6" or so. Held in by a thin bead of special caulking along the edge. Perhaps the roof you're looking at has had the edge of the roof pulled out of the extruded aluminum channel it's suppose to be in and it is pulling up away from the roof.

Does it look like this?

If it does, that can be fixed fairly easily. But without a picture we'd only be guessing.

If there's no evidence of a leak or leaks inside the rig...hmm. Only you know if you want to tackle that job. But if you get a terrific deal on it...maybe?

Here's a link to my blog's roof section: http://chaos.goblinbox.com/rv-repair...and-roof-item/

neub · 02-17-2018, 08:32 AM

From the sound of it the unit wasn't maintained well...at least the roof. Given that you have limited experience with this type of roof construction it would be worthwhile to have it professionally evaluated so you don't end up buying a moneypit.

l1v3fr33ord1 · 02-17-2018, 08:38 AM

Roof might be fine. My take is that someone mounted the horns to a black-painted steel panel that is now rusting.

For Winnebago roof construction and maintenance, watch this video. In my case, it took more than once to catch all the info provided.

Roof Cove Maintenance

Jim_HiTek · 02-17-2018, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

Roof might be fine. My take is that someone mounted the horns to a black-painted steel panel that is now rusting.

For Winnebago roof construction and maintenance, watch this video. In my case, it took more than once to catch all the info provided.

Roof Cove Maintenance

Ahh, yes, I see that now too. Wonder why they did that?

vanmark · 02-17-2018, 12:45 PM

I had a Winnebago 1998 Vectra that had the horns mounted on a steel plate also that had rusted. The metal was thick enough that it wasn't any problem. I think this is the same

Papa Dave · 02-17-2018, 01:30 PM

Thank you VERY much Jim. And thank you everyone for your replies. Jim, the photo you provided of your air horns (and the roof beneath them) shows a design that is almost identical to mine (but w/ a nice white roof and without the rust.) You too have a rectangle under the air horns that has been sealed with a roof sealant. There even are what may be fasteners along the midline between the horns that have been sealed. My conclusion is that all these Journey's and Meridians (and others?) have some type of plate installed under the horns. I spoke with another owner of an '06 Journey that has a plate under his horns that is black (but no rust.) I'm guessing my plate is steel due to the rust. Too bad it isn't aluminum. I plan to sand it down to hard sound metal, treat the metal with something like Rustoleum Rust Reformer, and finish with some coats of white enamel.

Jim_HiTek · 02-17-2018, 02:25 PM

Maybe there is a plate under mine...I've really never looked at the air horn mounting that closely. Hah!

You can use Jasco Prep and Primer (Home Depot paint dept) that will turn the rust back into metal. Then you can paint it. No need to work too hard at sanding. Just brush or scrape off the big chunks (if any). Less expensive than the stuff on the top shelves at eye level too. Yours looks perfect for a Jasco treatment.

What happened with the sponginess?

Papa Dave · 02-17-2018, 05:16 PM

Ah, thanks Jim for asking about that. I am now 6 hrs away from that '05 Journey and can't recheck this, but I may have been wrong when I wrote "all around the perimeter." The sponginess may have only been along the sides. If you study either side of your roof, and press real close to the edge, does it give at all, or is it hard and solid? I'm guessing now that yours will give some. This surprised me when I found this on the Journey because I thought fiberglass should be hard and solid like the roof of my current Winnie Class C Access. People have described seeing a large solid one piece roof being lowered onto a Journey or Meridian. That sounds like something thicker and heavier than the thin roof skin you described and showed in the pic with the roof skin pulling loose from the channel/ drip rail at the top of the side wall. Can the fiberglass be thin and pliable without being brittle? Or could the fiberglass be solid, thicker and under a roof skin of some other material?

Jim_HiTek · 02-17-2018, 05:41 PM

Depends on how far down you're pressing on that roof edge. Here's a look at how the roof edge is supported. Remember that this roof is thin to cut down on weight. But it's a molded single piece with the strength you are aware of from a fiberglass sheet.

Mine is 'flexible' but it's fully capable of carrying up to 300 lbs according to my reading (I'm 200). But of course you're suppose to wear soft soled shoes. And not get too close to the edge. I've not laid down on the roof and tried to push on the roof checking for sponginess along the edges so I don't know what mine does.

It's possible that they have a problem there on that RV, but without some pictures or a more accurate description of the 'sponginess' we'd just be guessing. What I was thinking was that perhaps the roof had pulled away from the sealant (pretty common problem with Winnies) and partially pulled out of the AL channel and you were feeling that looseness you might expect if it wasn't fully inserted into the aluminum extrusion channel that runs along both sides. Shown above. Note that that 'sealant' is all that holds the roof and is supposed to be inspected every 6 months and repaired as needed...and it needs it a lot.

Don't forget to check the front dash for evidence of dried up rusty water puddles. That points to a rusty window frame. Low cost fix covered at my blog if it hasn't leaked too long. Also check the window rubbers for soundness, and a good seal at the glass to rubber interface.

l1v3fr33ord1 · 02-17-2018, 06:44 PM

Papa Dave-

You should look at the video for which I posted a link in post #4. The presenters clearly show how flexible the edge is, and how to seal it to the structure as shown in Jim's cross-section.

SCVJeff · 02-22-2018, 10:49 PM

That has nothing to do with the roof, it's the steel plate on the roof that the paint peeled off of and rusted immediately. Happens to all of them eventually since it also collects water pretty easy being set into the roof sealant