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Old 07-25-2021, 07:07 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Farco View Post
I just did mine ala James method and do not agree with the above depiction.
As James says to “jam the tip of the gun into the channel” , it presses the fiberglass tightly against the channel behind. I doubt much sealant gets back there.
He merely wants to get the entire outward facing cavity filled. I had sealant filling up the outward side pretty quickly.
Did you do 2 applications like James in the video does? If so, how much time did you allow between applications? He doesn't say in the video.
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Old 07-28-2021, 04:17 PM   #22
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Thumbs up No time, but reference to second coat made at 14:35 of vid.

@ 14:35 of his film, he said he moves down and makes a pass and while the first is wet, applies a second coat. Looks like he is doing 6' at a time. Maybe that helps.



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Old 07-28-2021, 04:39 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by bobhardy3 View Post
@ 14:35 of his film, he said he moves down and makes a pass and while the first is wet, applies a second coat. Looks like he is doing 6' at a time. Maybe that helps.

Bob
Am I missing something? What "film"? Can you post a link to the video?
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Old 07-28-2021, 04:56 PM   #24
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I added the link in my post. I think this is the guy you are referring to that does the roof repair with Geocel Proflex. Wow, something happened to my other post, not sure what happened. Maybe I edited it out? Here is the link:

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Old 07-28-2021, 05:07 PM   #25
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Jim,

It is obvious you put a lot of thought into this. I appreciate you sharing the cut away view of previous attempts by Winnebago. You referenced RTV in the splined/RTV method that failed. Jim on the video uses Geocel Proflex as an adhesive/sealant. Is Proflex RTV? Has anyone tried 5200 (marine silicone adhesive)?That stuff is extremely tough. I have to use a heated knife to remove it.

BTW, I love your eternabond fix. I am concerned with the ability to form the material in the little trough well enough to adhere properly. Time and patience win on that application. Your job is exceptional!

Thank you for any replies and your efforts in helping correct this issue! Cheers, Bob
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Old 07-28-2021, 06:15 PM   #26
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I started out the first 6 feet with two applications but I noticed so much oozed out that I barely needed the second layer so I ended up putting a little more down and basically did one application. I got a fair amount down in the channel, certainly more than Winnebago put in there. After the initial wipe it swelled slightly and I left it that way, so the top is actually rounded upwards now. I suppose water could get into the slight recess that is left between the fiberglass and the bead of Geocel but since I store indoors and besides that freezing is a non issue here I am not too worried about it.
Since I freshly painted the radius last week I taped it off first and got a nice straight line. Since I was able to remove every last bit of old sealant I have great expectations for the success of this application.
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Old 09-11-2022, 06:50 PM   #27
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I bought some tubes of ProFlex to use on mine, but when I finally got around to actually doing it I found that the passenger side channel was not filled. When I pushed on the filon it only yielded about 1/8 inch, and it was caulked just on the outside. Not enough gap to get anything into though. So I cleaned it with rubbing alcohol and applied 2" tan Eternabond tape (Thanks Jim_Hitek for the idea). I got the bottom edge of the tape into the bottom of the rain channel then used a fingertip to stick it to the underside of the smaller channel that the filon tucks behind. Then I rolled it up and applied it to the filon. It was windy that day and I had to extend the awning about 1.5' to get to that part of the roof, so I worked in 3' strips. As I got each one applied I went over it with a roller and tried to work any air pockets out.

I did the driver side today, and it had a bit more of a gap, about 1/4" or so, but I decided not to try and remove the old caulking and just applied the Eternabond over top. Same process as the first side, but I was able to do the full length with one continuous run. I meant to take some before pics but forgot. I used the tan colored tape, and while it doesn't match it doesn't stick out bad either.

I need to go back and clean up some of the bits of adhesive that got stuck on the tape as I was working it in. One other point though, my awning attaches to the roof just above the edge of the roof, it would have been virtually impossible to get a caulking gun into the channel in that section of roof.
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Old 09-11-2022, 07:24 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobhardy3 View Post
Jim,

It is obvious you put a lot of thought into this. I appreciate you sharing the cut away view of previous attempts by Winnebago. You referenced RTV in the splined/RTV method that failed. Jim on the video uses Geocel Proflex as an adhesive/sealant. Is Proflex RTV? Has anyone tried 5200 (marine silicone adhesive)?That stuff is extremely tough. I have to use a heated knife to remove it.

BTW, I love your eternabond fix. I am concerned with the ability to form the material in the little trough well enough to adhere properly. Time and patience win on that application. Your job is exceptional!

Thank you for any replies and your efforts in helping correct this issue! Cheers, Bob
I have no idea if Proflex is RTV or a version of it. Just a guess at the reason Winnie abandoned the RTV + Spline fix after just a year or less was due to Beta testers telling them that it didn't make a difference on rough roads. No better then their preferred method.

The problem I see with a high tension caulking, or any rubbery caulking, is that it needs to FLEX when driving up or down a big box stores driveway or a 2 mile long dirt road with more pot holes or ruts than road AND stay attached. It's the racking of the roof that does all the damage. Boats aren't subject to racking very often as far as I know. But an RV can be racked several times a day just going up and down driveways.

That's why I used Ebond...because it can be twisted and be pulled and stays attached for the most part because of the tight bond with surfaces it has and the fact that it's a tape.

I know that it doesn't seem like it has much to grip onto in that channel, but years later I haven't had it pull up anywhere and it's still doing fine. However, I don't often drive up/down long horrible roads either. I do drive up/dwn driveways in the normal course of travel though and have been since the Ebond was installed. For fuel and sometimes shopping while traveling. But long potholed drives to a camping spot? No.

Try this, put that boat caulking on one side of your RV with the spline, and Ebond on the other. Then come back and tell us how it went over a couple years of use.
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Old 09-12-2022, 11:17 PM   #29
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I like the idea of the Eternabond, but how do you remove it if it does fail. That stuff just does not come off very easily, and I can see damage occurring to the Filon in a removal attempt.

A question I have and I think the AzExpert answered this. The purpose of the caulk is not to provide a water tight seal but rather to provide an adhesive to keep the Filon in the extrusion. Is that a correct statement?

From what I heard and have seen the extrusion has weep holes so that if any moisture gets past the caulk, and it will, it has a place to escape the extrusion, again is that statement correct?

The reason I ask this is because I just inspected my roof radius again after having it professionally sealed last February, and noticed about a 6" long section at the drivers side front where I can create a gap between the caulk and the extrusion. If I can correct the mechanical adhesion at that small location, I don't think I really need to rip the whole drivers side caulk our of the extrusion.


Thoughts?


This needs to be a sticky in my humble but accurate opinion!!
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Old 09-13-2022, 09:04 AM   #30
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I like the idea of the Eternabond, but how do you remove it if it does fail. That stuff just does not come off very easily, and I can see damage occurring to the Filon in a removal attempt.

You heat it with a hair dryer or heat gun and slowly peel it off. The manufacturer has instructions but I don't recall the details, atm. The other way is to peel up the leading edge for a couple feet that faces the wind when driving, and then drive at freeway speeds for hundreds of miles where it's dusty. Over the months the dust will accumulate and work it's way under the Ebond which will than peel off easily. Ha! This usually works by accident. Points out that surface prep is king.

A question I have and I think the AzExpert answered this. The purpose of the caulk is not to provide a water tight seal but rather to provide an adhesive to keep the Filon in the extrusion. Is that a correct statement?

That was my thought too. Thing is that most caulking has a difficult time sticking to metal especially outdoors with it's extremes in temp so as an adhesive in this use it's just barely adequate for most owners. And then the flexing it gets from racking plays a part too.

From what I heard and have seen the extrusion has weep holes so that if any moisture gets past the caulk, and it will, it has a place to escape the extrusion, again is that statement correct?

I believe this is correct, but only the factory would know for sure.

The reason I ask this is because I just inspected my roof radius again after having it professionally sealed last February, and noticed about a 6" long section at the drivers side front where I can create a gap between the caulk and the extrusion. If I can correct the mechanical adhesion at that small location, I don't think I really need to rip the whole drivers side caulk our of the extrusion.

I decided that pulling all the original caulking out was NOT necessary...I just had the workers pull it out where it had already failed and was loose. I don't think there's a need to remove it when it's professionally installed as that thin bead of caulking wouldn't prevent Ebond from strongly attaching above and below the bead. It was when the original caulking had failed and someone did a bad job of reinstalling it so it was smeared all over the roof edge...that I think needs to be scraped off. Not an easy task but doable with a heat gun and plastic putty knives. And whatever solvent Winnie recommends.

Thoughts?

Ebond makes it in brown too as I recall, but you have to buy it directly from them as most retailers don't carry it in that color. Going by memory here.

This needs to be a sticky in my humble but accurate opinion!!
Good luck with whichever method you attempt!
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Old 09-13-2022, 11:57 AM   #31
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Thanks for the detailed answers, coach is at inside storage, so no hurry for me at this time, but this is a fantastic thread to use for reference.
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Old 09-13-2022, 01:12 PM   #32
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I've removed Eternabond with a heat gun and yes it does "work" sort of, but leaves behind ugly, super sticky residue that is even harder to remove with mineral spirits, etc.

No offense meant to Jim... but I don't think putting eternabond tape all down the sides of the roof radius is the way to go. But to each their own. The factory roof install from 2017 has held up great on my RV - but I expect to have to redo it at some point.

When I do, I'll follow AZ Expert's instructions - but I may use the factory approved caulking/sealant rather than the ProFlex he uses. Oh, and I will rent a scaffold and get a power caulking gun.
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