Roof Radius Resealing

bbrowncods · 08-27-2021, 03:20 PM

On a 2018 Vista LX 35F the Sealant Callout Sheet says the sealer for the roof radius is Winnebago part number 94401-04-000.

So I did some research and could never come up with a clear silicone sealer that I knew was what the Winnebago part number called for. So I just decided to order 4 tubes from an online Winnebago Dealer that is only "1 mile from the factory" for $19.05 each. That way I knew it was the right stuff.
What I received was "Stone Mason - Gutter and Siding Sealant". I could not find a source in the US, but Canadian Home Depot has it for $9.44 a tube.
As a cross reference it looks like NuFlex 640 is an alternate.

**creativepart** · 08-27-2021, 04:36 PM

ProFlex Clear non-self leveling is the stuff to use. It's half the price of the Winnebago stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Geocel-GC2810.../dp/B001FC98X2

You need to fire up YouTube, search for the YouTuber "AZExpert" and watch him do this job over and over.

Here's a recent one that will provide all the info you need:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDd3NrdWSQA

bigb · 08-27-2021, 06:03 PM

Winnebago does use that mason's gutter seal and they told me to buy it at a home center. Instead I bought the Geocel as mentioned above at Camping World. Pay attention to the date, shelf life is 9-12 months. Camping World had some that were close to expiration but also mixed in were some fresh ones. I paid more than Amazon but some have complained that the Amazon product was old.
I applied it heavy on my 25 footer and used 2.5 tubes per side. Lot's of waste doing it like in the video but way better than loosing the roof.

Joe57 · 09-01-2021, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbrowncods

On a 2018 Vista LX 35F the Sealant Callout Sheet says the sealer for the roof radius is Winnebago part number 94401-04-000.

So I did some research and could never come up with a clear silicone sealer that I knew was what the Winnebago part number called for. So I just decided to order 4 tubes from an online Winnebago Dealer that is only "1 mile from the factory" for $19.05 each. That way I knew it was the right stuff.
What I received was "Stone Mason - Gutter and Siding Sealant". I could not find a source in the US, but Canadian Home Depot has it for $9.44 a tube.
As a cross reference it looks like NuFlex 640 is an alternate.

Good idea to keep the roof edge sealed every 6 months. Just lost our roof on a 2005 38' Adventurer to tornadic storm. Good Sam insurance refuses to pay because it's a Winnebago. I would keep proof of resealing by receipts and maybe date stamped photos. I have been fighting the insurance company to no avail.

BobC · 09-01-2021, 05:42 PM

Sealant is a moving target. Winnebago changes sealants as time goes on.

I also trust AZExpert's recommendations. He doesn't need to worry about what's available in large quantities, etc. and a slightly higher price doesn't cut into his margin since he's billing materials separately.

I don't know why Winnebago persists in what seems to be such a vulnerable method of securing the roof edge.

Jim_HiTek · 09-01-2021, 10:31 PM

Don't know about your roof edge in particular, but many of us have forgone the every 6 months inspections and possible recaulking in favor of 2" wide Eternabond tape the entire length of the roof edges to hopefully hold it in place without needing maintenance. Depends on the style of roof edge of course but if it's similar to many older models, the tape works very well.

If your roof looks similar to this, it may be a better solution than caulking...

I wrote up an ad free article about it here: Roof Edges. I'm not the only Winnie owner that has opted for the tape, and for the most part, successfully used it to prevent wind damage.

It would be interesting to see a picture of your roof edge, bbrowncods.

One of the main reasons for the caulking to give out and let the roof loose so the wind has a chance to get under and lift it is from racking the RV. Usually on poor roads, driveways, access roads to favored camping spots, or even difficult or poorly made big box store driveways like I run into occasionally. I've been on some really bad ones. That racking can also cause the roof or windows to pop out so on occasion I've backed up and taken a drive entrance at a different angle to reduce the racking. Unfinished driveways though...they're the worst.

BobC · 09-02-2021, 06:47 AM

I think sealant plus caulking is the best. If it's the proper sealant it's a good adhesive and the Eternabond will protect it from UV, weather, etc.

billyb · 09-02-2021, 08:27 AM

Yes I gave up on resealing the edges,as it only last a year, so I eternabonded the edges And so far it looks good. In my opinion, there roof design stinks. I previously had a Thor windsport with the tpo roofing for 10 years, and it was good.

BobC · 09-02-2021, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyb

Yes I gave up on resealing the edges,as it only last a year, so I eternabonded the edges And so far it looks good. In my opinion, there roof design stinks. I previously had a Thor windsport with the tpo roofing for 10 years, and it was good.

The issue isn't TPO vs fiberglass per se, it's the way the edges of the fiberglass are secured that's the problem. Other MHs have fiberglass roofs and I don't believe they all have this issue.

I've seen many explanations of how the Winnebago roof is constructed but I've never seen an explanation as to why. The only thing I can think of is that, since the Filon is so thin, anything more secure, like moulding and screws, might cause it to crack where it was secured, while the sealant lets the edges move slightly. The radius is nice in that it allows water to roll off the roof and is a nice transition to the sidewalls but, if it's the reason, it seems to cause more problems than it's worth.

Anyone know why?

A PO of my MH put screws in above the gutter but they were unsupported by moulding and rusting. Another thing for me to remove and patch. Fortunately the fiberglass didn't crack and the holes are now covered by Eternabond.

Jim_HiTek · 09-02-2021, 12:13 PM

Pretty sure the Winnebago roof design uses caulking to hold it instead of some mechanical method because of the the racking an RV roof can undergo. Even some everyday driveways can cause a wild racking.

A TPO or rubber roof can handle that sort of thing because it's fabric and can take it in stride but a thin Filon roof wouldn't handle it well. Likely cracking or at least pulling out of the edge caulking. But the caulking provides some 'give' and 'elasticity' to the roof and it should be able to handle light racking without pulling apart. The more often the racking happens or the more severe it is, the more likely the roof is to pull away from the caulking. The older the caulking, the dryer it is and the less it holds securely to the roof. Hence the 'inspect the caulking every 6 months' as required by Winnie.

The roof is going to rack, there's no getting around that. And a TPO roof is going to streak the sides of the RV no getting around that either. For the average user though, fiberglass roof is better. AND it can last for decades whereas a TPO roof has a limited lifespan.

For those of us who loath getting up on the roof and having to (or pay to) caulk the edge every year or so, Eternabond tape on a fiberglass roof is the best solution as it gives the roof 'give' so less chance (not zero though) of it pulling away and being lifted by the wind, plus there's little or no streaking like you get with TPO.

I'll take my chances with Eternabond and try to avoid racking the RV as much as possible.

**creativepart** · 09-02-2021, 01:35 PM

Those of us with full body paint that creates a painted roof radius are not really candidates for putting a strip of eternabond tape across the drip edge and roof. Perhaps if your roof radius is white it doesn't look out of place.

Winnebago certainly knows about all these issues and designed the roof this way long ago. Not sure why they stick with it though. It would be nice to know the answer to this design choice.

By the way, eternabond tape is not eternal. It will fail and clean up will actually be twice as difficult. The only good thing is it will take a number of years before it fails.

Jim_HiTek · 09-02-2021, 01:52 PM

Ebond comes in several colors, just difficult to find. And as far as permanence, people have claimed 30 years on flat roofs...that's were it comes from, the roofing industry. Using it for RV roofs is just an extension of that.

If the surface is cleaned properly, and is dry, prior to installation it's permanent. Sure, it'll peel up on occasion like the endcap seam I used it on but I'd installed it just prior to a rain storm of epic proportions and it had wrinkles in it because I was hurrying when installed. That peeled up quite easily as a matter of fact, because road wind basically embedded dust into the exposed tape and gently, ever so slowly, peeled it off, covered the new exposed area with dust as it lifted the edge, and so on. When I got around to replacing it, it didn't need the use of a heat gun to remove it, just a slow tug.

gromhome · 09-05-2021, 05:11 PM

Jim, did you run it to the bottom of the gutter or just to the bottom of the "flat" part of the gutter?

Gentracker · 09-05-2021, 05:29 PM

Curious-we have a 2012 Winnebago, vista, 35f. Why is Good Sam fighting your claim.
We’re in process of looking for new insurance (switching from State Farm) and hoping to find an insurance company that covers cars and RVs but have considering Good Sans for RV-maybe not??

Jim_HiTek · 09-05-2021, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gromhome

Jim, did you run it to the bottom of the gutter or just to the bottom of the "flat" part of the gutter?

I hired a couple guys to do it for me and I instructed them to start it in the bottom of the channel and work it up using a 4" wide plastic putty knife to force it in and onto the gutter, then up and around onto the roof radius. I gave them a rubber roller to roll the tape after it was placed.

So far, it's been 4 & 1/2 years since it was installed and it's doing fine so far. I did have the roof and the gutters cleaned carefully a few days before installation and the day it was installed I had the workers use a dry scrub brush and clean cloth to wipe the area where the tape was to go as they went along.

Note that the PO had never had the caulking redone and the factory application of caulking was peeling out when I had the tape installed so there wasn't any smeared caulking to remove from the radius...which I was grateful for. I'd seen so many poor jobs over the years that I was very thankful to the PO for not having done anything about the roof over the years he'd owned it.

Sullivanclan · 09-05-2021, 08:48 PM

Could someone post a pic of their ebond tape installed?

Jim_HiTek · 09-05-2021, 09:03 PM

Here's a link to all my roof articles. I've used Ebond on nearly everything up there: Roof and Roof items...

And here's a profile of the gutter...

The problem is that 'sealant' is supposed to be inspected every 6 months and most don't. Then, it's not designed to stay bonded if the roof is 'racked', which can happen regularly, just going up a compound driveway will do it, so the sealant pulls loose. Eventually, it's hanging off the side of the RV in long strips. The Ebond gives, pulls, stretches so it stays in contact longer than that thin strip of sealant so you don't need to repair it as often as the sealant needed it.

Sullivanclan · 09-05-2021, 10:52 PM

Ebond just seems to make better sense then repeated caulking. Appreciate the pic Jim. Trying to decide if I tackle this myself this Fall or hire out. Do the awning need to be removed on a Sightseer?

billyb · 09-06-2021, 04:07 AM

Did you do the ebond in short strips or the whole length at one time. I did mine in 6foot strips. I still have to do the driver's side.

Jim_HiTek · 09-06-2021, 08:53 AM

My awning didn't need to be removed. Neither did my friends. The pictures I see of the Sightseer suggests it's made the same as my Journey so I'd say no you don't need to remove it.

The Ebond can be installed in short strips, in fact I'd recommend it if you're doing it in windy conditions. When I had my roof done, there was a gentle breeze and the guys did the install in mostly long strips. I do recall them needing to cut the tape once for some reason but I don't remember what. The ends should be butted together of course but even small gaps won't hurt anything IMO.