Eternabond on roof radius?

[Bnystrom]

The clearcoat on the roof radius of our View has failed. I need to scrape and sand it to remove the damaged material, then repair it. I'm not sure if the paint under the clearcoat will survive the cleanup, as some of it is already exposed and weathered.



Rather than repainting the roof radius, I'm considering covering it with Eternabond tape, then sealing the top edge with lap sealant. Has anyone here tried this and if so, how has it worked?

 

[powercat_ras]

My 2015 Vista has Eternabond Tape down both radius, applied by Winnebago and painted tan to match the front cap and sidewall color. There was a period in the 2014-2016 time frame where they added the tape, the stated reason was that the roof Filon was not installed at the factory correctly and was getting down into the slots per the engineering specs, so the ran tape with the bottom of the tape on the side extrusions.

It has held up, after 10 years it has stayed in place and still looks OK. Just make sure roof is clean and residue free before putting on the Eternabond tape. I have used some unpainted on the roof and even unpainted it stays put and weathers well.

No need to run a bead of sealant down the higher edge. Just use a rubber roller to make sure you get good adhesive bond everywhere.

 

[Bnystrom]

Randy, thank you, that's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for.

I know it's probably pretty cold in Kansas currently, but if there's any possibility of getting a picture of a roof radius on your Vista before spring, I'd really appreciate it. I'm particularly interested in seeing what they did at the extrusion on the sidewall. I just resealed mine and I'm wondering if I'll need to pull it back out in order to run the edge of the Eternabond into the groove. If that's what it requires, it's worth the effort for a relatively permanent repair.

 

[RayIN]

Eternabond or any other taps will be difficult to apply on the compound radius in the front top cap. You cant stretch it when applying, it will just shrink back to its original shape over time.
If you do decide to use Eternabond, follow the prep and applications exactly to obtain a lasting job..
I'd consider having a wrap applied by a professional, it should be good for 8-10 years.

 

[Bnystrom]

The roof radius is the panel at the top of the side wall that blends into the roof. It's only curved in one plane, so taping it should be no problem.

 

[RayIN]

I misunderstood, I thought you were talking about the top front cap above the windshield. a single curve would be easy. Have you considered spray painting it after the sanding? Eternabond isn't going to look very well on the side of the MH.

 

[Bnystrom]

Even on our DL, the front cap would be a nightmare.


What I do is going to depend on the condition of the paint after I remove the damaged clearcoat. I expect it's going to take a lot of careful wet sanding.

 

[BCam]

Something for the future: Eternabond can be a bear to remove completely. The top white part comes off easily, especially with the judicious use of a heat gun, leaving a stubborn adhesive that requires a lot of work including a solvent of some sort. You don't have to completely remove the adhesive if you're going to reapply new Eternabond:

Bulletin: Removing Eternabond - Best Materials​