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Nutinelse2do's avatar
Nutinelse2do
Explorer
Apr 11, 2014

Sealing Underbelly Seams

Hi all.
Was crawling around checking the coach and found the seams on the underbelly of our 5r are not sealed. They are overlapped, but not sealed. We will be hitting the road full timing next year and I am trying to figure out a way to seal the critters out.
DH thinks maybe Fiber Fix would work. I know duct tape wont work against road grime, rain, etc.
Slso, has anyone used the mud dauber screens like they sell at PPL, or do you just make your own screens?
Replies will be appreciated. Thanks so much! You guys are great.

19 Replies

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  • alboy's avatar
    alboy
    Explorer
    Apr 11, 2014
    We have a Newmar Cypress , full aluminum underbelly fully caulked and and sealed , 50000 plus miles and still going strong .
  • wvcampers's avatar
    wvcampers
    Explorer
    Apr 11, 2014
    My Cardinal has metal on the bottom. The gaps and openings are sealed with expandable foam like the Great Stuff that comes in a can. It is an 08 model and I have never had to reseal any of it.
  • MTPockets1's avatar
    MTPockets1
    Explorer
    Apr 11, 2014
    I was having some water intrusion when driving on wet roads. The corroplast gaps around spring hangers were not sealed so I used flat aluminum strips and used self tapping screws into the I-beam. This closed the gaps and seals well against the road water. I also have had good luck with adding more self tapping screws in some of the spots where the corroplast seemed to be sagging, plus the Gorilla tape works good as well.
  • waltbennett's avatar
    waltbennett
    Explorer
    Apr 11, 2014
    We've a continuous underbelly, but Keystone used a soft & thin aluminum strip with screws about 12" apart on the sides leaving gaps in between. I started last year replacing that, using "U" channel aluminum from Lowe's and some clear caulk. The new channel aluminum is much stiffer and holds the underbelly material to the frame. Still a long way to go to redo everything, but at least I've started!

    Even when I'm done, there will still be places for water to leak out, but a lot fewer ones where it can get in.
  • hmknightnc's avatar
    hmknightnc
    Explorer
    Apr 11, 2014
    My FW is the same way. I wouldn't seal it like that. If i develope a water leak I want some way for the water to escape and for me to see so I can repair before serious damage. But it's your rig do what you want
  • Nutinelse2do's avatar
    Nutinelse2do
    Explorer
    Apr 11, 2014
    robsouth wrote:
    Do you suppose it is not sealed for a reason? Just sayin'.


    If we knew, I wouldn't be asking. So since you have input, is it supposed to be sealed? Isn't it a critter entry point?

    I am asking a legitimate question, and looking for answers. Sorry, we are not the all knowing masters of the 5th wheel. If anyone has answers to my above questions, I would appreciate a sincere response. Thank you
  • joegray's avatar
    joegray
    Explorer II
    Apr 11, 2014
    My unit was the same. I used some Gorilla tape, the black stuff about 3 inches wide. So far so good. It's also cheap and easy to replace. Hope this helps.

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