Bad roof on DutchStar

DSDP Don wrote:
Many people don't know/realize that once a year you need to take a 1/4" drive socket set (1/4" size so you don't over tighten), remove the inside A/C cover and tighten the four 7/16" bolts that snug the A/C unit to the roof. Just a 1/2 turn will snug up the gasket and prevent leaks between the A/C unit and roof.

This may not necessarily be your issue, but sounds like it might.

His is bolted from the top with lag bolts. Does not have an "adjustment" available like yours. Doug

ToddDianeL wrote:
...snip... however while on the roof I noticed a spongy toward the very front of the coach. It feels like ice cracking between the rubber membrane and the substrate (as a description) The area around the TV antenna mounted to the roof is sunken also.

Looking for ideas and advice..

I'm sorry to say, that doesn't sound very good. Under the membrane is thin plywood, I'm guessing that the cracking sound is the layers in the plywood coming apart under your weight.

My motto is always "cheap and easy first", but in your case I'm afraid you may have to peel up the whole thing, replace wood, then reapply a new rubber membrane to fix it right.

Prior owner may have known about the issue and wanted to get rid of it ASAP. I'm guessing he did since there was a repair job already going on up there and he knew what was coming. Like I said, sorry.

Many people don't know/realize that once a year you need to take a 1/4" drive socket set (1/4" size so you don't over tighten), remove the inside A/C cover and tighten the four 7/16" bolts that snug the A/C unit to the roof. Just a 1/2 turn will snug up the gasket and prevent leaks between the A/C unit and roof.

This may not necessarily be your issue, but sounds like it might.

The wood decking has rotted from the water leak, hence the cracking sound. On a Newmar, the CORRECT fix is to remove the existing rubber (probably Brite Tek). You do NOT overlay the existing deck on a Newmar. Newmar screws the wood subdeck on and you remove the existing wood and install new decking with screws. You have to replace ALL the decking if you are replacing the roof rubber membrane. Once you pull the rubber, new rubber will not adhere correctly to old decking that has the remnants of glue. Yes, the cost to do the job correctly is about $4000 to $6000 dollars if you pay someone to do the job. Check with your Insurance carrier to see if they will pay for it if you can show roof rubber damage. If lack of maintenance or poor reseal or repair of a leak, they probably will not the roof repair but will pay for the inside ceiling panel damage. The interior fabric roof panels will need to be replaced. The labor on a Newmar is 4.0 hours per 4 x 8 fabric panel plus the cost of the fabric. You remove the fabric and glue new fabric to the existing interior wood sub panel. Doug

Very true ^^^^when discussing SOB's but not a Bluebird Wanderlodge. Made of American galvanized steel.

Welcome to the club. You are saying word for word what I said about my sons 2008 Rockwood TT. The caulk was good and I couldn't find any place that it could leak. It has gotten worse over the last few months so we pulled the ac unit thinking that the ac seal was leaking. When we removed it we noticed a small divot that appears to have been caused by a stick jabbing it. You couldn't see or get your fingers far enough under the ac unit to find it. It doesn't mean yours is exactly the same.
We caught it in time and it hasn't gone to the walls or ceiling and a 4x8 sheet will fix it. We cut the roof and will re glue it and dicor the cuts.
PPL wanted $5,000 to repair and replace roof material or $3,500 to cut it and do what we are doing. We should be able to fix it for around $200.00
Rv's are SO cheesy. :)


http://i58.tinypic.com/15ejxc.jpg

sounds expensive!