My rig is a 2018 Forest River ex rental, 40,000 miles. There is a crack in the sealant between the cab and the house above the windshield. I ordered 4 tubes of Dicor Lap Sealant and because I'm lazy...
I imagine "cleanliness" is key for the new Dicor to stick well. If the old is dirty and sun-faded, cut it back to get a clean surface to bond to. So your plan to remove the worst of the original caulk makes sense to me.