Forum Discussion

Juzaxadar's avatar
Juzaxadar
Explorer
Jul 15, 2014

Class C overhead movement causing seal failure

I'm posting a couple of pics of the corners of my overhead bed.

This is a 2000 Winnebago Minnie 31C.

During a recent 5500 mile trip, I saw a lot of flex happening above the cab. When I got back, I noticed that the corner seal has come loose. I had sealed it with ProFlex about a month before taking the trip, so I know it was good.

The corner (temporarily re-sealed today)


Any ideas about how to limit the flexing or to seal it so that the flexing doesn't break the seal? I can re-seal over and over without much effort or cost, but it failed about halfway through the trip making any long trip a potential cause of leaks.


Secondly is that I have a split in the side of the tip of the overhead camper cab. The split is top to bottom and is about 6 inches tall. It was sealed with as much ProFlex as I could get on it before the trip because I didn't have time to fix it correctly. It also came unsealed because of all the flexing going on during driving.


I was thinking about using EternaBond to fix this on the outside, and possibly even putting a strip on the inside to make it as tight as possible. Short of a professional fix, does anyone know of a better way to repair this?

I will clean and repair these as soon as I recover from the trip, but want the work to be worthwhile.
Class C
  • Cousin_Eddie93's avatar
    Cousin_Eddie93
    Explorer
    Jul 21, 2014
    The first pic is just the old trim suffering from shrinkage due to age. You can pick that stuff up at any camping world or you can see if they left an extra inch or two screwed underneath the wall. If so, remove the mounting screw and peel the stuff up to the point of separation then reinsert it and screw it back down so long as there is still some over hang. The second pic I find interesting as to why a crack would form in an area where the fiberglass is wrapped around metal. I'd investigate that further; otherwise so long as the nose cone isn't sagging or leaking, I'd would reglass it and match the color up best as possible, otherwise eternabond should suffice.
  • ericsmith32's avatar
    ericsmith32
    Explorer
    Jul 21, 2014
    Interesting.. during the last week I got to drive my grandparents 02 Itasca Spirit (Made by Winnebago) I commented that theirs flexed at least 2x what our Jayco does, I'd say more that that. They haven't had any seal failures yet (66k on it). It is stored in a shed when not in use.

    The tape in the first pic ours did the same. But the PO put in new tape for some reason so I guessed it just shrunk. Just cut it and put another piece in.
  • Juzaxadar's avatar
    Juzaxadar
    Explorer
    Jul 20, 2014
    EMD360 wrote:
    The first photo seems to show the attachment to the cab and it looks tight. We have a 2003 Itasca and it has the same graphics.
    I think ours needs to have the front edges eternabonded too. My caulking job looks a lot like yours. It separates in the same places, although I never thought it was flexing. Maybe it is?
    I'm getting the same droop in the trim piece as in your photo. I did the rear edges from the roof to the bottom and all the roof seams but didn't get to the front edges so I just bought the stuff to do it. Will have to wait a month or two while other projects loom. I also replaced the trim screws with stainless. I have to buy more of those too.
    As these RV's age, stuff seems to just happen to tear them apart. The result of using them though and not from sitting at least.


    If your separates in the same place, it could be something common.

    Because it's on the trailing edge, it's not the worst spot and water won't be driven into it.
  • Juzaxadar's avatar
    Juzaxadar
    Explorer
    Jul 20, 2014
    I'm not sure. I'm in the middle of cleaning and it looks solid. I do notice that the roof above the bed droops if I step on it, but not around the edges where the structure is.

    I may seriously have to start taking the walls apart up there to figure out what's up.
  • Jopops's avatar
    Jopops
    Explorer
    Jul 18, 2014
    Interesting - I wonder if Winnebago wasn't using their supposed 'Super Structure' design back than?

    http://www.gowinnebago.com/products/2014/minnie_winnie_minnie_winnie_premier/key_features/superstructure/#
  • Juzaxadar's avatar
    Juzaxadar
    Explorer
    Jul 15, 2014
    I see what you mean in the first photo, but it's just bug guts. :) I got back from a 2 week trip 3 days ago and have not yet cleaned it.

    There are only two cracks in the whole RV. One on the rear wall and the one in the second picture. The rear wall crack I may fix with some eternabond and a sticker to mask it.

    I will check the attachment to the cab to be sure. I may also partially disassemble the over-bed to see what's going on up there. While driving I notice flex, but only during period of high wind or big bumps.

    I'm sure I can get the eternabond to look OK.
  • EMD360's avatar
    EMD360
    Explorer
    Jul 15, 2014
    First photo also seems to show a crack in the fiberglass underneath the overhead. Maybe you do have some soft wood in that overhang. You might be able to use a moisture meter in that area of the overhead to see if the wood has a high moisture content.
  • EMD360's avatar
    EMD360
    Explorer
    Jul 15, 2014
    The first photo seems to show the attachment to the cab and it looks tight. We have a 2003 Itasca and it has the same graphics.
    I think ours needs to have the front edges eternabonded too. My caulking job looks a lot like yours. It separates in the same places, although I never thought it was flexing. Maybe it is?
    I'm getting the same droop in the trim piece as in your photo. I did the rear edges from the roof to the bottom and all the roof seams but didn't get to the front edges so I just bought the stuff to do it. Will have to wait a month or two while other projects loom. I also replaced the trim screws with stainless. I have to buy more of those too.
    As these RV's age, stuff seems to just happen to tear them apart. The result of using them though and not from sitting at least.
  • ed6713's avatar
    ed6713
    Explorer
    Jul 15, 2014
    When you look at the point just above the windshield where the overhang meets the chassis cab is there any sign of separation there? Or is the seal nice and tight?
    If there is separation, the overhang is no longer attached to the cab. Not good.
    Time to get up in the bunk and start removing stuff until you can actually see how Winabago attached the overhang to the cab.

    As far as the split, as long as appearance is not a concern, EternaBond would be a decent fix because it will flex.
  • toedtoes's avatar
    toedtoes
    Explorer III
    Jul 15, 2014
    I would get it checked out thoroughly. You shouldn't be getting so much flex that it's breaking the seal. If it's breaking the seal repeatedly, then you may have damage somewhere else that needs to be fixed before you fix the seal again.

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