Class "C" with a rubber roof, fixes?

I don't think there are any fewer seams on my fiberglass roof than there were on my TPO roof. In fact the TPO roof wrapped over the sidewalls. I am very impressed with TPO. Regardless, the problem isn't the roofing, it's all the seams and things poking through the roof.

At some point you have to stop worrying and start living.

mlts22 wrote:

Chopperbob wrote:
That is simply not true. You can always coat the
roof anytime you want. Easy and cheap and very
effective. These days roofs can potentialy last
a very long time! The beauty is that it's a DIY job!

What would one recommend for a roof coating? I have seen some DIY jobs, with the owners of the rigs winding up having to use tarps to cover their roofs because they still leaked.

The fellow who bought my 31C works for this company. He says the product is great, although it's not a do it yourself project.

Chopperbob wrote:
That is simply not true. You can always coat the
roof anytime you want. Easy and cheap and very
effective. These days roofs can potentialy last
a very long time! The beauty is that it's a DIY job!

What would one recommend for a roof coating? I have seen some DIY jobs, with the owners of the rigs winding up having to use tarps to cover their roofs because they still leaked.

That is simply not true. You can always coat the
roof anytime you want. Easy and cheap and very
effective. These days roofs can potentialy last
a very long time! The beauty is that it's a DIY job!

Never heard of any rubber roof system failing in such a short time unless damaged. I have heard some issues with fiber glass roofs cracking and leaking due to installation defects after a couple of years so there's always the need for regular inspection of the roof regardless of the system. My current rig is 7yrs old and the epdm is in great shape still with no chalking.

Just what I've seen, unless one caulks a roof often (all it takes is a small crack or gap for a water leak), or uses something more permanent like Eternabond, eventually the roof will get a leak somewhere, likely imperceptible. This doesn't mean that fiberglass roofs are 100% leakproof, but they have far fewer seams to worry about.

The crazy thing: Two rigs with identical floor plans (Sunseeker 22SLEF and a Thor Freedom Elite 22FE), chassis (both E-450s), and amenities, the difference in price that they sell for at local dealerships is over $30,000. The biggest difference? The Sunseeker has a fiberglass roof. So, for that big a price difference, I'm sure there is some way I can make a TPO roof be able to keep from leaking for the long haul.

Assuming you're in Texas, I'd say the biggest problem is actually people that don't ever care for the roof. The TPO or EPDM is usually just fine (assuming it's not parked under a tree) - but I'd say that 90% of the RVs that I've looked, including those DPs that are pretty high end, don't have annual or better roof maintenance done.

Shop for covered/garage kept - be picky. You'll find one.


Although I think it's better to have a non-rubber roof, I've had 10-year old RVs in Texas that were fine with rubber roofs as long as they were maintained.. . (Most of mine were covered though).

And I think you're right, if you ever have to replace the roof, I'd probably look at one of those composite liquid alternatives.

I think you may be underestimating the life of these roofs, particularly TPO roofs. My '98 has the original roof (EPDM, I believe), and while it's clearly not in brand new condition, it's still entirely functional. Admittedly, the heat and UV levels in New England are not up to Texas standards, but I rather doubt it's four times as damaging there!

As with any roof, keeping the seams sealed is of utmost importance, and usually that's done with Eternabond and/or Dicor self-leveling lap joint sealant. It is a periodic maintenance item to check and renew as needed. I don't think covering the entire roof with Eternabond would be an especially useful exercise, as it does nothing to improve the bond between the roofing material and the underlayment which is sometimes the weak point. The elastomeric spray-on systems do look very interesting and promising, but I have no personal experience with them (nor do I know anybody who does). Some here have reported on trying a similar thing with truck bedliner compounds, with apparently varying degrees of success.

I would just use Eternabond on the joints and seams. Not the whole roof.
Where are you getting the information they expire in 4 or 5 years?

FWIW, I have the original rubber roof on our 96 Southwind. I'll be coating it for the first time in the next few weeks.