Reseal seam between the seam between roof & body

Metaphor 7182 wrote:
~ @ Larry, thanks for the link. Wish it was a flat surface or two with a 90 degree angle. My quandary is working with two horizontal surfaces joining and a working space of more or less a ¼ inch. The working area is a gutter with a bit of over lap from the trim. Looking at the seam between the roof and body I see what looks like the old putty tape I used on my van roof vent, which would explain the black streaking from the leaching of petroleum residue at the front gutter drain.

@ westend, thank for that info on Geocel 2300 or Geocel Proflex RV. Going to do a bit more research on the application of this product.

I’d attach a couple of photo’s just can’t find the attach icon.

You need to look at John's pics closer since he also has the gutter molding just below the edge of the roof like you are describing.

Larry

~ @ Larry, thanks for the link. Wish it was a flat surface or two with a 90 degree angle. My quandary is working with two horizontal surfaces joining and a working space of more or less a ¼ inch. The working area is a gutter with a bit of over lap from the trim. Looking at the seam between the roof and body I see what looks like the old putty tape I used on my van roof vent, which would explain the black streaking from the leaching of petroleum residue at the front gutter drain.

@ westend, thank for that info on Geocel 2300 or Geocel Proflex RV. Going to do a bit more research on the application of this product.

I’d attach a couple of photo’s just can’t find the attach icon.

If you have to use caulk, Geocel 2300 or Geocel Proflex RV, both tripolymer sealants are a good choice.

Metaphor 7182 wrote:
@ Grillmiester. Good insight on the silicone, did not know that application problem. Previous owner(s) also used it on the side windows :/
My situation is the bonding seal of roof and side wall (this is a body rain gutter issue). I looked at the Eternabond URL. . . this is not a flat roof redo of the sealing gone bad. Other thoughts from RT owners?
:h

Eternabond is still your best solution and look HERE for how another member JBarca did his. Make sure you take care of the screw head issue like John did.

If your molding looks like John's personally I would install RainKap first and then put Eternabond over that up onto the roof and kill two birds with one stone (NO MORE BLACK STREAKS AND NO MORE LEAKS FROM THAT AREA).

Larry

@ Grillmiester. Good insight on the silicone, did not know that application problem. Previous owner(s) also used it on the side windows :/
My situation is the bonding seal of roof and side wall (this is a body rain gutter issue). I looked at the Eternabond URL. . . this is not a flat roof redo of the sealing gone bad. Other thoughts from RT owners?
:h

Take off all the silicone and the old white self leveling calk clean then use eturnabond tape 4" wise. That will do the trick for a long time.

Eternabond. Get the wider tape made for roof seals.

endlesstravel wrote:
Sorry to say this, but silicone caulk is bad news for this purpose. It's not really a good sealant, it's really hard to remove and it leaves residue on the material that makes it hard for other stuff to attach to it.
I would get a tube of "silicone be gone" leave it on for twice as long as they recommend. scrub with scotchbrite pad and repeat. Also, a very sharp utility knife or chisel will come in handy.
Then get a roll of EternaBond. Ebay is probably the cheapest place to get it. Clean the area super well, then generously put down the EternaBond tape give it pressure and you'll be all set.
Good instructions on fixing RV roofs with EternaBond at Small Campers Blog Post
I've fixed two seam leaks with it and they're both going 5+ years strong.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out :)

Great advice! Oh yeah, if using Eternabond--after the caulk removal cleanup, hit it with some solvent on a rag, acetone, lacquer thinner, or other solvent that removes the last film of the silicone. Eternabond is the best but will not stick at all to silicone.

FWIW, I rebuilt my TT and sealed the roof to siding joint with three applications of quality elastomeric caulk: siding to frame, roof to frame, and two beads under the edge trim. I still had a couple of leaks. I then applied Eternabond to the joint and have had no leaks, verified by two interior pressure tests.

Sorry to say this, but silicone caulk is bad news for this purpose. It's not really a good sealant, it's really hard to remove and it leaves residue on the material that makes it hard for other stuff to attach to it.
I would get a tube of "silicone be gone" leave it on for twice as long as they recommend. scrub with scotchbrite pad and repeat. Also, a very sharp utility knife or chisel will come in handy.
Then get a roll of EternaBond. Ebay is probably the cheapest place to get it. Clean the area super well, then generously put down the EternaBond tape give it pressure and you'll be all set.
Good instructions on fixing RV roofs with EternaBond at Small Campers Blog Post
I've fixed two seam leaks with it and they're both going 5+ years strong.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out :)

I am sure many qualified members will chime in soon, for now here is my two cents. Silicone is an amazing product for most applications but when it is exposed to the sun it is sort of a temperary fix. IMO the best thing too seal the seams with is Eternabond. But you will have to clean off all of the silicone first. Good luck