I know the standard advice here is no silicone caulk anywhere around an RV. And from my experience - I agree! Nothing else, like the Proflex I want to use, will stick to it. And it is nearly impossible to remove it completely so I can get the Proflex to stick.But: There is a lot of silicone on my 2005 Prowler. Especially around side compartments, the front/side and rear/side seams, and outside light fixtures. Why did they do this? Is this common for all manufacturers?And what should I do going forward? Should I continue using silicone where it has already been used? (Does silicone even stick to old silicone?) I don't want to do that. I really like Proflex - it is very easy to work with, can be more easily removed if I need to, and silicone has a short shelf life and is very messy to work with.

My MH had silicone used on it before I got it. Like you said I can not really get it off. It does not last long. Nothing sticks to it. Even have had little luck getting new silicone to stick to old silicone after cleaning the old stuff off best I can. When it warms up I am just going to try to find a way to remove the old mess and some how clean it up to use Dicor which is easy to install, remove, sticks to the old stuff ect. Did not see the silicone as a problem when I bought the rig. Now kind of wish I had passed on the rig because of the silicone.If you figure a way to get the old silicone off so you can use some thing thats easy to remove, repair ect please let us know..

There is no easy way to remove silicone. I bought a "C" that was bathed in it. I found old plexi-glass and cut scrapers much like windshield ice scrapers out of it. It allowed me to scrape off the silicone without damaging the finish. I then used spray on carburator cleaner and continued scraping. Rinse, repeat. Finally I wiped with reagent grade acetone to prep the surface. Essentially, this is similar to the process Eternabond recommends with its' own products. At this point, I used a quality butyl rubber caulk. It sticks well, remains flexible, and is paintable. Good luck. It's a lot off work but you will be rewarded.

In '01, Rexall used nothing but silicone on all their MHs. It did well for 10 yrs, but after that it begins to turn loose. When I went to remove 2 holding tank roof vents, the silicone was not stuck to the fiberglass roof anymore, and it all came off easily as one silicone donut. As I see it loosen, I replace it w/ Dicor. I know that Fleetwood used Dicor (or the equivalent) in the latter 90s, and even after several years stored outside, the dicor was still pliable and still stuck tight to everything 12 yrs later. I never had to touch the roof on that '98 Flair.

My new-to-me camper had a lot of silicone on it. I found 3M Caulk Remover works well for softening the caulk. Apply the 3M and allow it to sit for a couple of hours (more if you can) and then peel it off with a blunt, plastic tool. Worked well for me.

punomatic wrote:My new-to-me camper had a lot of silicone on it. I found 3M Caulk Remover works well for softening the caulk. Apply the 3M and allow it to sit for a couple of hours (more if you can) and then peel it off with a blunt, plastic tool. Worked well for me.We live in a small town. Never saw that stuff here. Next trip to Medford Or. (50 miles north) I will make a point of getting some to try.. Thanks for the info.

How common is silicone caulk usage by manufacturers?

22 Replies

pbitschura
Explorer
Dec 07, 2013
There is no easy way to remove silicone. I bought a "C" that was bathed in it. I found old plexi-glass and cut scrapers much like windshield ice scrapers out of it. It allowed me to scrape off the silicone without damaging the finish. I then used spray on carburator cleaner and continued scraping. Rinse, repeat. Finally I wiped with reagent grade acetone to prep the surface. Essentially, this is similar to the process Eternabond recommends with its' own products. At this point, I used a quality butyl rubber caulk. It sticks well, remains flexible, and is paintable. Good luck. It's a lot off work but you will be rewarded.
snowdance
Explorer
Dec 07, 2013
My MH had silicone used on it before I got it. Like you said I can not really get it off. It does not last long. Nothing sticks to it. Even have had little luck getting new silicone to stick to old silicone after cleaning the old stuff off best I can. When it warms up I am just going to try to find a way to remove the old mess and some how clean it up to use Dicor which is easy to install, remove, sticks to the old stuff ect. Did not see the silicone as a problem when I bought the rig. Now kind of wish I had passed on the rig because of the silicone.

If you figure a way to get the old silicone off so you can use some thing thats easy to remove, repair ect please let us know..

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How common is silicone caulk usage by manufacturers?

22 Replies

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