Forum Discussion

rferoni's avatar
rferoni
Explorer
Oct 19, 2014

Vinyl insert in moldings...question..

Hello all,

Got my first TT with unknown water damage. Have everything fixed and buttoning everything back up.

When I took the top molding off that goes horizontally across the back end top of roof there was no vinyl insert. All the screw heads were caulked over. I'm just wondering if that is how its supposed to be. I checked the same molding in front and it also does not have the vinyl insert. All the vertical moldings have the insert as well as the rain gutters.

Is there supposed to be vinyl insert in these places?

Thanks,
Ron

6 Replies

  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Oct 20, 2014
    The white vinyl inserts get dirty and are hard to clean. I see Nash trailers with black vinyl inserts. Looks ok to me. Been thinking of swapping to black.
  • MFL's avatar
    MFL
    Nomad II
    Oct 20, 2014
    The vinyl is cheap, and easy to replace. It does make things look nicer, giving a more finished look.

    If you have made many improvements already, I'd put new vinyl in too.

    Jerry
  • RJsfishin's avatar
    RJsfishin
    Explorer
    Oct 20, 2014
    That vinyl insert was the cheapest crappy plastic ever made. In full sun, it won't last 5 yrs, then cracks up and falls out. People get tired of replacing it, so just fill the void w/ calking.
    It is strictly cosmedic,...it doesn't seal horz or vert !
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Oct 19, 2014
    It's the same on my class C. I think that vinyl insert is mostly cosmetic; it doesn't seem that it would be 100% watertight. Probably it couldn't slide in once the Dicor or whatever is over the screws, and it's not in a location where it's readily visible.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Oct 19, 2014
    All the insert does is hide the screws and keep water out of them. On a horiz. surface you have to caulk the screws because the vinyl doesn't seal well enough - works fine on vert. surfaces though.
    So it doesn't matter if its missing up there. You can install the vinyl if you want but it's not needed in that location.

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