Caulking

S'more campers wrote:
Sorry to hijack your thread Poultney, but we might have a similar obstical. I have what appears to be clear silicon over the Butyl putty on the exterior fixtures of my Fleetwood Pioneer 18T6. It's discoloured started to peel away. How can I remove this from the trailer without damaging the paint on the aluminum siding?

Remove the bulk of it mechanically with a plastic scraping blade. 3M makes a silicone caulk remover that works well. I would use a test area over the paint in an inconspicuous spot. If all is good, spread it on wait until the caulk softens and wipe it away with a rag. I used mineral spirits to clean any residue off the surface.

If a previous owner has caulked those areas it may be because of a leak. Any joint with butyl tape should be inspected as the butyl sealants harden over time and are prone to break out of the joint or crack underneath.

Good luck with the removal!