Gigantic bubble in rubber roof

Question

.....not mine, but saw a pickup towing a really nice new looking silver, gray and black 5ver down the interstate. I noticed a bubble in the front 5' or so of his roof. It had to be 2' tall and flopping in the wind. I could imagine a big hole allowing the wind to lift the rubber and possibly a major point for water infiltration and major damage to the unit (if it had not already happened).

At any rate, I sure wanted to let him know somehow, but he was traveling west and I was east. No way to help. I guess its possible he already knew, maybe not........and maybe it was new unit being hauled to a dealer to sit until some unsuspecting buyer comes along that doesn't check such things. Who knows.

scottg · Answer

You don't need a hole to make it bubble like that.
The air moving over the top is moving much faster than the tiny amount of air trapped under the membrane. This faster moving air has a lower pressure, and in turn, that minor amount of air under the membrane is now at higher pressure relative to the air above it. The pressure makes it balloon because there's no place for the air to go (no hole).
FWIW, this is how an airplane wing works - by making the air going over the top of it move faster than the air under it - creating "lift".

wbrown62 · Answer

Good explanation. I can see that. Whatever the cause, still can't be good. Rubber is obviously not glued down well.

scottg · Answer

I saw that a couple of times over the years. They were always going in the opposite direction on the freeway though and there was no way to let them know.
Pity, you just know it's going to cause a leak sometime down the road.

mooky_stinks · Answer

I live right off rt 81 in NY and I see a couple a year doing this. Always on the opposite side. I always wonder if I'm going to be next! Lol

spoiledrotten · Answer

I've seen some like this as well... Probably not a bad idea to have someone you know, run along close by in another vehicle at highway speeds a couple of times a year to check for irregularities that you wouldn't see from inside the TV.

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Gigantic bubble in rubber roof

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