Ugh wet wood in Bigfoot
I recently bought a 2003 Bigfoot 10.5. The interior is in excellent condition. Seems to have barely been used. Generator has 30 hours on it. I paid the local Bigfoot dealer to inspect it before I boug...
Forum Discussion
Ugg leaking and damage from water..
I have had a couple of leaks with my BF but caught them early and fixed the issues.
One was a front running light... The factory seal of butyl tape was leaking.
How I discovered the leak was just by chance. The storage cabinet on the passenger side of the bed was wet inside... WTF! How could water be in there? I removed the trim from inside the cabinet and over the bed at the roof.... It was damp. I found that the seams of the glued foam paneling where panels are placed makes the path for the water to travel in the seams, thus it traveled from the center light across the front of the bed paneling and then down into the cabinet. I cleaned all the running lights and sealed them with a good clear sealer... Proflex.
Problem solved.
The next issue was I found a leaking window rear kitchen window. The camper was brand new, I had just picked up the camper and drove it home in the rain. 120 miles. Got home and there was water on the sink counter top and the floor.. OH I was pissed! Instead of taking it back to the dealer I removed the window and found that the Butyl tape used for the seal of the window was not even compressed where the corner passenger side curves around. UGGG. I had to build up 3 layers of butyl tape to make the seal! I contacted BIGFOOT, and the dealer. No response from the MFG...
After I realized what was going on I went around to every window and slightly tightened every screw. Most were at least a 1/2 to 1 turn loose! ****...
After doing this the Butyl tape started oozing a bit... After about a year I went around and check every screw... Some were quite a bit loose... I snuged those down. End of problems of windows leaking!
A forum member, Reddog1/Wayne and I were friends, he passed away last year, has a 1986 BF . We were out on a trip to the Dakotas, it was raining a lot. He found his bed flooring was sopping wet... I already knew about my window leaks etc so when he got home he removed the passenger side window and there it was. The Butyl tape was not even making contact in some areas. H redid that wondow and then did all of them again.
Once dirt has intruded the no sealed part of the windows it will not seal again.
Hope you can find the source and are able to fix.. The paneling/ foam are also used to stiffen the fiberglass. There are some places that will allow the camper body to sag... One member had the leak up by the bed and his camper wall on that side really sagged. He had to do a lot of work to get it stiffened back up. I can not remember who it was. Maybe someone will remember who it was.
Jim
I have had a couple of leaks with my BF but caught them early and fixed the issues.
One was a front running light... The factory seal of butyl tape was leaking.
How I discovered the leak was just by chance. The storage cabinet on the passenger side of the bed was wet inside... WTF! How could water be in there? I removed the trim from inside the cabinet and over the bed at the roof.... It was damp. I found that the seams of the glued foam paneling where panels are placed makes the path for the water to travel in the seams, thus it traveled from the center light across the front of the bed paneling and then down into the cabinet. I cleaned all the running lights and sealed them with a good clear sealer... Proflex.
Problem solved.
The next issue was I found a leaking window rear kitchen window. The camper was brand new, I had just picked up the camper and drove it home in the rain. 120 miles. Got home and there was water on the sink counter top and the floor.. OH I was pissed! Instead of taking it back to the dealer I removed the window and found that the Butyl tape used for the seal of the window was not even compressed where the corner passenger side curves around. UGGG. I had to build up 3 layers of butyl tape to make the seal! I contacted BIGFOOT, and the dealer. No response from the MFG...
After I realized what was going on I went around to every window and slightly tightened every screw. Most were at least a 1/2 to 1 turn loose! ****...
After doing this the Butyl tape started oozing a bit... After about a year I went around and check every screw... Some were quite a bit loose... I snuged those down. End of problems of windows leaking!
A forum member, Reddog1/Wayne and I were friends, he passed away last year, has a 1986 BF . We were out on a trip to the Dakotas, it was raining a lot. He found his bed flooring was sopping wet... I already knew about my window leaks etc so when he got home he removed the passenger side window and there it was. The Butyl tape was not even making contact in some areas. H redid that wondow and then did all of them again.
Once dirt has intruded the no sealed part of the windows it will not seal again.
Hope you can find the source and are able to fix.. The paneling/ foam are also used to stiffen the fiberglass. There are some places that will allow the camper body to sag... One member had the leak up by the bed and his camper wall on that side really sagged. He had to do a lot of work to get it stiffened back up. I can not remember who it was. Maybe someone will remember who it was.
Jim
