2010-2011 Carriage Cameo front cap leak?

[jtbuilds]

We looked at a 2009 Carriage Cameo that was rock solid but at 37' it was too long.

After this we looked at two 2010 and one 2011 Carriage Cameo 5th wheels. On each on the caulking on the side around the front cap was cracked and the screws at the bottom around the pin box area are rusted.....water leak?

Where the last 2 years of Carriage trailer slammed together before they went broke?

Has anyone pulled the cap off a Cameo 5th to repair water damage?

[jtbuilds]

NHIrish wrote:
I had a 2010 and there were issues with rusting screws in many areas. Not an uncommon problem with Cameo. Having said that, I also had a caulking leak in the front cap and the rusting screws on the underside were a sign.

Having said that, the construction is robust and unless you have other signs of a problem I would not let that one issue be the deciding factor. One of the few brands that used exterior plywood. If you do buy it, make sure it has heavy duty shackles with greaseable fittings. They did cheap out on that and those rigs will suffer a shackle failure with enough miles. Don't ask...but it is an inexpensive upgrade best not done when you get stuck in Amarillo.

Thanks, appreciate the info! If i buy it I'll make sure to change things up. The Morryde part number to upgrade the shackles and bushing is LRE12-001.

I'm wondering...is the water tank in the basement or under the frame in a Cameo?

[NHIrish]

I had a 2010 and there were issues with rusting screws in many areas. Not an uncommon problem with Cameo. Having said that, I also had a caulking leak in the front cap and the rusting screws on the underside were a sign.

Having said that, the construction is robust and unless you have other signs of a problem I would not let that one issue be the deciding factor. One of the few brands that used exterior plywood. If you do buy it, make sure it has heavy duty shackles with greaseable fittings. They did cheap out on that and those rigs will suffer a shackle failure with enough miles. Don't ask...but it is an inexpensive upgrade best not done when you get stuck in Amarillo.

[jtbuilds]

Thanks for the good words everyone.

I'm going to go back and look at one. I didn't notice until afterwards that the hinges on the cabinet doors are concealed while the other (older) Cameo trailers have the hinges on the outside. This could be why the cabinet doors didn't open/close very well.


All we do is dry camping so the larger tanks in the newer models are appealing.


Couldn't agree more with the lack of quality being made. Harder it is to find the fewer there are people to learn what it is.

[Beaker]

On each on the caulking on the side around the front cap was cracked and the screws at the bottom around the pin box area are rusted.....water leak?

The rust would be a red flag for me. Ask the seller to turn them. The screws will probably either keep turning or bread off with a little pressure.

[Veebyes]

No real problems with our 2007 Alpenlite, which I put on par with the older Carriages, but I did have a small leak in one of the slide joints which I taped off & used some of that as seen on TV Quick Seal. So far no caulking failures but when they happen, I know they will, the plan is to remove it & reseal with caulk used in the marine industry.

[Traveler_II]

We have a 2011 Cameo and have not had any water problems. I have checked and repaired caulk if I find a crack. Our rig was made about 2 months before Carriage went out of business. It's our 5th RV in retirement and its been a quality rig. But that's ours and if you have found a problem I would walk away.

[JW_of_Opechee_S]

Unlikely it has a leak just by what you say in the post, but I do check all my caulking areas, clean and re-caulk if I see any sign of cracks. Cameo is a top of the line brand which unfortunately suffered in this world of cheap throw away society. Quality brands take time and money and the market share is small so very difficult to compete with mass produced units buying larger qualities of materials at lower prices and quality.

[kennethwooster]

We bought our 2011 new. It has had very few problems. However; I take it in every spring and have my service man and have them check for recaulking. We've never had a leak of any kind. I do wish we had bought a little longer. We have the 31 ft. They are excellent trailers. Sounds like those 2 trailers need to go to a service man and have that all put back the way it should be.