bubble on over hang class c

[10Grands]

We are looking at a 2007 chateau 31ft class C. We are not familiar with outside care yet...we have found a bout a 2 inch bubble on drivers side on over hang...should we be concerned?

[deltamaster]

VERY concerned... I KNOW!

I bought my rig new and found out last year that the manufacturers are very stingy with the sealing tape used to keep water out. As result I had developed extensive delamination and some wood rot of the compartment door frames. On the driver side, every place where two panels met and were covered with trim the very thin butyl tape did not keep the water out and I had delamination.

The worst areas were on the rear skirt, where the fiberglass fell right off when I removed the trim and the driver side overcab in front of and below the window. I also had delamination several inches in on both front corners of the box.

I had to use marine epoxy and fiberglass sheeting mesh to repair it all and I still was not able to get all the way in (even with pushing the epoxy in with a paint brush) so there is still some slight bubbling in areas.

I pulled off ALL the trim, scraped off all the very thin butyl tape and laid a bead of rubber roof sealant caulk on all the seams. Then I laid a bead in all the trim and the compartment door frames where the butyl tape had been, ensuring there was plenty to cover the entire joints. No leaks now but it is visible that there had been work done.

It took me about three or four weeks of 6 hour days to peel things back, let dry, repair the damage and then close it all back up and seal it.

The passenger side was not nearly as bad but I pulled off all the trim and sealed everything again just to be safe. Topped it all off with brand new channel tape in the trim channels. Hopefully I get another ten years out of it.

There have been some very heavy rains since and I have not detected any leaks. I HOPE that is the case but you never really know. I did my best but once it sets in it is a real mess!

Fortunately my rig has an all aluminum frame so I am not concerned about the frame collapsing or the overcab falling.

[Dakzuki]

Yes, you should be concerned.

[AndyW]

The problem is that you have know way of knowing the true extent of the damage without ripping things apart. If the leak is/was fixed before any real structural damage occurred, you could get 10-20 years of use out of the RV without really needing to do anything at all. Or you could end up falling through a rotten cab-over bunk in the middle of the night.

[Teacher_s_Pet]

The start of delamination of the exterior covering from the substrate comes 1st to mind. No way would I buy it.

[ScottG]

Yes, avoid at all costs!!!

[10Grands]

So even if its not visible inside (water damage) it will eventually and be a costly fix?

[newman_fulltime]

its delamination water damage