Cab over rot

[link30240]

Considering buying a brand new class C

Have been looking at used class C's for a while now and virtually everyone has some degree of rot or delamination in the cab over portion. Is it inevitable due to design or does everyone just suck at maintaining them?

[klutchdust]

Look at what is referred to as a B+. it's a class C with no overhead bunk but an entertainment center instead. We don't need the extra sleeping area so it works for us.

Me thinks that sometimes that extra space is used to store various items. You have that extra weight in an area that is prone to have issues. My Cambria's nose bounces quite a bit with just the tv and some items in the cabinets, imagine a bed space crammed with stuff .

[lfcjasp]

We climb up in the cabover to check for any signs of leaking or dampness; I would say at least once a month. We've had a bad leak up there the first year and thank God, Allstate helped with paying for the repairs. And so far no other problems.

[bobm253]

Look for a unit with a one piece fiberglass cap.

[bsinmich]

There is a lot of unsupported weight in the cabover. That gives a lot of bouncing to the frame. I think that has toge the most important place to check on a Class C and also a regular maintenance program for the cabover.

[maillemaker]

Delamination is a great indicator of water intrusion. If I were buying again, I'd avoid any RV with delamination. Some delam is caused by the sun heating the laminate and causing the glue to let go - especially if there are dark-colored decals/paint on the area. But I think that issue has been largely addressed.

A rotted RV is a headache, from mold causing allergies to structural integrity. I have to take Allegra every time I use our RV because of this. When shopping, believe your eyes and your nose. Also go around the inside and outside of the unit, pushing firmly on the walls in suspect places - corners, along the roofline, under windows, feeling for softness.

Steve

[Cali-MinnieWinn]

Keep looking; it's good that you know what to look for and avoid.

[Juzaxadar]

I think it's both. Leaks are easy to come by especially on older models and a lot of owners don't know how to check and/or seal.

Having completely rebuilt my cab over I have become a lot more careful about sealing and it has become easier to understand why the leaks happen and give a little grace to regular folks who own motorhomes.

[link30240]

SidecarFlip wrote:

link30240 wrote:
Considering buying a brand new class C

Have been looking at used class C's for a while now and virtually everyone has some degree of rot or delamination in the cab over portion. Is it inevitable due to design or does everyone just suck at maintaining them?

I'd say the latter. I bet 90%+ of owners don't have a clue about seal maintenance.

When the roof leaks on your house, you get a new roof. When the seals leak on an RV, it's already too late because it's rotten underneath.

Wouldnt say a 2005 class c for 27k was deeply discounted. was a pretty nice looking unit too. but when I started pushing the areas around and above the cab it was easily apparent how soft it was compared to other areas.

[j-d]

Dusty R wrote:
I've had the marker lights leak more often than the window.

+1

[Dusty_R]

I've had the marker lights leak more often than the window.

[SidecarFlip]

link30240 wrote:
Considering buying a brand new class C

Have been looking at used class C's for a while now and virtually everyone has some degree of rot or delamination in the cab over portion. Is it inevitable due to design or does everyone just suck at maintaining them?

I'd say the latter. I bet 90%+ of owners don't have a clue about seal maintenance.

When the roof leaks on your house, you get a new roof. When the seals leak on an RV, it's already too late because it's rotten underneath.

[ksg5000]

There are plenty of well maintained used Class C's for sale that have no cabover problems. Maybe you selecting Class C's that are deeply discounted?

[bukhrn]

I don't believe it is inevitable, although the ones with window in the cabover seem to have more problems than those without, but any of them can have leaks, unfortunately you may not notice them right away, which creates a worse problem.
Maintenance may not be a matter of neglect or poor maintenance, I resealed mine before we left on a cross country trip, a 4 month trip, before we got home, I had a serious leak at the front seam.