Cabover leaks - Would This Work

[fortytwo]

The current horror story thread detailing Coachman Leprechaun cabover leaks is unfortunately representative of very common class C events. Poor workmanship, combined with design incompetence are almost always present. After you own one locating, fixing, and keeping the leak fixed are difficult and often ugly.

There have been discussions of applying pickup bed liner material as a fix for pesky roof problems. Could that be a viable long term solution for the manufacturers inability to deliver leak free cabover units?

I discovered a Coachman class C I really like; no leaks yet; but the seam design is a leak waiting to happen. The selling dealer does not dispute my analysis, and said cabover seam leaks were a frequent problem with Coachman C's they get in trade. I can't consider trading until I identify a way to take the probability of cabover leaks away. I've been RV'ing almost 50 years and simply can't watch for em' and fix em' myself any more.

[mikeleblanc413]

When I purchased my Winnebago Minnie Winnie in December 2011, my research indicated that the cabover would provide the greatest potential for leaks. Based on my research, I began looking for a cabover with nothing in it. That I found and have dealt with a variety of cabover leaks since purchase. My question is: Why doesn't someone design a lightweight fiberglass piece that is much shorter and doesn't hang over: much like many of the newer models.

[rjstractor]

pnichols wrote:
After all, take a look at one of the most popular RV designs of all time - the fifth wheel. Isn't the front-end of a 5'er a "protruding cantilever" design just like the cabover of a Class C is? It sure is. In addition, the cantilevered front portion of a 5'er has to carry way more leveraged weight than what the overhead cab cantilevered portion of a Class C has to carry - even including the extra weight of stuff one may have piled on top of the Class C bed when going down the road.

I see your point, except I think you missed one difference with a 5'er- the weight of the overhang on front is not cantilievered at all. With the hitch underneath the whole overhang is built on top of a very stout steel framework. With a C, it truly is cantilievered. Some of the weight may rest on the cab, but with most of the top of the cab cut off there is a lot more inherent flex. If manufacturers built a steel framework for the cabover to rest on it would flex less, but of course that would add weight and take up space.

[ronfisherman]

NancyLong wrote:
Is there anyone out there that has had a C for several years and the cab-over did not leak?

10 years no leaks. I go up on roof every 6 months. Make sure there are no cracks in roof or seams. I have used Eternabond and Dicor on my Fiberglass roof.

[NancyLong]

Is there anyone out there that has had a C for several years and the cab-over did not leak?

[TyroneandGladys]

Our Cochmen has an aluminum roof and the previous owner sealed it with Kool Kote. Knock on wood 4 years for us and no leaks.

[Handbasket]

Yep. My Tiger's cabover is still leak-free after 8 years, other than an unrelated window leak. But it's an unusual design, with roof, upper sides, and front and rear all a one piece fiberglass molding. Probably it's only applicable to very small units. If it'd had the 'conventional' many-seamed C design, I wouldn't have bought it. I'd have kept the class B Roadtrek C190P I had, which was pretty dang leakproof, as well.

Jim, "I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money."

[dumboat2]

We have owned class C 's since 1985 and never had a cab over leak. Lucky I guess. Sealed and resealed each year, always tried to be proactive with maintenance. However after following this thread and a few of the others about leaking class C 's and all of the negative comments, we have decided to get out while the getting is good. Since according to you guys it is inevitable, we are selling ours and moving on. Maybe some day someone will build the perfect RV. Of course then what would we have to talk about? Happy travels.

[yrraleel]

My 2002 GS 29' is a leaker repaired cabover sealed seam when it rains in pours
inside carpet gets wet in cab. never buy a class c they just do not stay fixed

[fortytwo]

Thanks for all the input on fixing/preventing cabover leak issues.

As some have indicated: cabovers do not have to leak. In the mid 60's I had a pickup camper with cabover - 100k miles, traveled all over the US, shipped to Germany and back as deck cargo, and never had a leak in the cabover, and it had a front window. That's where the kids always rode before the days of the safety police. Their favorite memories of RV'ing.

Preventing leaks is really a matter of construction design AND attention to detail. Sadly that's a minority situation in the RV world. The Class C that I'm cautiously considering is a Coachman. Coachman was one of the manufacturers I visited in '99 when I spent 6 months researching my Class A purchase. Presentation was great; execution of plan seen on the floor was horrid. Not what you would expect in Amish country. Workers were paid "piece rate" - a day was based on completing "n" of whatever task they were assigned. Get done early, leave early! Gotta have very effective inspector QC. Saw lot of evidence of the opposite on the floor. Took Coachman off the list. That was 14 years ago. Things are surely different, but how? Anecdotal conversations with used RV sales folks indicate not for the better, but just anecdotal - no statistical data.

The consolation is that technology now seems to provide a solution if poor construction leads to leaks - at some price.

Good point about 5th wheel cabovers. I don't follow that thread either so don't know their experience. I suspect that a great deal more design work goes into the cabover/body interface area due to the obvious load factors induced by the hitch.

The queen sized C cabovers look vulnerable. In the Pickup camper world that vulnerability was often countered with a set of support arms from the truck firewall up to the cabover. Don't remember ever seeing that on a Class C, but could be a possible solution if the design has a suspicious seam there.

Since I already have a smaller C, that has no leak vulnerabilities (other than clearance lights) inertia is a strong thing.

[ron_dittmer]

Actually there are a select few manufactures that make conventional class Cs without the leaking seam work. They have no seam work at all. Born Free and Winnebago Navion have seamless frontals. I have seen a particular Tioga that offered a huge seamless cab-over bed. Apparently it must be expensive and/or difficult to make or everyone would be making them that way.

All B+ aerodynamic caps are seamless.

[scroller95969]

Since this seems to be a common problem it's too bad that the manufacturers don't make an access doors or inspection plates at critical failure areas that can be taken off from the inside so that periodic inspections can be made. That way repairs could be made before serious damage had been done. I know with our uninsulated cargo trailer I would be able to tell immediately if a leak had started.

[pnichols]

I'm not sure I buy into the idea that the Class C cabover design is inherently leak-prone.

After all, take a look at one of the most popular RV designs of all time - the fifth wheel. Isn't the front-end of a 5'er a "protruding cantilever" design just like the cabover of a Class C is? It sure is. In addition, the cantilevered front portion of a 5'er has to carry way more leveraged weight than what the overhead cab cantilevered portion of a Class C has to carry - even including the extra weight of stuff one may have piled on top of the Class C bed when going down the road.

Also, the cabover section of a Class C is above the smoothest riding part of a Class C - the front end where the gently bouncing coil springs are. There's no harsh vertical pounding in the front of a Class C like there is at the back where the leaf springs are.

If seam leaks in the front of fifth wheels is "not a problem" (I'm not sure 5'er front-end leaks aren't a problem - I don't hang around the fifth wheel forum!), then there is no inherent design-limitation reasons why the cabovers of Class C rigs should be, or at least need to be, a problem. That is, unless Class C motorhomes are just plain getting put together more shoddily than 5'ers are ... which I doubt.

Our 2005 cabover area has been wet some, but not due to seam leaks. The cabover window was shattered by a rock from an on-coming gravel truck and we had to travel all the way across the U.S. with an improperly installed replacement window before we could get another one installed properly back home. Front cabover windows should not be there and I'll never buy another Class C with a cabover window in it.

Also, don't discount how much leakage damage can result from leaky cabover clearance lights. If these lights leak, the water goes right down in between the walls and might not show up until a long time later after a lot of rot and/or mold and mildew has taken place.

Just as a reference point: We RV with friends who have a 1994 Class C and it's cabover has never leaked anywhere ... so it can be done.

[lfcjasp]

We were aware of the weaknesses of the cabover when it comes to leaking. I get up in that bed every now and then and feel all over...if I smell anything funny or feel anything that is remotely damp, then we'll know we have some work to do there...and I pray we catch it before it becomes a major problem. If we didn't have to provide shelter for other loved ones:) we would have gone with something that slept fewer, but this floorplan was too perfect for us...

OP, good luck with your future purchase. Do you have ANYONE who could help you keep on top of this issue?

[my440]

I would buy sheets of galvanized metal and cover up the whole works.
Rubber roofed trailers & motorhomes of current will likely never see vintage status. Poor workmanship cheap skimpy materials is fraud. Full out.

[DaHose]

Seems to me the only Class C's without leaks, are ones that somebody fixed. 😉

Bah! Caveat emptor and go for a class C.

I completely rebuilt my cabover, because of long term leakage. The design just has that as a liability. Even if I bought something newer, I would still get a class C because it's the right floorplan for our needs. I am just a fair bit wiser about what to look for and what I am looking at.

Jose