Cabover leaks - Would This Work
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 alm...
Forum Discussion
I'm well aware of all of what you say above ... within the conditions of when and where the various engineering principles apply. (Masters + in engineering fields, too ... FWIW.)
As much stiffness in Class C non-one-piece-walls/roofs design cabover areas is the name of the game if you're going to keep their interface points ("seams") from flexing relative to each other. You don't want seams flexing between themselves if you're going to keep sealants in them from being under unnecessary physical stress. You also don't want UV rays drying out and/or breaking down the chemistry of those sealants.
Cabover Class C areas do not have to "automatically" leak anymore than vehicle roofs leak - over the years. One has to know some very basic things to look for when buying a Class C as to what might keep any one particular Class C cabover setup from being future-leak prone. It doesn't take advanced, or any, educational degrees to figure out what might be required.
Ron Dittmer has posted plenty in these forums on some excellent basics to look for in RV roofs in general, and cabover roofs in particular, regarding what designs might or might not leak in the future with an RV.
My posts here in this discussion thread were merely to add some comments on sensible internal construction details that us buyers and OEM manufacturers should be keeping in mind if we want to buy, or they want to built in, a quality product strength-wise so as to help with seam-leak prevention. OEMs don't even need extensive engineering staffs to apply good old backyard savvy in getting their structures rigid enough on the road so they don't either crack from inadequate flexibility where it belongs or leak from too much flexibility in seam areas.
All In My Humble Mixed Background Opinion, of course.
As much stiffness in Class C non-one-piece-walls/roofs design cabover areas is the name of the game if you're going to keep their interface points ("seams") from flexing relative to each other. You don't want seams flexing between themselves if you're going to keep sealants in them from being under unnecessary physical stress. You also don't want UV rays drying out and/or breaking down the chemistry of those sealants.
Cabover Class C areas do not have to "automatically" leak anymore than vehicle roofs leak - over the years. One has to know some very basic things to look for when buying a Class C as to what might keep any one particular Class C cabover setup from being future-leak prone. It doesn't take advanced, or any, educational degrees to figure out what might be required.
Ron Dittmer has posted plenty in these forums on some excellent basics to look for in RV roofs in general, and cabover roofs in particular, regarding what designs might or might not leak in the future with an RV.
My posts here in this discussion thread were merely to add some comments on sensible internal construction details that us buyers and OEM manufacturers should be keeping in mind if we want to buy, or they want to built in, a quality product strength-wise so as to help with seam-leak prevention. OEMs don't even need extensive engineering staffs to apply good old backyard savvy in getting their structures rigid enough on the road so they don't either crack from inadequate flexibility where it belongs or leak from too much flexibility in seam areas.
All In My Humble Mixed Background Opinion, of course.
