Caulking Roof to gutter

[TNGW1500SE]

I'm replacing the caulking on my roof where it meets the gutter on my 2003 Itasca Sunova 30B. The roof is fiberglass and the gutter is aluminum. Removing the old calk is a pain. I'm using picks, razor blades and scotchbright pads. I'm going to need to re-caulk. What should I use? Also why wouldn't I use some Eturnabond (spelling???) tape over it as well after I caulk it? Any reason not to? I never want to do this again!!!

[4x4van]

Just a point regarding the Manus Bond. Per the manufacturer, Manus Bond has a shelf life of just 9 months. While OK to use after that on some areas, I would only use fresh Manus Bond on the highly vulnerable roof edge seam of our Winnebago/Itasca RVs. Had mine fail last year while driving (almost exactly like Mike Brez's pics above); don't want to go through that again.

[dickiebob]

I had an 2001 Itasca Sunrise 30W with the fiberglass roof which was barely tucked under the metal side gutters. When inspecting it I thought it looked good....but on further exam when you pushed in on the fiberglass it was not sealed and pushed in.

I ordered two tubes of the Manus Bond (a polyurethane product recomended by Winnebago at the time) from Lichtsinn RV in Forest City....ended up only using one tube and part of another for both full sides after spending a day cleaning the area before using with a can of Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol. (have to use the Manus Bond in a non-enclosed area...can be hard on breathing). This product dries with a hard surface and really sticks.

I ended up using the remaining tube about four years later to seal the Carefree awning rail to the motorhome rail on my full slide on my current 2007 Monaco Monarch SFS30 SVE. Water was getting into the open design sponge rubber slide seal and rusting out the alligator style teeth that held the seal on around the slideout perimeter (metal rusting and seal failure happened twice in a three year period with the metal strip floating around on top of the slideout and the rubber sliding around with it). Second time I researched the Internet for an enclosed seal and found the ZML 6705 rubber seal with encapsulated metal from Clean Seal, Inc. It has been on with no failures since 2010. (installed for me by All Stars RV in Louviers, Colo.) I think I may have been one of the first persons to use this seal....had to order it from a second supplier...but Clean Seal did send me samples to look at before ordering.

Rather wordy response but I hope this is helpful and informative. Good luck and happy travels.

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[Horsedoc]

"That must have been more than a couple of years ago, because Forest City wants closer to $2,000 to do it now."


WOW! It was several years ago 2002 maybe? I remember thinking it was too much back then. I sure would choose to do it myself now!

[Mile_High]

Horsedoc wrote:
After a roof inspection (2000 Itasca Horizon) in Forest City several years ago the tech told me the roof needed re-caulking. They would do it for $400 or I could do it myself just for the price of the caulk. I chose the 'do it myself' route. I cleaned the roof and gutter with an alcohol based window cleaner and did the caulk job. Decided I did not want to ever go thru that again and bought a 4 inch wide roll of EBond tape. I split the tape and then cleaned again. Marked a straight line above the gutter edge on the roof. Let the factory edge of the tape follow that line and the width of the tape follow the roof line and lap onto the side of the gutter next to the body of the coach. This was the fiber tape and had to be painted with the UV resistant paint. We kept that coach until 2008 and the EBond was as strong as the day I put it on. Great stuff

That must have been more than a couple of years ago, because Forest City wants closer to $2,000 to do it now.

[Horsedoc]

After a roof inspection (2000 Itasca Horizon) in Forest City several years ago the tech told me the roof needed re-caulking. They would do it for $400 or I could do it myself just for the price of the caulk. I chose the 'do it myself' route. I cleaned the roof and gutter with an alcohol based window cleaner and did the caulk job. Decided I did not want to ever go thru that again and bought a 4 inch wide roll of EBond tape. I split the tape and then cleaned again. Marked a straight line above the gutter edge on the roof. Let the factory edge of the tape follow that line and the width of the tape follow the roof line and lap onto the side of the gutter next to the body of the coach. This was the fiber tape and had to be painted with the UV resistant paint. We kept that coach until 2008 and the EBond was as strong as the day I put it on. Great stuff

[mike_brez]

4x4van wrote:
Dicor is a great sealant, but a lousy "glue". The roof edge seal on Winnebagos/Itascas need "glue", specifically:
Manus Bond 75AM

X2 or this could happen

[4x4van]

Dicor is a great sealant, but a lousy "glue". The roof edge seal on Winnebagos/Itascas need "glue", specifically:
Manus Bond 75AM

[TNGW1500SE]

Found this post on another forum so I went to Home Depot and got this Henry brand adhesive to try. After that drys, I'll tape it too.

"According to this posting http://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/roof...tml#post937079 Henry 212 is a US-equivalent of their Canadian Stone Mason brand which Winnebago was using. It's available at Home Depot for about $8.50 a tube."

[Mile_High]

If it is not a full body paint, the tape is probably fine, especially if you have already used scotch brite pads on it.

[Bruce_Brown]

Winnebago used Eternabond to fix some Vistas and Sunstars, so why not?

Friends had a 2001 Winnie we did exactly what you're taking about doing. That one had a leak we never did find. We Eternabonded it and problem solved.

When I rebuilt our TT I used Eternabond on it to seal it up. I did, however, run a bead of Dicor down the edge of the Eternabond too.

Grab yourself one of these if you want to make the job easier. Having used one of these, I'll never be without one again.

[23hotrodr]

Winnebago uses caulk called "Manus Bond". You can get it from Winne, Or the proper caulk from a Winne dealer. It is not at all like Dicor. I do think a 2" wide strip installed over this seam keeps the UV light off this seam and greatly prolongs it's life. It does, however, make working on it a lot more difficult in the future, if ever necessary. There are seams at the front and rear of the roof panel that are caulked with this same "Manus Bond" and can be serviced in the same way.

Good Luck-- Mick

[Lwiddis]

Caulk should last almost forever when covered by Eternabond tape.

[gbopp]

gbopp wrote:
It's not necessary to remove all the old caulk. Just get the loose stuff, clean well and apply the new caulk. Dicor self leveling works great on the horizontal areas, like you are planning.
Use a hair dryer or heat gun (on low) with a plastic scraper to remove the old caulk.

After you recaulk, I would apply a strip of Eternabond. Clean well before applying the Eternabond and use a roller. I like a steel roller, some like a wood roller.
Which ever one you chose, press hard and get a good contact. The Eternabond will last a long time.

Caulk under the Eternabond is what I use on our 96 Southwind. I think it's a good idea.
I messed this post up. :S