Leak in Outside Class C overhang

[slyone50]

I have a 2005 Winnebago Itasca Spirit 26 A. I have been recaulking where required, but water seeps through the caulk along the front of the seem of the horizontal piece along the bottom of the overhang. I have no problem with seepage or a leak any where else. First, where does the water come from and second why does it seep. The caulk is what was recommended.

Thanks.

[Harvey51]

Interesting discussion!
My problem is a little different but might be informative. On the trip in early July we had a heavy rain and water dripped on the cabover bed, right on me. I woke up in the middle of the night wondering if was the dreaded incontinence. The drip was out of the ceiling seam, open for inspection in this view. I can't see very well in there without damaging the sheet of ceiling material and I don't know what kind it is or where to get it.

I put planks under the wheels on one side to help the water drain off the flat roof and turned off the fridge for the rest of the night. At home I took all the caulking off the ceiling vent and noticed the metal roof sheeting goes right up to the plastic trim, looking like leaking water could not escape into the ceiling. Next move was to redo the caulking along the join between the metal roof and the plastic front of the cabover.

That looks a little messy but it seems to have worked. No leaks in several rains. Note the piece of 2 inch wide eternabond over the caulking on the far end. It stayed there for weeks and 1000 km of driving. I think I will run 4 inch wide eternabond over the whole 8 foot joint.

[slyone50]

Thanks

[ksg5000]

Have the rig pressure tested to ascertain where the leak (leaks) are coming from - cost less than $200 and will save you lots of time/money/aggravation trying to find the various sources of the leaks. Once the leaks are fixed - focus on what water damage has been done to the rig. There is likely a seam under the overhang where the water is dripping - remove the screws and allow all the water to drip out. Chances are you have water damage to the overhang - use Google and find the many threads where people have re-built the overhang - you may not need a total rebuild but chances are you have some damage that needs fixing. If your not handy - could be expensive.

[bukhrn]

DrewE wrote:
If it's water coming out from this seam, it's getting in somewhere else and that's just the low point where it collects and finds a way out. I had a similar problem and the cause was the seam between the roof and the cabover front section. The water was running down the inside of the cabover wall and not showing any signs of leakage inside the motorhome, even though a nice puddle had collected and was dripping out the underside seam.

If it's water getting into the RV through the seam, I would think that caulking the leading edge carefully with a sealant would be sufficient.

I actually left the trailing edge of that seam unsealed on my motorhome intentionally after cleaning up and repairing damage from the leak. I though it better to have a way for moisture to escape if it ever got in again rather than forming a puddle in/around/under the bunk board. There's no practical way I can see for water to be pushed backwards into the seam, either when standing still or driving. I guess speeding in reverse or being ham-fisted with a pressure washer might do it.

I would suggest pulling whatever trim you can pull from the inside of the front of the cabover and having a look around there.

BINGO, WE HAVE A WINNER !!!!!

[slyone50]

It's what you describe in your first paragraph. I have already done what you suggest in your second paragraph. I will try what you suggest in your last paragraph.

Thanks for your info and help.

[slyone50]

DrewE wrote:
If it's water coming out from this seam, it's getting in somewhere else and that's just the low point where it collects and finds a way out. I had a similar problem and the cause was the seam between the roof and the cabover front section. The water was running down the inside of the cabover wall and not showing any signs of leakage inside the motorhome, even though a nice puddle had collected and was dripping out the underside seam.

If it's water getting into the RV through the seam, I would think that caulking the leading edge carefully with a sealant would be sufficient.

I actually left the trailing edge of that seam unsealed on my motorhome intentionally after cleaning up and repairing damage from the leak. I though it better to have a way for moisture to escape if it ever got in again rather than forming a puddle in/around/under the bunk board. There's no practical way I can see for water to be pushed backwards into the seam, either when standing still or driving. I guess speeding in reverse or being ham-fisted with a pressure washer might do it.

I would suggest pulling whatever trim you can pull from the inside of the front of the cabover and having a look around there.

[slyone50]

That is what's happebing.

[slyone50]

pauldub wrote:
Not understanding how there is leaking or seeping that doesn't leak to the inside of the motor home. Where is the leak really showing? Are you saying that it leaks in somewhere unknown and leaks back out the seam that goes across the bottom of the cab over?

[coolmom42]

Check the front running lights, if you have them. They can be a source of a leak.

[DrewE]

If it's water coming out from this seam, it's getting in somewhere else and that's just the low point where it collects and finds a way out. I had a similar problem and the cause was the seam between the roof and the cabover front section. The water was running down the inside of the cabover wall and not showing any signs of leakage inside the motorhome, even though a nice puddle had collected and was dripping out the underside seam.

If it's water getting into the RV through the seam, I would think that caulking the leading edge carefully with a sealant would be sufficient.

I actually left the trailing edge of that seam unsealed on my motorhome intentionally after cleaning up and repairing damage from the leak. I though it better to have a way for moisture to escape if it ever got in again rather than forming a puddle in/around/under the bunk board. There's no practical way I can see for water to be pushed backwards into the seam, either when standing still or driving. I guess speeding in reverse or being ham-fisted with a pressure washer might do it.

I would suggest pulling whatever trim you can pull from the inside of the front of the cabover and having a look around there.

[pauldub]

Not understanding how there is leaking or seeping that doesn't leak to the inside of the motor home. Where is the leak really showing? Are you saying that it leaks in somewhere unknown and leaks back out the seam that goes across the bottom of the cab over?

[slyone50]

The leak is on the outside on the underside of the over hang where a metal or acrylic strip goes from one side to the other. There is no leak to the inside of the MH. # 1 and 2 don't apply. #3 Cabover side windows might be it. There are no leaks anywhere else or damage that might be the culprit.

Thanks

[j-d]

Welcome Aboard!

Best thing is to have it pressure tested, or get a furnace blower and make a pressure tester. Then, soapy solution sprayed from and old 409 bottle will reveal the source. From the inside, you see where the water WENT and what you need is where it entered.

Do you have a Front Window? If so, Suspect Number One.

Suspect Number Two, Clearance Lights

Suspect Number Three, Clogged Track Drain Holes in Cabover Side Windows

From there, Suspect Pool (no pun...) is any Seam, any Sealant, any Damage