Replacing Minnie Winnie Cabover; 12/29 New Post With Photos

[mikeleblanc413]

Update: On December 29th, I posted an update at this forum with current photos. Look for it further down in this thread.

As most of you know, cabover leaks surface from time to time and one must be proactive in their management. Mine greeted me shortly after purchase in Janury 2012 and while it is under control, I still think that I'd like to replace the cabover and make it one fiberglass piece with no windows (I only have side windows) and short like a Class B. Has anyone done this? Has anyone thought out of the box on this approach? We love our Minnnie Winnie! I've traveled the midwest with a circus as educator for the children, and I've just completed a 6 month trip from the Rio Grande Valley to Glacier National Park, with 4 of the six months being a workcamper. I've visited 23 states and put over 20,000 miles on Winnie and we have plans for 2015. All comments, suggestions, ideas, input, etc. appreciated.

[short_kid]

I had a Fourwinds C that was 1 1/2 years old and leaked all over. First was over the cab, I took all the lights off and sealed the wire holes, sealed around the screws before putting them back in, replaced 2 cracked lenses. I sealed around the front window, took the driver side window inside trim off and could see thru to outside!!! Removed the window and put new butel sealer around it and reinstalled. There was a leak around my antenna mount, fixed it, then around my skylight, fixed it. I also took the plastic trim out of my roof to sidewall channels and backed all the screws out and sealed them. I was so aggravated after owning this for only 6 months. On our last outing the DW never told me until a week later, she found another leak. It was traded later that month. Before we bought it, I was on the roof with the tech while he was resealing all the roof fixtures and seams, I felt sure it would be OK. The rig sat just a little down hill in my drive and the water was running inside the structure, forward. Good luck and don't discount any seam or roof fixture.

[mikeleblanc413]

We've had a lot of rain yesterday and today. Previously, I thought the leak may be the running lights above the cabover and during a dry spell I cut visqueened, made coverings and taped the running lights up. I also removed the cabover windows to check for leakage and have them visqueened. The front end is raised on blocks and water is still coming in, although not nearly as bad as before. Water is not coming in from the windows. I've pretty much got everything taped with Eternabond. I'm suspecting that somehow water is getting inside the trim covering of the gutter that runs along each top side of the coach and working it's way frontward. When the weather clears I plan to Eternabond the gutters so that water quickly runs off the roof and to the ground. All comments appreciated.

[mikeleblanc413]

Snowman9000 you may be right. Finding leaks can be challenging. For now, it appears that the bulk of the leak was from the cabover front lights. I'm going to revisqueen them with clear duct tape. I'm also going to reinstall the side cabover windows some time this week. At this point my biggest concern is keeping the inside dry and monitoring very closely for wetness. We love Winnie and it fits perfectly for our purpose and our plans are to keep this one as long as possible. Keep in touch. Happy New Year!

[Snowman9000]

So something you just did reduced the leak? Sounds like you suspect your running light coverage was not good enough.

[mikeleblanc413]

Hi Snowman9000! Has it rained!!!! YES! We got some 2-4 inches last evening and this morning. Checked the cabover early this morning. It was more damp than soaking wet at the edges. I had removed the windows and visqueened to be able to check of any water coming in from that area. Nothing. I have the cabover lights visqueened and will do a better job of visqueening them for the time being. I am very glad that my short list of items was an empty cabover and that I removed the foam at the first leak in 2012 and am able to check easily and quickly. Comments always appreciated. Happy New Year!

[Snowman9000]

Has it rained since your last leak update? Any news?

[mikeleblanc413]

Happy New Year tboss! Don't see a bumb in the photo. Walked out to Winnie and checked. Don't see a bump. Certainly do appreciate your input. Stay in touch.

[tboss]

In pic 0806 is that a bump under th roof right beside where the awning attaches..

[IAMICHABOD]

mikeleblanc413 wrote:
Thanks IAMICHABOD !!! Great information. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Right back at you Mike !!! Happy New Year to you too and I hope that it will be a DRY ONE for you. Best of luck in finding that leak.

[mikeleblanc413]

Thanks IAMICHABOD !!! Great information. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

[pnichols]

I wonder why Class A and Class B motorhomes are required by the DOT to have front running lights? .... Because - unlike a big rig - their front headlights are spaced right out very close to the vehicle's final width, so there is no need for additional lights to show the width at night. Of course a big rig's tractor is narrower than it's trailer, so trailer running lights are needed to define the maximum width since the tractor headlights are spaced too close.

[Butch50]

pnichols wrote:
I didn't say beyond the spirit of the law ... I said beyond the LETTER of the law.

By the way ... if the running lights on small Class C motorhomes are to indicate the width of the RV to other vehicles approaching from the front at night ... then what are the other three front running lights for? The two outside ones are enough. Also, why do many normal width pickup truck cabs have five front running lights on them ... does the letter of the law imply that they are too wide or imply that they are too tall?

Obey all the letters you want and do all the RV tinkering you think you have to do as a result. As for me, keeping my small Class C RV in tip-top leak-proof shape is time and money consuming enough as it is ... without adding more work/concerns/headaches by keeping the parts of going that serve no usability purpose other than to bring water inside that you don't want.

By the way to many of you letter of the law hounds out there, if your RV is a widebody (around 101-102 inches wide) one, then be sure to do the due-diligence research to see what roads in the U.S. you can letter of the law illegally drive on ... so that you can plan your RV routes accordingly.

Single rear wheel trucks do not require the clearance lights. They are an option that some people order because they want to try and be a big rig. By law dual wheel trucks are required to have them because of the rear wheel width. That is the reason they also have lights on the rear fenders. Also take a look at the rear of newer dually trucks and you will see the clearance lights on the rear of the trucks also.

Did you even read the link that I provided for your viewing. So to tell you what the 3 middle ones are supposed to tell you is that it is a wide vehicle and the two outside ones indicate how wide they are.

Take a look at the link I have provided to you and maybe you can get more understanding of what is the law and what the lights mean.

[mikeleblanc413]

THANKS to everyone who has taken the time to respond! You're right DAS26miles my filon looks good. I now have both cabover windows removed and will reseal as soon as possible. It's supposed to rain for the next three days. What a test! I've found some delamination about the cabover window on the driver side. With gas at $2.00, I'm ready for a road trip. My last three large road trips were taken at $3.50 plus per gallon; in some cases $4.00 per gallon.

It's New Years Eve and time to chill! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

[miniwinipowerst]

My 2001 Minnie Winnie experienced the exact same fate which I discovered and fixed in August 2013, two weeks before departing on a vacation, so that was my motivation to fix it promptly. The 16" (If my memory is correct) wide by 102" long sip panel was shot from water intrusion from the metal double C channel on the rear of the panel from water being forced up and to the sides of the cab over. My approach was to pull off the front filon from the front wrap and under and let it hang. Replace the 16" sip panel with 1/2" plywood glued and laminated to make one piece 102" long, 16" wide by 1" thick. This piece needs glued and screwed to the aluminum side frame structure. Then re glue the filon back around the nose with good quality contact cement. The double c channel needs to be sealed with 3M fast cure 5200 marine adhesive/sealant along with the curved front side seams (inject into voids flush to surface). I glued white Formica onto the plywood panel for the interior finish which looks great before I glued and screwed it in place. For the front curved side seams I put butyl tape underneath the aluminium decorative trim and sealed the edges of the hoops with 3M 5200. No issues now for the 1 1/2 years since the fix and it feels more solid and stronger than new with the plywood panel. The only compromise is weight of plywood vs. SIP panel and reduction of insulation ability but that is minimal. I may be able to post pictures if I can find them. I hope this helps give you with insight into a solution. The problem can be resolved!