Rusty, Greasy streaks running down the side

[ROYBUCK]

This just started, it is coming below the basement doors looks like maybe coming from the hinges on the door, does any one have any idea if it is coming from the hinges, if it is how do I correct it. Thanks Roy

[xctraveler]

Is there a slideout above the door where the streaks are? My slideout floor, plywood, became waterlogged and delaminated. It drooled ugly brown every time we pulled it in or out. Tiffin replaced the floor with an aluminum framed floor, much more solid and not subject to delam.

[bsinmich]

coolmom42 wrote:
After cleaning, I would use the smallest amount of WD-40 you can get to cover the length of the hinge. Use the small nozzle on the can & wipe off the excess. WD-40 does tend to hold a little dirt/dust, but it is the only consumer-available lubricant I know of that won't eventually gum up & produce a mess like you have.

WD 40 is not a lubricant. It is Water Displacement 40. It does a good job or replacing water but the lubricating factor is very low.

[coolmom42]

After cleaning, I would use the smallest amount of WD-40 you can get to cover the length of the hinge. Use the small nozzle on the can & wipe off the excess. WD-40 does tend to hold a little dirt/dust, but it is the only consumer-available lubricant I know of that won't eventually gum up & produce a mess like you have.

[ROYBUCK]

Any suggestion to what kind of lube to use on the hinges, of course after they have been cleaned. Roy

[schlep1967]

I have the same thing. On mine it seems to be coming out of the door panels themselves. The door panels sit against the rubber seal that keeps the water out of the interior. This seems to allow the water to wick its way into the door panel at the top and gravity brings it out at a lower location with the brown color. Come warmer weather I am thinking about running a bead of caulk around the top half. Then at the end of summer after the insides have had a chance to dry out, seal off the whole thing.

[DutchmenSport]

"Whatever you do don't be aggressive with finish, slow and easy is the key IMO"

Mine is not hard crusted, it's a soft oily substance. It does not get hard and does not get embedded in the finish requiring a cleaning compound. A soft cloth with a gentle rub removes mine. No cleaning chemicals needed at all. It only "looks" like rust, has a rust color. I am sooner to believe it is the chemicals used in the wood behind the finish that is some how leaking out. But this is strange too. It happens when there's no rain. And the streaks appear where it appears the door and the sides are sealed tight, or covered completely with the outer finish. It just appears, it's soft, oily, and removes easily. It's just frustrating it keeps coming back.

[path1]

Might not be your problem, but I had a rusty looking thing below a screw. Pulled screw and found that is was zinc coated and they are not as good as stainless and zinc does not last very long compared to other metals IMO.. They lose their zinc coating and start rusting IMO.

So screws and hinges and any other zinc exposed to weather, I've replaced with stainless. Others I couldn't match up I got new zinc screws and others I couldn't find replacement, I put a clear coat on them, (better known as wives clear finger nail polish) seals up rusting zinc pretty good for awhile. Same goes for cheap zinc rivets, replace them.

To get off my brown spots I picked up some "fiberglass rubbing compound" and very gently used a Q-tip and removed brown spots and put about 3 layers of wax over top of them. Or better yet stop by a fancy boat place and ask. How do I rub out my finish? Mine was on filon siding. Whatever you do don't be aggressive with finish, slow and easy is the key IMO. Of course if brown spots are too deep I'm not sure what to do. Finishes are only so deep and measured in 1,000 of inches so be careful.

All of my brown spots didn't really sink into my head until one day picking up mail and noticed how the mail box was getting rusty on top. RV metal is also exposed to the elements and some metal loses its protective coating just by being exposed. And maybe that's why they make anodes out of zinc also.

[doxiemom11]

I had this on a door handle of my vehicle once. It was 1 screw that was not an original screw and it was rusted. DH replaced with whatever should have been there the the brown streaks running our of the handle stopped.

[coolmom42]

Maybe it's old oxidized gummy grease coming off in the rain, from the hinges.

I would test some WD-40 on a small spot of the side and make sure it doesn't harm your finish. If it's good, then spray some on a rag, a very generous amount, and use it to clean the hinges. WD-40 is good at cleaning up old gunk like that, as a solvent.

[DutchmenSport]

Funny you should post this. Mine in a TT, but noticed all Summer a similar brown streak coming from the outside storage door, only on 1 door though. I thought about posting asking if anyone knew what this was, but never did.

Mine is exactly as you describe. It's brown, looks like a rust color, is kind of oily. It wipes off OK, washes away no problem. The door looks ok for a while, then all of a sudden, it's back.

I thought it might be tree sap, but it's not parked under a tree. I thought, maybe bird poo, but it's always brown and always in the same spot (unlikely that's bird poo). I've never oiled the hinges, and the compartment does not leak when it rains either.

It's a total mystery to me where this is coming from. I've never been to Amityville, so I don't think I've picked up any bleeding ghosts in my travels.

Yes, if anyone has any clues, I'm very interested also what it might be and if there is a solution.

[bsinmich]

Have you lubed your hinges to prevent them from rusting?