2019 Kodiak water in wheel well

Gdetrailer wrote:


As I mentioned before, manufacturer pretty much flubbed the build by turning the wheel well metal up on the outside of the siding.

So basically it is a manufacturing design flaw.

Manufacturer should have turned down the wheel well sheet metal, then ran the siding down to cover the turned down sheet metal. Then all that would be needed is a dab of caulking between the inside of the siding and the sheet metal.

There is no way for them to turn the sheet metal under the siding either up or down. The wall is a glued together laminated assembly, made by pinch rolling or vacuum bonding. The siding is part of that assembly and would need to be left loose somehow to do what you describe. Dutchmen has been doing the wheel wells like that for years. It's cheap and fast and that's what you get. Is there a better way? Yep. You're not going to ever see it.

On just about every trailer made if you poke around underneath you'll find exposed edges of luan in the wheel wells, which is the outer layer of the wall assembly behind the filon. Even better are the manufacturers who use a plastic wheelwell tub, like Forest Rivers Rockwood or Flagstaff brands. Its almost guaranteed you can find some exposed luan on those. Then it gets wet from wheel spray and wicks up into the wall which you don't see as it's behind the plastic surface mounted skirt, that is until the panel starts delaminating higher than the top of the skirt.