Aluminum Tear?

Well, I got out there this morning and investigated the inside of the wall behind the crack. Nothing at all is out of place. There are no tears in the wall covering and the wall feels solid. The siding tear is the only evidence that something isn't quite right.

I'm proceeding as if it is just stress from flexing, and that everything internally is still intact (which I can't know for sure without tearing into it). I'll patch it for now using one of the methods you all have suggested. I just need to pick up a tube of ProFlex.

On a good note, while out there, I investigated the carbon monoxide detector (or is it also a propane detector?) because it hasn't worked since we bought the trailer. On the 5 camping trips we took this fall I just shut the propane off at night while we were sleeping. I didn't want to take a chance. Turns out, one of the wiring connections in a wire nut right behind the detector had lost contact. I twisted them together and reinstalled the wire nut to find that I now have a functioning detector. At least it works with the test button.

We see a lot of late '90s and early '00 5th wheel trailers with the skin split under the overhead bedroom slide. The fix was to add a 1" wide joint molding over the split skin. Be sure and seal with the proper sealant and add small SS screws to hold the molding in place and make it a long term leak free joint.

Later models came OEM with the piece from the assy line.

My 2000 Sunnybrook had the siding replaced on each side near the top twice at the factory… had the door replaced 3 times at the factory (it would stick closed and not open)… had the plywood reattached (door area) and new rubber installed at the factory… had the fresh water tank (mounted just below the door) fell out on the interstate on the way to FL, replaced at a dealer in NC…
I spent a lot of time at the factory and made many trips to Middlebury…

I have seen dozens of Sunnybrook’s in the 97 to 04 range with cracked or buckling siding…
The funny part of it was Sunnybrook claimed to have never heard of the problem…

I can assure you the siding on mine was a symptom and not the problem… the problem was never fixed on mine and I was tired of dealing with it… I hope yours is just the siding…

While my experience with them wasn’t so great back then, Sunnybrook was highly rated and a good company to deal with, with a great reputation…

Stop drill, seal, make a patch of .030 aluminum 1/3 bigger than the damage, drill and put sealant on the back of patch,pop rivet then seal around rivets and edge and paint over it. Want the actual airplane FAA instructions?

Any creasing or cracking on the inside of the RV at the same location?

Back in the day I saw lots of new metal sided trailers that would put a lap seam there with a screw in it. Was told a lot of them flex there. I would drill it and caulk it and see what happens.

B.O.

Same thing happened to our Sunnybrook. Otis drilled a hole to stop it, which has worked so far. Agnes

common problem that plagued Sunnybrook for years…

I have a 2006 Pioneer and it has done the same thing. two small tears about an 1-1/2" long above both corners of the door,, drilled a small hole at the top of the tear and covered with small strip of Eternabond, been two years now no more issues.
That is a flex point when going down the road.. Out of the one year warranty..

I don't think you're about to fix it the totally correct way: Remove cracked siding piece, reinforce frame, replace with new siding piece. I wouldn't do it that way either.
I'd suggest to stabilize that area by drilling and fastening a few small, color-matched sheet metal screws through the siding and into the aluminum frame. Seal with your choice of goop. A small bead of Proflex RV sealant would be a good choice.