Caulk and door question

[Wander_Woman]

Two quick questions for all the experienced camper owners. I have a new to me 2003 Northstar truck camper. First, how can I tell if caulk is silicone or not? I found clear silicone on the camper and have removed it (what a chore). There is a gunky white caulk used by a previous owner which has a bit of give to it also. After reading all the posts I could find, my plan is to use Dicor lap sealant on the roof then Eternabond, then 3M 5200 on the sides. I read that some caulks don’t completely harden, so not sure if the white caulk is silicone or not, hence don’t know if I should caulk on top of it or not.

Second, there is a metal prong on the outside that is supposed to hold the door open and allow the screen to stay shut. The prong goes into a black rubber circle which holds it, however the rubber has deteriorated to the point it just allows the door to flap. I’d like to replace the old rubber, but don't have a clue what it's called to begin searching for a replacement- any ideas? I have tried to contact Northstar twice via their on line query tool with other issues, but didn’t receive a response from them either time. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[FreebirdFlies]

Your nearest camping world probably has them in stock.
You have to buy the whole thing to get the rubber insert.
Did it last fall.

[whizbang]

I think you might be looking for this door stop plunger?

Door stop plunger

[Fishhunter]

I would be hesitant to use 5200. Once it's cured it is a bear to try and remove. I've used a lot of it over the years but only for marine applications. I don't think I would use it on a RV.

[mkirsch]

X2 on removing any unknown caulk.

I don't care what anyone says, do not use silicone caulk. It is designed to be used on a house that isn't bounced, shaken, and dragged down 1000's of miles of road. Most silicone caulks can be peeled right off smooth surfaces after they've fully cured in my experience.

Dicor is sticky, stays sticky, and stays flexible. That's what you want on an RV that's going to be rattling and shifting around all the time.

[jmckelvy]

Love your handle!

If there is any doubt about the sealant completely remove it, especially if silicone. I know it can really suck getting it all off.

As a previous Northstar 8.5 Arrow owner I had the same luck emailing the normal contact email address at Northstar.

Use this one you will get a response: rex@northstarcampers.com

My door holder did the same. I just used a short bungee cord hooked to the door to keep it open in wind.

We picked up our camper at the factory in Iowa. Great folks, great company and they make quality campers. You can call and talk to them easily also.

[Wander_Woman]

Ahh-it's called a door bumper. Great link, very helpful. Thank you!

[path1]

I'll stay out of silicone conversation...

For your door...go to link below, then skim your cursor over pic and you'll see who has them. Different sizes so measure first before ordering.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rv+door+bumper&biw=1188&bih=566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKE...