Found cabover rot!

[bakstrap]

Noticed a musty odor in my footlocker today and found puffy wallpaper, Peeled it all back to find major rot on walls about 6 inches from the floor up. Not sure what to do, Has anyone else experienced this issue? It is a 2002 shadow cruiser. Cannot see anywhere on the outside where it could be coming in, sealed tight.

[bakstrap]

Steve, they are, I am going to spend Saturday taking those lights off and going over everything with a magnifying glass, I will find the problem, I hope!

[sabconsulting]

What about the clearance lights - they are drilled through that fibreglass cap - could they be leaking?

Plus check the caulking where the fibreglass cap is joined onto the sides and roof.

Steve.

[bakstrap]

It sounds like it, but the area around the windows is bone dry,The shadow cruiser has a fiberglass front cap, and I am assuming it is somehow leaking in where it joins the roof, but it seems solid and sealed, I have some more snooping to do. I need to find the culprit before I can repair the damage.If I could figure out how to post a pic I would, I cannot figure it out.

[Camp__Forrest__]

Sounds like your side windows might be leaking. I pulled both of mine out this summer and both had evidence of leaks. It was a fairly easy job to take them out, reseal them, and put them back. I found the problem when I looked in the hamper (foot locker) to grab a flashlight one day.

[bakstrap]

Foot locker, the long cabinets that run along the mattress under the windows. Drilled some holes and all seems very dry, looks like it is just the 6 to 8 inches from the floor up on both sides.

[Super_Dave]

When you describe the area as, "foot locker", are you speaking of the step up into the overhead area? That maybe means pass through window leak?

[trailgranny50]

We are refurbishing an old '90'model 950 Shadow Cruiser and have found the ceiling over the cab over bed is done for. Toward the front of the escape vent. No current leaks before I sealed everything up tight on the outside and roof totally solid so suspect the leak was around the vent. After the absolutely necessary stuff is done we're fixing that and any rotted interior framing. We've already used the thing in pouring rain after my seal job and no problems. Just love that new old thing. See how much love there is after we fix the potty leak in the bath. May need new toilet/shower unit. Could get pricy. Ugh!

[bakstrap]

Thanks for the replies,drilling some holes are a great idea, turns out there is rot on both sides of camper, doesn't look as bad on driver side, The problem must be on top for both sides to be affected. I have my work cut out for me.

[joe_b_]

The source of the water leak may be several feet away from where the damage was found. Sometimes a faulty AC gasket, for example, will allow water to leak into the rig and follow the inside of the headliner to where ever. Fridge vents have been known to do the same. Any opening in the roof, can leak if not properly maintained and some leaks are very hard to find.

[Camper_Jeff___K]

Around any cab over windows. Below any cab over marker lights. I had to
re-caulk mine a couple times. The metal edging can be a water trap too. I have a tape seal on all of mine. Check the nose of the cab over where it connects to the TC roof. Does everything look clean and well sealed up there. I had to scrape off the old and apply new sealant to mine where the aluminum rooftop meets the filon of the nose.
Give it a good inspection. Anything that doesn't look right as my rule, probably isn't right.
Good luck.

[Photomike]

Someone else suggested on another post to take a small drill and put a few test holes into the wood. If soft and rotted then problem, if hard and woody your good.

If good I would add some silicone or wood filler into pilot holes to seal up.

[Bonesquatch]

Had that in my old palomino. There was a leak in the roof, leading water to dribble down the inside walls and eventually pool in the cabinets and floor. It was a slow leak so things like heavy dew and light rain were enough to lead to constant moisture and long-term rot. The floor was sagging and soft, the walls developed bubbles and eventually the ceiling began to sink and cave in. I had purchased it dirt cheap, so I wound up giving it away to a guy looking for a project to occupy himself with. Sounds like you should be looking at the roof for any openings or bad seams.

[bakstrap]

It's in the cabover, no plumbing up there, I am worried that the cabover floor may have rot too.

[Super_Dave]

Inside wall only leads me to believe a loose plumbing connection.