cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Leak issue with my toy hauler-help!

Steven0110
Explorer
Explorer
I have a leak in front right corner of my Attitude 26FSAK-Been there since I bought it. I have owned several travel trailers, I know leaks are VERY BAD. I go to great lengths to have 0 leaks.

I took trailer into an "authorized" Attitude repair center (turns out there is no such thing-every shop is authorized)- spent many hundreds getting leak repaired. Even ordered and replaced front corner; Even did pressure test and seal. Net result, still leaked exactly the same.

I contacted Attitude, the graciously offered to repair the leak at the plant in LA. I made an appointment, drove 12 hours and left on site for repair. Good news, leak stopped. Bad news, it came back 9 months later, exactly the same.

I understand normal maintenance-but the leak in front corner is not a maintenance issue-The roof and corner appear to be sealed well. I am unsure what I should do next.

I contacted Attitude again, they are now telling me "Seals need to be inspected and spot sealed quarterly even on new units" ( not sure I saw this in my owners manual!). BUt again, this is not a lack of maintenance issue-exact same spot year after year.

At this point, I am unsure what to do. I am unwilling to take back to another shop again and spend $$$$ to NOT get it fixed. I am losing faith in my vendors product at this point...


Suggestions?
12 REPLIES 12

Steven0110
Explorer
Explorer
What is difference between products, EternaBond 50 Foot Seam Repair Kit vs Eternabond tape, EternaBond WebSeal, EternaBond RoofSeal PLUS, etc? NOt sure what to buy;

LarryJM
Explorer II
Explorer II
westend wrote:
Locate the leaking area and wrap it with Eternabond tape.


Yep that's exactly what I did on all four corners of my trailer. May not look pretty, but I guarantee it AIN'T GONNA LEAK:B Pics are in my Eternabond link in my signature.

Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974.
RAINKAP INSTALL////ETERNABOND INSTALL

mighty7sd
Explorer
Explorer
Just curious, but how do you sell a rig that's had water leak issues? Does anyone have this experience? Is your resale value shot? If it has been repaired, does anyone believe you?
2010 Chevy 2500 CC 4x4, Pullrite Superglide Autoslide
2016 Keystone Hideout 308BHDS

RVguy77
Explorer
Explorer
Composet products offers products that can fix these problems. I would check them out

Downwindtracke1
Explorer
Explorer
Don't feel bad, you would have to do it on a new one after a couple years anyway.
Adventure before dementia

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
Clean and Eternabond tape all roof seams, front seam and all the roof vents, sewer vent tubes and skylights. Water could be leaking at one of those points and traveling across and down, depending how you always park your rig when storing it. Water usually follows the framework to a low point. Often, you can see from the inside along walls etc. Use a good light to check from the inside for water stains.
My front right (passenger side) roof leak source dropped its water on the ground next to my dump valve. At the rear drivers side. I traced the water stain from inside the RV using a flashlight, under the bath vanity, behind my furnace, under the water heater, along and across the front then up to the roof through my overhead closets. It followed the framework because i parked it very slightly leaning left and rearward.

Check all clearance lights , they tend to leak, especially the cheap OEM ones they use. Many upgrade those lights with a better base light to seal.

If you still con't to have this problem after sealing everything up using the E-tape then you should try to find an independent rv repair shop or a good autobody shop.
Just make sure you use the correct rv caulks to seal things back up. Dicor self leveling on roofs and Proflex RV on the sides. I use 'brite white' Proflex because 'white' yellows over time.

BTW, some rv's have had leaking issues due to the diamond plate fronts. Water was getting behind the diamond plate.
If you have a ladder, caulk the feet.

Steven0110
Explorer
Explorer


THis is pic of trailer like mine. You can see aluminmum wrapping over roof.

Steven0110
Explorer
Explorer
"I see your roof slopes downward at the front. While this trailer is parked level, the water sheds downward over that front seam (where the roof meets the front cap). Those front seams should be lapped like a roof on a house, allowing water to shed off the roof. It should be done this way in case there is a crack in that front seam
Dicor covering.
On one of my RV's this seam was overlapped in the opposite direction thinking they had to shed water as the RV was traveling down the road into the wind. Don't ask me why, i have no idea what they were thinking.
After taking that leaky one apart to re-lap it like a house roof , I placed Eternabond tape on all my roof seams and around my vents. No more leaks. "



Actually, you are correct. First, it is Aluminum sided; second, yes, the siding overlaps the Dicor rubber roof in the front (seam is on roof), and water does pool in ridge created by overlap. It is buried in what seems to be liquid filler of some sort, and does appear to be sealed. But you are right, is counter-intuitive! I just dont know how to find ingress or how one might solve this issue;

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
Is your trailer filon or aluminum sided ?

If its aluminum then its an easy less expensive fix and i have no idea why its still leaking unless there are two places where its leaking and they are stopping at #1, assuming "this is it". Therefore i suspect that its filon from the action that has taken place already.

I see your roof slopes downward at the front. While this trailer is parked level, the water sheds downward over that front seam (where the roof meets the front cap). Those front seams should be lapped like a roof on a house, allowing water to shed off the roof. It should be done this way in case there is a crack in that front seam
Dicor covering.
On one of my RV's this seam was overlapped in the opposite direction thinking they had to shed water as the RV was traveling down the road into the wind. Don't ask me why, i have no idea what they were thinking.
After taking that leaky one apart to re-lap it like a house roof , I placed Eternabond tape on all my roof seams and around my vents. No more leaks.


All i can offer you is my experience with leaking filon skin:
I had recurring leaks on the right front corner of my RV and had it repaired a few times by the factory and guess what ? It still leaked. Like your mfg repair, it helped for awhile then recurred.

I would suspect that something in the OEM build process was not performed correctly and its too expensive for them to make the proper repair. Its being patched IMO.

I finally took it to an independent RV repair shop who i knew and trusted. After some lengthy conversations, the factory finally agreed to pay for it at a lower hourly rate. I got lucky, the shop accepted the terms, otherwise i would have had to make up the difference.

Once we removed the front molding,we were able to see the exposed edges of the filon sheet that was applied to the front of the RV. The edge of the filon near the clearance light had an indentation, as if the router went off its mark and made a thumb sized gouge in the filons edge.
This occurred during the original build at the factory.
Rather than strip the entire sheet of filon off and rebuild the entire front,like they should have, they tried to cover it up.
Someone (during the original build process)discovered this and thought it was a good idea to fill the gouge with some caulk then cover it back up using the molding. Less work, less expense and 'lets see if it holds beyond the warranty period' .
End result was, the factory sent a full sheet of filon to the shop. After completely stripping off the old filon, we rolled the new sheet into place and replaced the moldings. It never leaked again .

At another RV mfg., a low level disgruntled employee (prior to being fired)left out every other screw under the moldings and simply filled those empty holes with caulk then covered it using the vinyl trim strips that slip into the channels.
Eventually all those rv's leaked.

Point being, we as owners never know what the heck is going on behind the scenes . Both these mfg.'s have good customer service reputations and are praised here many times on this forum. Don't be fooled.
Take a factory rep to lunch or dinner sometime, you get to find out a lot of stuff you don't want to know about your rv .

westend
Explorer
Explorer
Locate the leaking area and wrap it with Eternabond tape.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

Steven0110
Explorer
Explorer
Pressure test was done. No luck, same leak.

Just realized there is a Toy Hauler Category, should have posted there.

coolmom42
Explorer II
Explorer II
Get a pressurized leak test and look for leaks everywhere else. The leak may be somewhere else and just running inside at the corner.
Single empty-nester in Middle TN, sometimes with a friend or grandchild on board