New travel trailer delivered with bubble along the edges

OP,(bsqrd) we really need to see what you have to know better, but I can offer this having done many roof jobs myself and then seeing others done by the RV manufactures. Mine often look a lot better then theirs, I'm not in a rush, they are.

There are a few reasons for the bubbles to show up when new and new could be months or a year or more after the camper was built. Here are some of them that I have seen/known how bubbles form.

I have seen this on EPDM, and TPO roofs. I have only seen one PVC roof so can't say they are better or not. I suspect the same issue can happen on PVC.

For a bubble to appear along a side molding edge, or out in the open area, the bubble happens "many times" (not all the time I'm sure), from lack of enough glue in that bubble spot. OR from not wiping the membrane down well enough to squeegee all the air out trapped between the roof decking and membrane by the installer before the glue sets.

A fresh wooden deck sucks up glue like a sponge. Warmer temps make this happen even faster. You have to put enough glue down to compensate for this wood absorption issue. And you have check you have membrane to glue contact completely. I'm sure plywood or OSB decking has some level of different absorption rates across the entire sheet, and sheet to sheet. And during application, the rate changes by the installer rolling it out. Again, you have to put enough glue on.

And there are fast set glues and slow set glues. The RV makers most likely use fast set as they want the glue dried by the time the camper exits the line. Since I am not up against a time crunch, I use the slow set glue. It gives me more time install and deal with what can happen before the glue sets. I can see the bubble issue happening faster with the fast set glue. If the glue is light in quantity and they do not act fast enough, the glue may not transfer to the membrane well enough.

If the air in not squeegeed out by the installer, that air pocket spot will not be glued down well. And while the glue may have been right, if the glue never transferred enough to the membrane in that small area, you can get a bubble. The bubble may not appear on day one. It may appear after the entire roof shrinks and the unglued area puckers from lack of being shrunk with the decking.

After the camper left the factory and some time has past, the membrane will shrink. And the shrink can flatten out the unglued bubble and it seems to disappear. It's still unglued, but shrunk tight and flat. The decking can/does also shrink and create some level of edge bubbles if the glue is light as there can be ripples there too.

The smaller bubbles do not leak as the membrane is intact. A very large bubble may be affected if it is very loose and can mechanically get torn, then you have a leak. I would be concerned on a large bubble pending how large, large is.

Again, this may not be the OP'ers case, just stated what I have seen. And yes, there are many new campers with roof membrane bubbles.

Hope this helps

John

Back in 2005 when I bought my trailer there were a few large bubbles under the roof membrane. When I mentioned it, the sales guy pointed across the lot at all the other trailers with bubbles in the roof. I bought the trailer and after a few years the bubbles were all gone.

That being said yes mine with a TPO roof still has a bubble more like a loose area down each side of the roof just before the membrane wraps down over the edge. Personally if other trailers on the lot have the same bubbles I would say go for it.

There is no need to worry about our site accessing your computer. For a safe, very simple way to post pictures on here, go to this post that I made in the DIY forum for information. :)
Barney

Yes, picture would help, for members here, to offer advice.

As has been mentioned, if dealer had a number of this brand trailer, and especially same model, that roof line appeared just the same, it would ease my mind some.

I believe that many times, even at same factory, lots of people are applying the various roof material. Like any simple hand type production, one installer likely does a better job, than another.

On a new trailer, a picture sent to manufacturer, after talking with them, describing the problem, may be the best option.

Jerry

A near continuous bubble in the roof membrane should not be normal. From what you describe, the mfgr. failed to pull the membrane tight and fasten it down properly at the edges. I would insist the dealer and/or mfgr. make it right.

Just post a picture so everyone knows what you are talking about. We need a picture to know what you are talking about. Could be nothing, could be very serious!

Are you seeing bubbles or just some soft caulking under the edge where the roofing material rolls down the side?
My TT has an ugly roof edge. If I go up on a ladder and press on the edge it's squishy. They put a soft caulk? on the edge for protection when laying the roof.

Different strokes for different manufactures. Knowing how Lance builds their TT's I'm surprised that it looks like that. In the past they had one of the cleanest looking exteriors on the market for TT's. Some changes were made to the 2022's and they were bought out by REV Group so it's possible that QC and costs has changed the finished product some. I believe they went with a new roofing material for the new 2022's.

Well my 2003 R-Vision 28 foot TT Trail Cruiser made by Monaco Coach had no bubbles anywhere. Just saying it does not sound normal to me. Those were the days.

Have him break out the ladder and show you on several other new units that it's the same.

If they all have it, it's probably normal.