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09-19-2018, 02:24 PM
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#1
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Member
Brand: Crossroads
State: Missouri
Posts: 57
THOR #4481
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How long should caulking hold up before it needs to be redone?
I've had our 2011 Crossroads Zinger trailer for close to three year now. When I first got it I went through everything and cleaned out the old caulking on all of the joints, and redid it. Then last summer I noticed that some of that caulking had started to crack and look pretty bad so I redid a bunch of it again.
And now this summer/fall I've started to notice that once again, I can see several spots were the caulking around things has started to pull away and/or crack...and needs to be redone.
I've always used the high quality (and expensive) RV caulk, and it just doesn't seem to last very long.
Is that pretty normal, or am I doing it wrong??
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09-19-2018, 02:35 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: THOR Chateua 35SF
State: Florida
Posts: 5,850
THOR #11130
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Dicor 501LSW is suppose to be the best. Some remove the caulk completely and install Eternabond tape which is more permanent and less susceptible to the elements as long as it's in a less visible location. The key is totally removing ALL of the old material, clean surface very well with alcohol or acetone, then re-apply.
__________________
Now an SOB
Traded Thor for Melbourne Prestige 24NP
2018 THOR Chateau 35SF
Two Labs, Bugsie & Blondie
Blondie passed in 2020 at 5 to Leukemia
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09-19-2018, 02:52 PM
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#3
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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I hope that the caulking on mine lasts at least a Month past the time when I finally sell it...
Gtitz is right: it's all about surface prep...
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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09-19-2018, 03:00 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds 28z
State: Florida
Posts: 401
THOR #5725
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so what is everyone's tip to removing caulk? On the bottom of my list of favorite things to do....
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09-19-2018, 03:38 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: THOR Chateua 35SF
State: Florida
Posts: 5,850
THOR #11130
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Take it to a commercial roofer or a dealer and let them do it. Mobile home roofers would be a good source if an RV dealer isn't convenient. Too much to risk doing it wrong for me. Not me!!
__________________
Now an SOB
Traded Thor for Melbourne Prestige 24NP
2018 THOR Chateau 35SF
Two Labs, Bugsie & Blondie
Blondie passed in 2020 at 5 to Leukemia
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09-19-2018, 04:09 PM
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#6
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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Agreed: this is best left to the folks who have insurance to protect you from their mistakes.
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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09-19-2018, 04:16 PM
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#7
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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As part of a general maintenance routine you should be checking the roof caulk and reapplying at least yearly (e.g. at least once per season climb up there and put more on areas that look light, cracked, etc.).
Don't necessarily need to remove, just add more.
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09-19-2018, 04:27 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: THOR Chateua 35SF
State: Florida
Posts: 5,850
THOR #11130
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Reminds me a neighbor a few years ago that tried to sweat copper pipes on a water heater. It kept leaking....he kept laying in the solder wherever he saw it dripping...it ended up with a baseball size lump of solder...still leaking.
__________________
Now an SOB
Traded Thor for Melbourne Prestige 24NP
2018 THOR Chateau 35SF
Two Labs, Bugsie & Blondie
Blondie passed in 2020 at 5 to Leukemia
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09-19-2018, 04:32 PM
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#9
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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That's about how all of my home projects end up looking: like a "lump of mess"!
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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09-19-2018, 05:35 PM
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#10
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Member
Brand: Crossroads
State: Missouri
Posts: 57
THOR #4481
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek
As part of a general maintenance routine you should be checking the roof caulk and reapplying at least yearly (e.g. at least once per season climb up there and put more on areas that look light, cracked, etc.).
Don't necessarily need to remove, just add more.
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I'm not talking about the self leveling caulking on the roof.......I'm talking about the calking on all of the vertical and horizontal surfaces of the trailer. That stuff just doesn't last long at all. Give it a year and it's cracking and/or pulling away from the joint.
I use DICON self leveling caulking for the roof....and it works great. Unfortunately, the DICON lap joint non-sagging stuff for everything else is pretty crummy stuff.
The guys at the local RV store actually told me that they try to steer everyone away from the DICON products because they are consonantly getting complaints about it....where many of the other brands they carry seem to hold up much better.
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09-19-2018, 05:36 PM
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#11
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Member
Brand: Crossroads
State: Missouri
Posts: 57
THOR #4481
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lazinskm
so what is everyone's tip to removing caulk? On the bottom of my list of favorite things to do....
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I pick up a few of those sharp plastic scrappers made to remove caulk....it turns it into a much less painful job.
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09-19-2018, 06:10 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Gemini 24TX (Formerly)
State: California
Posts: 1,459
THOR #5821
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To be safe, it should be inspected every six months. How long it lasts, is dependent on how much sun and weather exposure it is subjected to. On my former DP, after almost twelve years the original caulking was still good, but it was stored inside when not in use.
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09-19-2018, 11:16 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Idaho
Posts: 698
THOR #9660
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Don't know what Fleetwood used on my 03 Southwind, but it was good stuff. It was clear on the vertical surfaces. The coach sat outside (covered in winter), and never had a leak, never re-caulked anything and it looked great after 15 years. I'd really like to know what it was...
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Vicki and Mike, Aria 3901- The Wined Up Bus, towing 16 Jeep JKUR.
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