99 class c overcab leak

[Illiniminiwinnie]

New to forum so sup y?all? Well I live in central Illinois and bought my first rv from my father in law and looks like the overhead has been getting water for years. It is bad and I would say really bad. I?m just wondering how people attacked this to earthier completely rebuild or kinda of patch?? The ply is complete rotted on the side and through the middle bar that holds up the outside. I?m not going to drop $2500 at a repair shop so, going to attack on my own. Tips, ideas, and anything is welcome.
- my idea is to replace the ply and take seal tape to the seems all the way around.
*****seems the water is getting in from underneath the overcab*****
Thanks,
Jb

 

[Illiniminiwinnie]

Pic size is too big to attach. Stand by till I change the sizes

 

[John Canfield]

Welcome to the forum. Class C's leaking like that are not unusual; you are going to have quite a project on your hands. I remember looking at somebody's pictures of that kind of repair a few years ago and I can't remember where. We will stand by for pictures.

 

[Illiniminiwinnie]

Pic 1

 

[TheBar]

Best instructions I've seen. But yours may have an aluminum frame.

http://www.theozarker.com/p/big-pumpkin.html

 

[John Canfield]

^^ That?s the one I remember, thanks! ^^

 

[TheBar]

Note the guy that rebuilt Pumpkin had to totally rebuild it not long after. Need to get the leaks fixed the first time. After reading about this guys problems I put over 100 feet of Eternabond tape on mine several years ago. I even put it over the top and side edge of the front and side windows in the overhead bunk.  Since it is so high in the air you can't really see it around the windows. Also sealed the clearance lights front and back. There is absolutely no place for water to enter.  Eternabond lasts 30 years so I'll never caulk the roof again. The side windows are the only place left to caulk.

1st picture shows around all the vents and anywhere there was caulk.

2nd shows all the side roof trim covered front to back and where the rubber roof meets the fiberglass caps. Completely covers the aluminum trim from the liquid rubber roof on top (which stains badly as you can see) to the fiberglass on the sides. Draw a pencil line on the side first and apply the tape on the side then wrap it over onto the top to get a straight edge.

3rd shows how I wrapped Eternabond around the curved front of the overhead bunk. Yes, Eternabond will stretch if you take your time and use narrower strips. This is actually 2 strips of tape overlapping to make the curve. It looks so good people assume it came that way from the factory. And it should have.

I have to add I've started using Eternabond on my s&b house around roof stacks and such. A one inch strip stretches perfectly around curves and looks better than caulking or tar.

 

[John Canfield]

Note the guy that rebuilt Pumpkin had to totally rebuild it not long after. Need to get the leaks fixed the first time. ....

Oh my goodness. Making a moving 'house' watertight is a real challenge. Etrnabond is good stuff, my buddy used it to seal the front cap to the roof on his old Safari Trek. It's also been used to seal the roof to sidewall joint on the Winnebago S bodies (Vectra/Horizon.)