Awning, Ladder, Leaking, Slide-outs & Slideout covers

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jrm1776

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May 7, 2021
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Tennessee
Searched for this subject matter though I do not see anybody with this specific question. First, thank you for all the assistance with the generator overheating issue. First topic and I love this community.

So my wife has her own concerns about this 2015 Thor Ace 30.1 coach we have and would like to address it before we start re-modeling the inside. She believes it has leaks all over the place. Concerning the roof, we have roof caulking around a lot of components so I don't believe she thinks it's coming from the roof. Slide-outs is her major concern. I've told her "It's holes in the RV, it's bound to get some water in it" - Maybe I'm wrong, idk

Also believes the ladder screw holes are getting water in them which is a good possibility. I need to give the ladder attention and figure out how to secure it better without going through the entire wall because our bedroom is on the other side. I need to stay off of the ladder for now until I get back down to weight.

She would also like to take the slide-out covers and awning OFF of the coach, so we can clean them, put new lights on the awning and then put them back on and caulk them up so they're not leaking. I don't believe we have much leakage but our laminate floor is de-coloring and not looking new anymore due to water coming through somewhere so maybe she is 100% correct.

So I guess I should jot down some questions and see if any of you out there have messed this this, done this or know about this:

1) First question - can you take off the awning and slide-out coverings/awnings and no problem getting them back on? (I'd rather just extend them all out and just get a ladder to clean them thoroughly)

2) Ladder - any ideas or what you used to secure your ladder on the back. Lag bolts? special screws with butterflies nuts?

3) Leaking - I don't even know how to approach this... maybe have her in the coach with slide-outs out and put a hose on it spraying up in the air so it acts like rain and see if she can pinpoint anything coming in? I have a feeling that it is coming INTO the coach from under the slide-out, but is they're anything you can do about that OR just continue using towels to wipe it up?

Also - It looked like straight ******* two weeks ago and I cleaned all around it except the roof which we'll get to this weekend but we purchased a cover for it and will put that on very soon. Should have bought it with the rig when we got it in 2016. Highly recommend anybody buying an RV soon to get a cover. Just keeping the sun off of it will help, even if the cover only lasts a few years.

Thanks for your time & help & thank you for this community. Glad its around and so easy to navigate.

<JRM1776>
 
Also quick side note. I don't recommend this brand motorhome, well actually it's not to bad, engine is great but little things like the back light cover that are not easy to take off and replace bulbs if needed. We got this done and they had to silicone around the covers again. If we ever have lights go out, we need to do that again. Just a thought, I really want a TIFFEN diesel pusher next go round. Look great and had some friends get one. They like it a lot
 
Well, the ACE and most Thor models are what you would call "entry level", targeted more at low price and pizazz than high quality and long term usability. But they are hardly unique in that, and "high quality RV" is almost an oxymoron anyway.

Yes you can dismount awnings and toppers - nothing special about how they are screwed on. But they can be cleaned in place just as well. Leaks can be anywhere, and every seam and every piece of trim screwed or riveted to the roof or sides is suspect. Window frames too.

Tiffins are nice enough coaches, but the basic construction isn't any different than others. To the extent that a Phaeton or Allegro Bus is quite a bit upscale from an ACE, they are somewhat better, but all the same precautions apply. A Phaeton is at least 2x the price of an ACE, so one would expect a bit more, right?

Covers are a PITA. I predict you won't be using it a year from now. Or at lest not between trips in the camping season. Maybe for off-season storage.
 
Very much agree on the entry level. Our first and will definitely be our only one. It's been a nice first time coach. I think my wife wants to dismount the awnings and toppers to see if they are causing any leakage and put them back and put some beeds of silicone around them. I would think that were just creating a siuation where it may become worse, but we'll see. Although maybe she's just thinking they would be easier to scrub down on the ground and then put them back and not even talking about leaking. Good information though.

I had a feeling about covers and them being a PITA but we were just thinking of storing the coach during the winter. We'll have some company custom make the next one we get and definitely never financing again. Might as well just pay for it and not owe anything.
 
I would never claim that awning mounts are not a source of leaks, but it's just one of several. Or many. "Fixing" stuff like that on speculation is like throwing darts in the dark. There is no substitute for getting in for a close look and careful analysis. If your floor is damp, water is running down through the walls. Windows and the upper seam where the sides join the roof are prime suspects. Water doesn't climb up under slides, but it's conceivable it runs down along the sides and spreads in at the bottom corners. Ought not to be difficult to prove or disprove that possibility.
 
Does it leak only when it rains? If it is leaking all of the time, it may be plumbing. In my case, I had a leak in the wall behind the shower faucet fixture. The connection of the faucet to the hot water had come loose. All i needed to do was open the access panel and tighten it. Of course, this was after it had soaked my flooring.

I have had leaks around the slides, but that was during a heavy rain with 60 mph side winds that blew water in under the slides. In other words, it was raining sideways!!
 

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