Winnebago Roof problems

[Bgalin61]

I have a 2009 Winnebago Journey DP and was wondering if any other Winnebago owners know if the fiberglass roofs need to be resealed every year. After talking with another Journey owner he said it’s a requirementb, but I can’t find anything in the manuals I have. What all is involved in resealing of the roof? Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

[PJ Stough]

There is lots of information on youtube about Winnebago roofs.

 

[Bgalin61]

Thanks. I’ll check it out.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The fiberglass itself doesn't need any sealing, but the edge seams and any protrusions through the roof are sealed (caulked) and those need to be inspected periodically for potential leaks. The consensus is that once a year inspection is best practice, but owners often skip the annual inspection in the first few years on the assumption that everything is new & in good condition. And some just never get around to it until they find a wet spot inside. This is generalized RV maintenance and not specific to Winnebago or motorhomes, so often not covered in owner manuals.

"Sealing" in this context means squeezing some roof sealant (caulk) from a caulking gun into any suspicious looking cracks or gouges. That's where it gets highly subjective, cause any roof seam sealant is going to shrink a bit and develop some surface cracks. Deeper cracks or places where the sealant is separating from the thing it is sealing (a vent pipe, for example) should be touched up with new sealant. Also, if any existing sealant is peeling away from the roof, that section should be removed, cleaned, and new sealant applied.

Winnebago roofs of a certain vintage are notorious for having their side seams open up, where the edge meets the sidewalls. This may require more repair than just touching up the sealant. That problem is a topic unto itself and I'll leave that for another day.

 

[Bgalin61]

Thanks for your reply. I watched a YouTube video on the possible problems that could arise and in some cases it could be pretty serious. So, I need to get out to where our motorhome is parked and take a look at the edges.

 

[Kevin Means]

To my knowledge, there is no requirement to reseal Winnebago roofs annually. I think it's a good idea to inspect them annually (at a minimum) but I've read my owners manual thoroughly, and there is no reference to annual resealing.

Winnebago has had their share of rooftops blowing off in pieces. As Gary mentioned, Winnebago tucks their roof edges into a channel along the side of the roof. If the sealant (glue) that holds the roof edge down de-bonds, air can get under the roof and lift it off in chunks, which can literally tear the roof off the RV.

It is a VERY good idea to inspect the edge sealant along the entire length of both sides of your RV's roof. Push on the edge of the roof where it goes into the channel, and see if it is attached to the sealant, or separates. If you see a gap between the sealant and the roof edge when you push on it, you should consider having someone do a thorough inspection.

I recently found about six feet of my roof's edge separated from the sealant, near the rear of the coach. I set aside two days and stripped the sealant out of both channels on both sides of the RV, then resealed it with another sealant. It's a DIY job, but it takes some time and elbow grease.

Kev

 

[Bgalin61]

Thanks for your info. Since I can no longer climb a ladder to get on the roof of the motorhome, I have scheduled to have a local shop check on the condition of the roof seal. Hopefully what they find will not be too serious and can be resealed without having to do any major roof repair.

 

[phil-t]

Kev's assesment/recommendations are right on. Make sure your local shop understands the Winebago roof design and uses a proper sealant/adhesive, if needed.

 

[Non-partic]

Do you have a white roof radius or a painted some other color roof radius? ...
This matters as to what sort of caulk you use and or if you might consider using Eternabond tape.

For us owners with non-white roof painted radius, we need a clear hybrid silicon caulk; and so far, after 20 years Winnebago still doesn't like to talk about this subject... for liability reasons.

The problem with choosing the right caulk is this:

* Polyurethane caulks are great for strength, but in the sun they will only last 8 months if you are lucky.

* 100% silicon is the best for repelling the sun UV rays, but silicon does not have enough bond strength to keep your roof radius glued in the roof channel. And, nothing likes to stick to 100% silicon including more silicon. So do not want to use 100% silicon no matter how good it is.

* Also, a 40' RV roof flexes... A LOT! So the caulk needs to be flexible and strong.

* And for 20 years, Winnebago has changed from one hybrid caulk manufacture; and over this time every owner along the way will probably tell you they all suck.

* Some owners fix this roof radius problem by adding Eternabond Tape and that's a great fix if you have a white roof radius, but it's unacceptable for all us painted roof radius owners, because we need a clear hybrid caulk.

* Geocell ProFlex has been the go-to-caulk for the last 3-4 years; and I found that if you let this stuff cure for 2 weeks and then put a clear top coat of FlexSeal Clear "Brush-on" rubber sealant over the ProFlex, that you will get a much longer life between re-caulking your roof radius, which Winnebago says you need to inspect every 6 months... again to protect themselves from liability. So try this tip and I think you will be satisfied, but if you want peace of mind and never want to do regular roof radius maintenance in the future, then watch a YouTube video on how to apply Eternabond 4" tape to your ~38' roof radius on the drivers side. Note: If found the black Eternabond tape over Forest Green paint is not that bad to look at.

And yes, you should put a roof inspection entry in your RV maintenance log book every season, especially before a long trip, that you have inspected your roof and found no cracks in your roof radius sealant, roof caps, and all dicor calking around the vents. This is so your RV insurance will pay for a roof repair should a freak wind of 50+ MPH blow off a section of your roof.

Note: Keep in mind, a 30 MPH headwind component combined with 50MPH on your speedometer means you have 80MPH air blowing over your front cap. And the weak point is just above the driver's side seat, where the front roof cap meets your roof radius fiberglass. So pay particular attention to this area!

PS
The best place to have your roof radius re-caulked is at The Reef RV Park in Puerto Penasco, Rocky Point, Mexico. I found this place 3 years ago and I call it an RV DAY SPA, because the have a great RV Body & Paint expert, mechanics, AC repair, detailing team, and inside cleaning crew who does all the work while you vacation and drink margaritas and enjoy lunch or dinner on the beach. Do a google search and just go! Crossing into Mexico is no big deal through the Lukeville boarder crossing and some 50miles later you are camping on the beach for $25-$50/night!

 

[Bgalin61]

Phil-t, yes I am taking all the info I have gotten here and online with me to my roof inspection appointment. They are a Winnebago dealer so hopefully they are aware of the history of that particular problem and the need to properly get it taken care of.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You have more faith in the average RV dealer's service dept than I.

 

[Non-partic]

I'm with Gary. You really can't expect any shop and especially a Winnebago dealer to tell you anything about your roof maintenance. Again this is for liability reasons. However, they will happily charge you ~$600 to $750 to do this job.

Plus most shops quote you an arm and a leg to do this job, so you go somewhere else. And ever since I found the crew at Rocky Point, Mexico I now pay them $250-$300 and they spend 5-6 hours doing this job right! ...And all I do is bring 4 tubes of Geocell, Flex Glue Clear, 92% rubbing alcohol, mineral spirits, good plastic knives, and a box of gloves.

 

[Bgalin61]

Sometimes you’ve got to go with the only option available.

 

[John Canfield]

I have a 2009 Winnebago Journey DP and was wondering if any other Winnebago owners know if the fiberglass roofs need to be resealed every year. After talking with another Journey owner he said it’s a requirementb, but I can’t find anything in the manuals I have. What all is involved in resealing of the roof? Thanks for any info you can provide.

I'll chime in to add to the very informative replies. I suspect the advice you received might have been referring to inspecting the sealant where the Filon roof radius tucks into the aluminum extrusion. It is critical to maintain this sealant in good condition otherwise the integrity of the roof Filon skin is compromised. Winnebago requires owners to perform an inspection every six months (unless they extended this to a year which I doubt.)

In my experience, about the front two feet and the rear two feet of the sealant seam requires the most attention. I suspect this is due to concentrated flexing of the roof and sidewalls. However the entire sealant seam should be inspected.

It is extremely important you use the Winnebago-specified sealant as descdribed in the Sealant Callout Sheet (online with your other documentation) - or buy one tube so you can compare to other less expensive substitutes. It is NOT the usual silicon caulk.

 

[Non-partic]

I agree with you John, but I have had no success working with Winnebago in Forest River on the subject of what is the right and available caulk.

What is your favorite roof radius caulk?

===

Having lost a roof section back in 2018, and spending a whole season learning about what is involved with both repairing and replacing a $35,000 Winnebago roof. As a result, I highly recommend all Winnebago roof owners to put a seasonal notation in their maintenance log book regarding roof inspections.

For example: "On xx/xx/xxxx I performed a roof inspection found no cracks in the roof radius caulk. In addition, I inspected and can verify the front and rear roof caulk seams, shower cap, and vents all meet manufactures requirements for return to service."

If you don't do something like this, then your insurance company will 90% NOT PAY you for wind damage to your roof.

Also, in my case, I went the FAA website to find the rated wind speed at the local airport... to prove gusts in the area I was traveling was over 50MPH. And I took pictures of the news reports on TV to prove wind gusts were not normal and caused my roof to be damaged.

Note: Prior to having Winnebago put a new roof on my RV, I first Rhino spray my roof... and that I thought would be a homerun. Unfortunately, too many "Joe's" stood in one place on top of my roof and their combined weight crushed in a spot over my passenger slide. So when I extended the slide, the wood trim inside ripped my head liner! (Ouch!) That was $9,000 down the drain. (See green roof picture attached.)

But because I like this RV so much, and because I needed a new headliner anyway, and because I got The Hartford insurance to pay for a new roof, I went to Winnebago and had them put a whole new roof, inside and out, on top!

 

[cbeierl]

I agree with you John, but I have had no success working with Winnebago in Forest River on the subject of what is the right and available caulk.
...

I believe that this is what Winnebago specs (in lieu of the original Stone Mason product which I don't believe is currently available in the US) MANUS-BOND 75-AM.

 

[Non-partic]

Right... This is why I think the best available caulk is Geocells "ProFlex" Clear if you need clear.

Question: Has anyone with a white roof radius had better luck with 3M's 3000 or 4000 marine caulks?

I read that this stuff is very strong, but they say the 4000 is permanent. And I don't know if it is flexible or not?

The white on white might work well.

I also think the black 3M would would well on forest green roof caps.

However, I continue to use the Geocell "FlexPro" clear and found an extra coat of Flex Glue Clear "brush-on" rubber sealant add extra UV protection, but I need to see how my roof radius looks next year to know how long this combination lasts. And FYI, I store my RV in a barn for 9 months so the roof is not outside in the sun.

 

[Bgalin61]

I finally got my roof inspected yesterday and everything is okay for now, but was told I should have it reinspected in a couple of months. I asked about what they use to do the resealing with and they said they use what Winnebago calls for per the sealant callout list (?) on a 2009 Journey. I looked online for this list but it only gives a part number. Their parts department is going to call today and let me know the name associated with this part number.
Since the roof is good for now I’ve got time to do more research on the type of sealant to use. Right now it seems like most guys are using the Geocel Proflex.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I've used 3M Body Seam Seal on my RV with excellent results, but it's not a Winnebago. Body Seam Seal was developed for the automotive industry and is suitable for both metal and fiberglass body seams.

 

[Non-partic]

[B]Bgalin61[/B]: What did they charge you for the roof inspection? ...And did they give you a price on a full caulk job?​

Note: You will find that dealers will give you politically correct answers that are correct 70% the time.

Enjoy your RV!