Related Blog Posts and Videos: Eternabond Tape Review - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-roof-repair-eternabond-review/ Roof Coating - www.loveyourrv.com/worn-rv-rubber-roof-henry-tropi-cool-coating/ Roof Vent Fan Install - www.loveyourrv.com/installing-fantastic-vent-fan-rv/ Solar Panel Install - www.loveyourrv.com/upgrading-our-renogy-rv-solar-system-to-400-watts/ AC Maintenance Tips - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-air-conditioner-maintenance-tips/ Werner Ladder Review - www.loveyourrv.com/finally-picked-myself-up-a-proper-ladder-for-fulltime-rving/
I just did my roof. Small leak by fridge vent and longer term issue on cap. Eternabond for both. Cleaned around & under vents with simple green. Acetone is great idea. Another good video. Thanks Ray.
Ray, yet another great video. People should also consider doing their a/c maintenance at this time also. We are full timers living in south Florida taking the occasional weekend trips before we exit the working world and travel full time. You are correct!, you need to inspect your roof! Down here I would say every 90 days. Even with checking we developed a leak around the a/c. We have a 38FL Redwood doesn’t have the interior panel for inspection. We had the roof wood repair and Roof Armor installed for many of the reasons you do you roof inspection for. Just something for those to consider should you need your roof repaired. This has reduced my inspection process time, gave us more insulation and resolved the leak! It’s also a transferable lifetime warranty which (we hope) will help with resale. Thanks for what you do!
Hi Ray! I, too, put the Eternabond on my roof for the same preventive reasons. Did that maybe 10 years ago now. Last year I noticed during spring de-winterizing that the Eternabond on the front and rear seams - not anywhere else - there were a bunch of holes in the Eternabond. Almost as if birds had pecked away at it. Bought another roll and put another layer of Eternabond over it, and now check for any other signs of that religiously. Weird.
Great video I have an 2011 ElkRidge the twin to your trailer after 2 years I found a small leak in the back left corner with some rot and delamination.The dealer said it was probably leaking since new when l bought it of course not covered warranty.l pulled it a part and fixed the problem areas.The thing that bugs me is dealer said it was a problem they new about.Being from Vancouver on the wet coast staying on top of things is so important with these trailers as delamination can happen very easily.Keep up the great videos.
You put so much work into maintaining your camper and then to make videos for us is a lot more work. I’ve not got my RV/bus yet but I watch every video you make so when it’s time for me I make fewer mistakes following your suggestions. Thank you Ray 😊
Great tips. Thanks, now I know what to look for. Have had my fifth wheel for five years and all is good. I do that before every trip. Just to be safe and peace of mind. Lol. Keep up the good work and looking forward to seeing the next video.
Great video! Thank you. Vinyered is amazing. Great site. My kind of openness. My base is in the middle of trees so I prefer sites as you are camped when I'm on the road. From OKLAHOMA Safe Travels.I really appreciate your channel. Solo Senior gal & Lady bug.🐞
I think Dicor should be avoided when possible, because it creates pools of standing water. If you go up and look while raining, standing water accumulates between the dicor and the vents or bubble of skylights . Eternabond tape sure looks to be a better solution without dicor in my opinion.
I have gone up an looked, I don't get much pooling around the vents and skylight, I guess due to the front and back sloping of the fifth wheel roof and the fact the Eternabond tape makes the water bead. Whatever water does collect evaporates quickly.
Thank you for the great information on checking and cleaning the roof. Love the follow up on the eternabond tape and how well it has worked for you, I may have to do the same for my Cougar 5th wheel!
I've been using Eternabond tape on our rigs since the first time we saw your video when you first applied it. It's been a number of year and it has performed great
We just returned from our "Snow Bird" trip and we as well did an in depth cleaning and inspection inside & out. I used a pretty heavy concentration of Dawn to water cleaning the roof. It did a great job, looks like new. I was told afterwards I shouldn't use Dawn on a rubber roof as it is removing the natural oils in it and will dry it out and promote cracking. I should use a specific cleaner from one of RV stores for rubber roofs. I assume you must be okay with using Dawn though ? Living in the PDX area we're just 1.5 - 2 hours to the Coast and will be headed there soon before the Summer rush. We avoid the Summer crowd and do our Coast trips in the off seasons and avoid the crowds. Sept. is the best, but Oct - Jan can be good as well. Keep up the video's, they're very informative. ...
Thanks, Herb, I've used the expensive roof conditioner products versus dish soap and noticed no difference other than the dish soap gets the dirt off better. So I've stuck with the Dawn, just have to make sure to give it a good rinse and also rinse off the sides well. I think less is more just like tires, most tire manufacturers say just wash with soap and water. I usually do the roof with the Dawn then wash the Filon sidewalls and fiberglass front cap with a regular RV/Boat Wash. My roof has begun to chalk a bit now that it's aged but not abnormally as far as I've seen compared to other rigs. I've definitely seen much worse. Cheers, Ray
@@LoveYourRV I'm sure I used way too much soap. I used a formula another U-Tuber suggested. I was rinsing a long time, but it looks like brand new. Next time I'm cutting it way down. A little trick I learned years ago; use Pam spray after cleaning on the front grill, bumper & back of towing mirrors and cap of trailer. Spray a light coat on. The bugs will wash off very easily. We ran into millions of butterflies while on the freeway along the Desert's . It was like a scene out of "The Birds" by Hitchcock.
haha, I have seen a few rigs and cars that were a mess with them, luckily we avoided most of them. GIt just a few big yellow splatters. I've also heard people will coat things like the front cap in dish soap. Supposedly they then can just hose off the bugs.
Best RV maintenance information I have ever seen Ray. I guess if a person is afraid of heights then they should have someone like you do the inspection! I personally don’t think I have what it takes to do a chore such as you showed us. I definitely wouldn’t want to crawl or walk on the slide out cover for a lack of a better term. I might have to go for something lower to the ground. Lol 😂
Good stuff, Ray; thanks, buddy! Getting ready to tackle this job when I get home next week, and I definitely picked up a couple of valuable tips in this episode. Hope you kids have a nice trip back home. Cheers!
I'm glad you did this video. I was thinking of checking my Cougar in the next month or so. It's the same year as yours, so most everything is the same (minus your additions). Now I know exactly what to look at. Thanks!
Don't underestimate the importance of paying attention to your roof. I just finished repairing 3 roof leaks that were factory caused, but unfortunately out of warranty. Two were incorrectly sealed roof accessories (bits of paper backing left on the butyl tape used on the skylight and the Winegard antenna) and the third was a pin hole caused by a nail head in the sheeting. They all took 4 years to manifest themselves and none ever leaked into the interior of the camper. They were all tiny leaks that just dampened the sheeting, causing it to rot. The first thing one should do on their new camper is go over as much of the factory Dicor as possible with Eternabond tape, which I have now done in year 4. Were it not for Love Your RV, I would not have a clue about this technique. Thank you Ray!
Regarding bubbling. I had the same problem on my Keystone Outback Kargaroo. It bubbled on both side for about 4 inches from front to back. After watching your videos on roof repair with eternabond tape . I sliced it with a razor knife, folded the edges and put tape over the whole section. Problem solved. worked great and no leaks at all. Thanks for sharing your roof maintenance vids. Saved me a lot of $$%$$! A fair amount of work but worth it. I now do RV mobile repairs and it is amazing how many folks have never been on their roofs. Sometimes while I'm up there in RV park, I look out and see many lack roofs. Simply just sad.
haha, yeah, at our summer RV park I look around when up on the roof and some of the roofs are downright scary looking! You just know there must be some leaks going on. Cheers! Ray
Funny sitting here watching your video when you mentioned watching the Masters, whats on the TV with the sound down?? The Masters . What a way to get the day started. Cheers!!!
Hi Ray ,I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you sharing your common sense knowledge with all of us out here .I would like to ask you a question ,if I may. I just bought a new cougar 366RDS ..I have seen in other videos that there can be a problem with slide floors rotting from water wicking into the floors due to the drip rails not extending below the floor, I was thinking of either using eternabond tape to wrap the corners under the drip rail OR perhaps painting the fabric under the slides with flex seal to add another layer of protection. I would appreciate your opinion ..Thank in advance .Dave
Might not be a bad idea if the slide has the clearance not to rip it when going in and out. I know on my slide the manufacturer installed a vinyl-like waterproof material on the bottom of the slide. I did have an issue once but it was where silicone sealant failed and was letting water in behind a piece of flashing. Caught the problem in time and solved it with some marine sealant. www.loveyourrv.com/leaky-rv-slide-room-repair-reseal/ Now I watch that area on the side like a hawk.
@@LoveYourRV Wow Ray ..you replied in 17 minutes ..UNREAL Thanks... I asked the tech about it during the PDI ..he advised me the rail could not be lowered due to clearance issues ..I have seen "skis" used for this purpose but they seem like quite a bit of hassle to install .I'm leaning towards the eternabond tape .Would you have any other suggestions for preventative maintenance / improvements to do to a brand new unit ? I plan to keep this quite a while..Thanks again for the unbelievably quick response. Dave
Ray, I just watched your video you included in your reply ...YES ...that is exactly my concern ...relying on that bead of caulk to keep water from wicking into the subfloor...Thanks again Dave
haha, I just woke up and was checking my email. :) Until the warranty is up I'd avoid doing too much except inspecting everything and cleaning things. Anything you do they may try to use it to claim the warranty is void. At least that's what I did, then once the warranty was up I did what I felt would help make the rig last a long time. Cheers! Ray
We’re in Newfoundland and doing a lot of boondocking. All of your videos and tips helped me greatly and allowed me to expand on some of your ideas. I’m wanting to get into an area of windmill power. They now make these small windmills that, with a moderate wind, can keep your bank of batteries topped off. I would appreciate your views, ideas, and suggestions on rv windmills. Knowing nothing about them and getting a lot of info with both pros and cons about them, would that not be a great idea to reduce generator usage by topping them off for the morning? Some boast 400 watts, but realistically even 200 watts going into your batteries would be awesome. Your ideas and opinions would be great, as I watch all your videos and have implemented many of your ideas.
If they have figured a way to make them not vibrate and create noise and setup up easy they could be a nice addon. Solar panels are much cheaper and less complex, no setup and maintenance required other than cleaning the glass once in a while. Also, the panels make no noise or vibration like a wind turbine would. I usually only see wind turbines used on small rigs like truck campers or tiny trailers with limited roof space for solar or if someone is at the same spot for a long time, they may set up a pole away from the RV. I rarely see them on larger RVs. If they were viable many boondockers would have them. I just don't see many windmills on RVs. Cheers! Ray
Great video!! Love to learn. I wanted to trade my Navion but no ladder in a brand rig similar to mine was a deal breaker. I always clean my roof and inspect. I am getting so eternabound tape for sure.
Thanks Ray. Good timing I was planning on cleaning ours next month. I liked the use of the eternabond tape. Question, when you put that on, I assumed you scraped the old Dicor off before putting the tape down? You’re such a great resource for reliable how-to’s. Thanks!
Hi Mark, when I put down my tape the underlying Dicor was still in pretty good shape so I left it in place, the tape will stick to Dicor. About the only thing it won't stick to is silicone. Just have to make sure to clean it really really well so its back to new looking. Any dirt and the tape won't adhere right. Cheers, Ray
Thank you, Ray, Excellent video encouraging me to re-check my roof before heading to Canada, I love your Roof, So clean : -0). I have teardrop marker lights and the orange ones keep having water drops that show on the plastic inside, Is this damaging?, Any tips? They have been changed twice already and it keeps taking water.
Roofs are so important to maintain yet it's the last thing we want to do. Doesn't the acetone soften the dicor? I have slide toppers, wouldn't they help protect the top of the slide? Thanks for sharing Ray.
The acetone evaporates quite quickly so I don't find it softens the Dicor to much, just a little bit on the surface. Yes, I imagine slide toppers help with sun exposure and keep debris, the trade-off is noise and problems with possible damage when really windy. Cheers, Ray
Thanks Ray, for this very helpful video. I have a 2002 Cougar. It was especially useful for me to see how much tape you use. I bought tape but was kind of afraid to use it., as a new RV'r I don't feel confident about maintaining my roof. I have an antenna, and the guy who did my front cap repair told me I should remove it. ?? I don't know. What's it for? TV? I don't watch TV.
Hello, you wouldn't happen to be near Santa Maria or Los Alamos Ca. would you? That vineyard sure does look like the ones near my home town of Santa Maria
I thought maybe with the slope it's on the Dicor would drip down a bit and make a mess so decided against it there. even though it says no sag, I find it slowly moves a little as it dries. Cheers, Ray
leaks scare the hell out of me. I try to make sure I check every potential egress for water but there are lots! I really wish RV manufacturers would come up with a better way to seal the outside than just a bead of some 'goop' ;) Take care!
It was easier than pulling off the gutter strip to clean out all the failing/peeling silicone sealant. I figured in the process of removing the gutter strip I would risk damaging the sidewall a thought the tape was a safer way to go. It's likely lasted longer than fresh silicone anyway. :)
Oh, sorry misunderstood. Yeah, I figure its a little extra protection to the tapes edge to help keep it from peeling up, though in spots I haven't done it the tape has held fine so likely not that necessary. Cheers, Ray
Yes, I have the old batwing with the digital addon, I did a video a while back about lubricating it - ruclips.net/video/Cmh0b4mzIvI/видео.html If you read through the comments you'll find opinions and experiences were mixed when it came to these new low profile antennas.
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing the products that you use to clean and fix leaks. I'm afraid to stand on the roof of my Sonic Travel trailer. How strong are they? or does it depend upon who made the trailer?
Thank you. I think the general rule of thumb is if it has a factory install roof ladder it's OK, but always best to check first. I know that most fifth wheels are OK but many travel trailers are a little too thin, sometimes only 1/8th inch boarding is used. But at least they aren't as tall. Cheers, Ray
Hurt re-sale value? I would pay slightly more for a rig that had all the seems and edges completely Eternabondeded. The roof looks in great shape after all that sun exposure, however I do see a lot of dryer sheets in your immediate future :)
When you need to replace something on the roof with eternabond how do you get it up> Where with dicour you can get up with some mineral spirits. Wont it stick so well that you could tear the rubber roof?
I don't remove it, the few times I need to replace something I carefully slice the tape at the seam making sure not to slice the underlying rubber roof material, then simply tape over. It sticks well to itself. To remove the tape you could on a hot day use a hairdryer and at one end start to peel the tape back and as it's coming up cut the sealant as you go. Then lay down new tape over the remaining sealant. www.eternabond.com/articles.asp?id=165
Haven't tried but read a heat gun on a hot day and razor blade is the way to do it. Anytime I needed to change something I cut the old tape and then just lay a fresh piece over the old stuff.
what do you use to clean the bugs off the cap? We have a cougar 28rdb and have loved it. Thinking about replacing the bearings myself after watching your videos.
I find the best bet is to keep the front cap really well waxed then the bugs come off fairly easily using dryer sheets. They have just enough grit to scrub off the bugs without scratching the fiberglass.
Ha ok. Have to get ours that clean first. Put a cargo camera on my ram this weekend and thought of you. Really easy to install. www.etrailer.com/tv-Demo-GCH-Automotive-Truck-Bed-Accessories-3460015.aspx
Ya got it to make hooking up to the fifth wheel easier. Wife isn't the best at lining it up. Also for future use for goosneck trailers on the family farm.
13:45, isn't that a hole in the gray part?? You don't plug that? BTW, we had to quit using Acetone where I worked because we were told it can soak in and go directly to your nervous system, IF you use it make sure you use gloves.
I normally would but in this case, the Dicor is just holding the tape end down to prevent peeling so not really part of leak prevention. Thanks for the tip, I don't use it much, briefly a couple times a year so not that worried about it like if I used it all the time at work. Cheers, Ray
Thanks for the reply. Great video that I find inspiring. One more question. On the slideout when you put EBT on did you use a 4” or 6” tape. Did you curl the tape up from the slide roof to the vertical or did you use a 2nd different run around the edge? Oops! That’s 2 questions.😄
I ended up using two pieces of 4" tape when I added flat head stainless screws. You can see it in the video and photos on this page - www.loveyourrv.com/beefing-up-my-rv-roof-seals-with-eternabond-tape/ and more here - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-roof-repair-eternabond-review/
Not over the whole gutter but over the top gutter seam where the silicone sealant they used on the gutter stip was starting to peel away. It was easier than pulling off the gutter strip to clean out all the failing/peeling silicone sealant. I figured in the process of removing the gutter strip I would risk damaging the sidewall and thought the tape was a safer way to go. It's likely lasted longer than fresh silicone anyway. :)
Usually, there isn't a need to take it off, say you need to remove a roof vent to replace, just cut along the outside vent seam, remove the vent then add a new layer of tape when installing the new vent. The new tape will stick well to the old underlying tape, just need to clean it well. If tape must come off, it can be done with a hairdryer or heat gun, here is a demo - ruclips.net/video/AGiKusd5r8A/видео.html Here is my review post with a repair example I did - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-roof-repair-eternabond-review/ Cheers, Ray
Hi Ray, which was the video of yours explaining how to keep the trailer exterior marker lights on at night while boondocking? I remember it had something to do with two tabs of the 7 pin trailer plug. Also, I'm trying to install the white reverse lights on the back of my travel trailer and need some help wiring it and don't know which wire or pin to tap into for the reverse wire. (so they go on when I put my Ram 1500 into reverse) I haven't even purchased the back up lights yet. Maybe you can recommend a basic and good kit pair of lights from Amazon? I find it a little odd that my 2015 Keystone travel trailer doesn't have the typical white reverse lights already built into the existing red brake, turning and running light units sold with the trailer. I'm thinking of getting that 7 pin tester plug I saw in this video, ruclips.net/video/I_Ego1emHwU/видео.html thanks
You can find some wiring diagrams on this old post - www.loveyourrv.com/finally-i-solved-the-case-of-the-intermittent-trailer-running-lights/ also here is how to turn on the marker lights - ruclips.net/video/O0dzsnPGB08/видео.html
You have a very neat and tidy roof. You have giving me a goal to reach with our roof. Thanks for the great video. If you’d like to check out my first ever attempt at roof maintenance and give me Some pointers, I’d really appreciate any input you have. The video is really bad, but I’m also learning to record and the weather never cooperates with my days off. Lol. Thanks again and I loo forward to learning more from you. D.
Related Blog Posts and Videos:
Eternabond Tape Review - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-roof-repair-eternabond-review/
Roof Coating - www.loveyourrv.com/worn-rv-rubber-roof-henry-tropi-cool-coating/
Roof Vent Fan Install - www.loveyourrv.com/installing-fantastic-vent-fan-rv/
Solar Panel Install - www.loveyourrv.com/upgrading-our-renogy-rv-solar-system-to-400-watts/
AC Maintenance Tips - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-air-conditioner-maintenance-tips/
Werner Ladder Review - www.loveyourrv.com/finally-picked-myself-up-a-proper-ladder-for-fulltime-rving/
Wow! That’s a VERY clean looking roof and tape installation 👍🏻👍🏻
I just did my roof. Small leak by fridge vent and longer term issue on cap. Eternabond for both. Cleaned around & under vents with simple green. Acetone is great idea. Another good video. Thanks Ray.
Thanks, Jeff, hope you got those leaks under control. Cheers.
Thanks for walking us through your process for inspecting and maintaining your roof! Great information!
Ray, yet another great video. People should also consider doing their a/c maintenance at this time also. We are full timers living in south Florida taking the occasional weekend trips before we exit the working world and travel full time. You are correct!, you need to inspect your roof! Down here I would say every 90 days. Even with checking we developed a leak around the a/c. We have a 38FL Redwood doesn’t have the interior panel for inspection. We had the roof wood repair and Roof Armor installed for many of the reasons you do you roof inspection for. Just something for those to consider should you need your roof repaired. This has reduced my inspection process time, gave us more insulation and resolved the leak! It’s also a transferable lifetime warranty which (we hope) will help with resale. Thanks for what you do!
Good tips, thanks. Will be doing the AC maintenance pretty soon before the summer season starts up north. Cheers! Ray
Hi Ray! I, too, put the Eternabond on my roof for the same preventive reasons. Did that maybe 10 years ago now. Last year I noticed during spring de-winterizing that the Eternabond on the front and rear seams - not anywhere else - there were a bunch of holes in the Eternabond. Almost as if birds had pecked away at it. Bought another roll and put another layer of Eternabond over it, and now check for any other signs of that religiously. Weird.
That is a weird one.
Good video Ray! Thanks for sharing with us!
Hi We use a a mop with a Magic Eraser head works great .Also use that on the awning
Interesting, thanks for the tip!
Great video I have an 2011 ElkRidge the twin to your trailer after 2 years I found a small leak in the back left corner with some rot and delamination.The dealer said it was probably leaking since new when l bought it of course not covered warranty.l pulled it a part and fixed the problem areas.The thing that bugs me is dealer said it was a problem they new about.Being from Vancouver on the wet coast staying on top of things is so important with these trailers as delamination can happen very easily.Keep up the great videos.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Cheers, Ray
You put so much work into maintaining your camper and then to make videos for us is a lot more work.
I’ve not got my RV/bus yet but I watch every video you make so when it’s time for me I make fewer mistakes following your suggestions.
Thank you Ray 😊
You're welcome. :)
I like your down to earth comments that ALL can understand. "Turning Thingie". Excellent. :-)) :-))
Great tips. Thanks, now I know what to look for. Have had my fifth wheel for five years and all is good. I do that before every trip. Just to be safe and peace of mind. Lol. Keep up the good work and looking forward to seeing the next video.
Looks like the Eternabond tape is holding up pretty good. Thank you for sharing.
So far so good, you're welcome. :)
Excellent walk through of a roof inspection!
Great video! Thank you. Vinyered is amazing. Great site. My kind of openness. My base is in the middle of trees so I prefer sites as you are camped when I'm on the road. From OKLAHOMA Safe Travels.I really appreciate your channel. Solo Senior gal & Lady bug.🐞
I think Dicor should be avoided when possible, because it creates pools of standing water. If you go up and look while raining, standing water accumulates between the dicor and the vents or bubble of skylights . Eternabond tape sure looks to be a better solution without dicor in my opinion.
I have gone up an looked, I don't get much pooling around the vents and skylight, I guess due to the front and back sloping of the fifth wheel roof and the fact the Eternabond tape makes the water bead. Whatever water does collect evaporates quickly.
That is a really good point. More and more is just better to use the tape.
Thanks as always Ray. Will be inspecting my roof Wednesday.
Thank you for the great information on checking and cleaning the roof. Love the follow up on the eternabond tape and how well it has worked for you, I may have to do the same for my Cougar 5th wheel!
A lot of good information and very informative. Thanks!
Nothing better than learned experience. Thanks
Excellent video. Thanks Ray
You're welcome. Cheers
I've been using Eternabond tape on our rigs since the first time we saw your video when you first applied it. It's been a number of year and it has performed great
Good to hear, thanks for the feedback.
We just returned from our "Snow Bird" trip and we as well did an in depth cleaning and inspection inside & out. I used a pretty heavy concentration of Dawn to water cleaning the roof. It did a great job, looks like new. I was told afterwards I shouldn't use Dawn on a rubber roof as it is removing the natural oils in it and will dry it out and promote cracking. I should use a specific cleaner from one of RV stores for rubber roofs. I assume you must be okay with using Dawn though ? Living in the PDX area we're just 1.5 - 2 hours to the Coast and will be headed there soon before the Summer rush. We avoid the Summer crowd and do our Coast trips in the off seasons and avoid the crowds. Sept. is the best, but Oct - Jan can be good as well. Keep up the video's, they're very informative. ...
Thanks, Herb, I've used the expensive roof conditioner products versus dish soap and noticed no difference other than the dish soap gets the dirt off better. So I've stuck with the Dawn, just have to make sure to give it a good rinse and also rinse off the sides well. I think less is more just like tires, most tire manufacturers say just wash with soap and water.
I usually do the roof with the Dawn then wash the Filon sidewalls and fiberglass front cap with a regular RV/Boat Wash.
My roof has begun to chalk a bit now that it's aged but not abnormally as far as I've seen compared to other rigs. I've definitely seen much worse. Cheers, Ray
In-depth article on rubber roofs here - www.rvdoctor.com/2004/11/rvs-rubber-roofing-and-you.html
@@LoveYourRV I'm sure I used way too much soap. I used a formula another U-Tuber suggested. I was rinsing a long time, but it looks like brand new. Next time I'm cutting it way down. A little trick I learned years ago; use Pam spray after cleaning on the front grill, bumper & back of towing mirrors and cap of trailer. Spray a light coat on. The bugs will wash off very easily. We ran into millions of butterflies while on the freeway along the Desert's . It was like a scene out of "The Birds" by Hitchcock.
haha, I have seen a few rigs and cars that were a mess with them, luckily we avoided most of them. GIt just a few big yellow splatters. I've also heard people will coat things like the front cap in dish soap. Supposedly they then can just hose off the bugs.
Best RV maintenance information I have ever seen Ray. I guess if a person is afraid of heights then they should have someone like you do the inspection! I personally don’t think I have what it takes to do a chore such as you showed us. I definitely wouldn’t want to crawl or walk on the slide out cover for a lack of a better term. I might have to go for something lower to the ground. Lol 😂
Great Video Ray! I appreciate you sharing your maintenance tips with us. Best Wishes!
Thanks! PJ
Thumbs up from Augusta GA!
Good stuff, Ray; thanks, buddy! Getting ready to tackle this job when I get home next week, and I definitely picked up a couple of valuable tips in this episode.
Hope you kids have a nice trip back home. Cheers!
I had similar water problems myself as well as the ladder mounts.
thanks for sharing your very useful tips. continue your safe healthy and joyful journey and I have been enjoying the boiled egg cooker by copper
You bet. :)
I'm glad you did this video. I was thinking of checking my Cougar in the next month or so. It's the same year as yours, so most everything is the same (minus your additions). Now I know exactly what to look at. Thanks!
My expert for RV roof repairs and maintenance. 👊👍😎
Well, far from an expert but hailing from the Pacific Northwest definitely paranoid of leaks. ;)
Yeah undetected Leaks in a RV are slow death and the mold that follows is horrible.
Don't underestimate the importance of paying attention to your roof. I just finished repairing 3 roof leaks that were factory caused, but unfortunately out of warranty. Two were incorrectly sealed roof accessories (bits of paper backing left on the butyl tape used on the skylight and the Winegard antenna) and the third was a pin hole caused by a nail head in the sheeting. They all took 4 years to manifest themselves and none ever leaked into the interior of the camper. They were all tiny leaks that just dampened the sheeting, causing it to rot. The first thing one should do on their new camper is go over as much of the factory Dicor as possible with Eternabond tape, which I have now done in year 4. Were it not for Love Your RV, I would not have a clue about this technique. Thank you Ray!
Wow, 3 leaks from the factory seal, terrible. :( Thanks for sharing. Cheers, Ray
Regarding bubbling. I had the same problem on my Keystone Outback Kargaroo. It bubbled on both side for about 4 inches from front to back. After watching your videos on roof repair with eternabond tape . I sliced it with a razor knife, folded the edges and put tape over the whole section. Problem solved. worked great and no leaks at all. Thanks for sharing your roof maintenance vids. Saved me a lot of $$%$$! A fair amount of work but worth it. I now do RV mobile repairs and it is amazing how many folks have never been on their roofs. Sometimes while I'm up there in RV park, I look out and see many lack roofs. Simply just sad.
haha, yeah, at our summer RV park I look around when up on the roof and some of the roofs are downright scary looking! You just know there must be some leaks going on. Cheers! Ray
Great video Ray ! Thank you for sharing your tips with us. Your video's are very helpful. You da man ! Thanks , Bill
You're welcome, Bill :)
15:55....turney thingy???....is that anything like a doohickey....or a thingamajig?...lol. great video as always
Funny sitting here watching your video when you mentioned watching the Masters, whats on the TV with the sound down?? The Masters . What a way to get the day started. Cheers!!!
You bet! :)
Great video, lots of great information. Just got som eternal bond tape and will be doing the seams.
Thanks. :) Best advice I can give is to spend extra time on surface prep, the cleaner it is the better the tape will stick. Cheers, Ray
Great video It reminds me of doing my roof the last few weeks..
Good Video!
Thanks Ray!! Beautiful place to be parked! :O)
Thanks Rya. Good info!
Good information, nice video
Thanks!
Hi Ray ,I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you sharing your common sense knowledge with all of us out here .I would like to ask you a question ,if I may. I just bought a new cougar 366RDS ..I have seen in other videos that there can be a problem with slide floors rotting from water wicking into the floors due to the drip rails not extending below the floor, I was thinking of either using eternabond tape to wrap the corners under the drip rail OR perhaps painting the fabric under the slides with flex seal to add another layer of protection. I would appreciate your opinion ..Thank in advance .Dave
Might not be a bad idea if the slide has the clearance not to rip it when going in and out. I know on my slide the manufacturer installed a vinyl-like waterproof material on the bottom of the slide. I did have an issue once but it was where silicone sealant failed and was letting water in behind a piece of flashing. Caught the problem in time and solved it with some marine sealant.
www.loveyourrv.com/leaky-rv-slide-room-repair-reseal/ Now I watch that area on the side like a hawk.
@@LoveYourRV Wow Ray ..you replied in 17 minutes ..UNREAL Thanks... I asked the tech about it during the PDI ..he advised me the rail could not be lowered due to clearance issues ..I have seen "skis" used for this purpose but they seem like quite a bit of hassle to install .I'm leaning towards the eternabond tape .Would you have any other suggestions for preventative maintenance / improvements to do to a brand new unit ? I plan to keep this quite a while..Thanks again for the unbelievably quick response. Dave
Ray, I just watched your video you included in your reply ...YES ...that is exactly my concern ...relying on that bead of caulk to keep water from wicking into the subfloor...Thanks again Dave
haha, I just woke up and was checking my email. :) Until the warranty is up I'd avoid doing too much except inspecting everything and cleaning things. Anything you do they may try to use it to claim the warranty is void. At least that's what I did, then once the warranty was up I did what I felt would help make the rig last a long time. Cheers! Ray
We’re in Newfoundland and doing a lot of boondocking. All of your videos and tips helped me greatly and allowed me to expand on some of your ideas. I’m wanting to get into an area of windmill power. They now make these small windmills that, with a moderate wind, can keep your bank of batteries topped off. I would appreciate your views, ideas, and suggestions on rv windmills. Knowing nothing about them and getting a lot of info with both pros and cons about them, would that not be a great idea to reduce generator usage by topping them off for the morning? Some boast 400 watts, but realistically even 200 watts going into your batteries would be awesome. Your ideas and opinions would be great, as I watch all your videos and have implemented many of your ideas.
If they have figured a way to make them not vibrate and create noise and setup up easy they could be a nice addon.
Solar panels are much cheaper and less complex, no setup and maintenance required other than cleaning the glass once in a while. Also, the panels make no noise or vibration like a wind turbine would. I usually only see wind turbines used on small rigs like truck campers or tiny trailers with limited roof space for solar or if someone is at the same spot for a long time, they may set up a pole away from the RV. I rarely see them on larger RVs. If they were viable many boondockers would have them. I just don't see many windmills on RVs. Cheers! Ray
Thanks. I’ll put your advice to good use. Much appreciated!!
Great video!! Love to learn. I wanted to trade my Navion but no ladder in a brand rig similar to mine was a deal breaker. I always clean my roof and inspect. I am getting so eternabound tape for sure.
Thanks Ray. Good timing I was planning on cleaning ours next month. I liked the use of the eternabond tape. Question, when you put that on, I assumed you scraped the old Dicor off before putting the tape down? You’re such a great resource for reliable how-to’s. Thanks!
Hi Mark, when I put down my tape the underlying Dicor was still in pretty good shape so I left it in place, the tape will stick to Dicor. About the only thing it won't stick to is silicone. Just have to make sure to clean it really really well so its back to new looking. Any dirt and the tape won't adhere right. Cheers, Ray
Love Your RV Thanks Ray! Our RV is only a year old and in really good shape so that’s really good news.
Thank you, Ray, Excellent video encouraging me to re-check my roof before heading to Canada, I love your Roof, So clean : -0). I have teardrop marker lights and the orange ones keep having water drops that show on the plastic inside, Is this damaging?, Any tips? They have been changed twice already and it keeps taking water.
I'd want to know why the water is getting in there. Can't be a good thing for the bulb socket, will corrode it.
@@LoveYourRV Thank you Ray 🙂.
Thank you for the insights!
You're right in my backyard. I fly at the next airport to the east. ;-)
Roofs are so important to maintain yet it's the last thing we want to do. Doesn't the acetone soften the dicor? I have slide toppers, wouldn't they help protect the top of the slide? Thanks for sharing Ray.
The acetone evaporates quite quickly so I don't find it softens the Dicor to much, just a little bit on the surface.
Yes, I imagine slide toppers help with sun exposure and keep debris, the trade-off is noise and problems with possible damage when really windy. Cheers, Ray
@@LoveYourRV Yes when extremely windy I have had to bring in the slide.
Dollar store 3 medium toothbrushes for $1.
Gets into the little holes. 👍
Great video thanks for sharing your knowledge and adventures, I subscribed and look forward to watching your videos.
Thanks for the sub, appreciated. All the best, Ray
Thanks Ray, for this very helpful video. I have a 2002 Cougar. It was especially useful for me to see how much tape you use. I bought tape but was kind of afraid to use it., as a new RV'r I don't feel confident about maintaining my roof. I have an antenna, and the guy who did my front cap repair told me I should remove it. ?? I don't know. What's it for? TV? I don't watch TV.
Yes, its an antenna you crank up and point to bring in Over the Air free TV stations - ruclips.net/video/Cmh0b4mzIvI/видео.html
Hello, you wouldn't happen to be near Santa Maria or Los Alamos Ca. would you? That vineyard sure does look like the ones near my home town of Santa Maria
No, this one is up near Tracy, CA, a little south of Stockton.
Hi Ray.. I noticed you did not dicor the eternabond tape on the front of the rig. Just wondering why you didn't? Thanks love the channel
I thought maybe with the slope it's on the Dicor would drip down a bit and make a mess so decided against it there. even though it says no sag, I find it slowly moves a little as it dries. Cheers, Ray
leaks scare the hell out of me. I try to make sure I check every potential egress for water but there are lots!
I really wish RV manufacturers would come up with a better way to seal the outside than just a bead of some 'goop' ;)
Take care!
Great video. What made you decide to seal the edge of the tape with dicore?
It was easier than pulling off the gutter strip to clean out all the failing/peeling silicone sealant. I figured in the process of removing the gutter strip I would risk damaging the sidewall a thought the tape was a safer way to go. It's likely lasted longer than fresh silicone anyway. :)
@@LoveYourRV actually I was cerious about the thin line if sealant applies along the edge of the tape. Is this to protect the tape?
Oh, sorry misunderstood. Yeah, I figure its a little extra protection to the tapes edge to help keep it from peeling up, though in spots I haven't done it the tape has held fine so likely not that necessary. Cheers, Ray
I think you have the original TV antenna on your roof. I have been hearing good things about the King Jack antenna. Any thoughts on this?
Yes, I have the old batwing with the digital addon, I did a video a while back about lubricating it - ruclips.net/video/Cmh0b4mzIvI/видео.html If you read through the comments you'll find opinions and experiences were mixed when it came to these new low profile antennas.
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing the products that you use to clean and fix leaks. I'm afraid to stand on the roof of my Sonic Travel trailer. How strong are they? or does it depend upon who made the trailer?
Thank you. I think the general rule of thumb is if it has a factory install roof ladder it's OK, but always best to check first. I know that most fifth wheels are OK but many travel trailers are a little too thin, sometimes only 1/8th inch boarding is used. But at least they aren't as tall. Cheers, Ray
Thank you!@@LoveYourRV
My roof has chalked off really bad. Lots of black showing through. It's a 2010 and I live about 10 miles from the West coast of CA.
Hurt re-sale value? I would pay slightly more for a rig that had all the seems and edges completely Eternabondeded. The roof looks in great shape after all that sun exposure, however I do see a lot of dryer sheets in your immediate future :)
Waiting for nature's coastal power wash. ;)
Agreed. To me the tape looks better and looks to work more efficiently.
When you need to replace something on the roof with eternabond how do you get it up> Where with dicour you can get up with some mineral spirits. Wont it stick so well that you could tear the rubber roof?
I don't remove it, the few times I need to replace something I carefully slice the tape at the seam making sure not to slice the underlying rubber roof material, then simply tape over. It sticks well to itself.
To remove the tape you could on a hot day use a hairdryer and at one end start to peel the tape back and as it's coming up cut the sealant as you go. Then lay down new tape over the remaining sealant.
www.eternabond.com/articles.asp?id=165
Ever tried to remove eternabond tape? Boy, they named that stuff right! It is there for eternity!!!!!
Haven't tried but read a heat gun on a hot day and razor blade is the way to do it. Anytime I needed to change something I cut the old tape and then just lay a fresh piece over the old stuff.
I've removed it with a heat gun and a putty knife. It leaves a layer of adhesive that I put new tape on.
what do you use to clean the bugs off the cap? We have a cougar 28rdb and have loved it. Thinking about replacing the bearings myself after watching your videos.
I find the best bet is to keep the front cap really well waxed then the bugs come off fairly easily using dryer sheets. They have just enough grit to scrub off the bugs without scratching the fiberglass.
Ha ok. Have to get ours that clean first. Put a cargo camera on my ram this weekend and thought of you. Really easy to install. www.etrailer.com/tv-Demo-GCH-Automotive-Truck-Bed-Accessories-3460015.aspx
Nice. :) What do you use it for hitching up? or are you monitoring something back there?
Ya got it to make hooking up to the fifth wheel easier. Wife isn't the best at lining it up. Also for future use for goosneck trailers on the family farm.
Awesome, that should help out a bunch. :)
13:45, isn't that a hole in the gray part?? You don't plug that? BTW, we had to quit using Acetone where I worked because we were told it can soak in and go directly to your nervous system, IF you use it make sure you use gloves.
I normally would but in this case, the Dicor is just holding the tape end down to prevent peeling so not really part of leak prevention. Thanks for the tip, I don't use it much, briefly a couple times a year so not that worried about it like if I used it all the time at work. Cheers, Ray
Watching a couple of you videos. What did you use under the EternaBond tape to “wick” the water from the A/C to the gutter?
I just laid down a length of plastic rope
Thanks for the reply. Great video that I find inspiring. One more question. On the slideout when you put EBT on did you use a 4” or 6” tape. Did you curl the tape up from the slide roof to the vertical or did you use a 2nd different run around the edge? Oops! That’s 2 questions.😄
I ended up using two pieces of 4" tape when I added flat head stainless screws. You can see it in the video and photos on this page - www.loveyourrv.com/beefing-up-my-rv-roof-seals-with-eternabond-tape/ and more here - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-roof-repair-eternabond-review/
Did you say your put tape over the gutters? Or did I misunderstand?
Not over the whole gutter but over the top gutter seam where the silicone sealant they used on the gutter stip was starting to peel away. It was easier than pulling off the gutter strip to clean out all the failing/peeling silicone sealant. I figured in the process of removing the gutter strip I would risk damaging the sidewall and thought the tape was a safer way to go. It's likely lasted longer than fresh silicone anyway. :)
What’s it like pulling that eternabond tape off the roof, is It difficult taking off without damaging the roof membrane
Usually, there isn't a need to take it off, say you need to remove a roof vent to replace, just cut along the outside vent seam, remove the vent then add a new layer of tape when installing the new vent. The new tape will stick well to the old underlying tape, just need to clean it well. If tape must come off, it can be done with a hairdryer or heat gun, here is a demo - ruclips.net/video/AGiKusd5r8A/видео.html Here is my review post with a repair example I did - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-roof-repair-eternabond-review/ Cheers, Ray
You ever noticed lack of water from ac in low humidity areas
Yes, a lot less water.
Hi Ray, which was the video of yours explaining how to keep the trailer exterior marker lights on at night while boondocking? I remember it had something to do with two tabs of the 7 pin trailer plug. Also, I'm trying to install the white reverse lights on the back of my travel trailer and need some help wiring it and don't know which wire or pin to tap into for the reverse wire. (so they go on when I put my Ram 1500 into reverse) I haven't even purchased the back up lights yet. Maybe you can recommend a basic and good kit pair of lights from Amazon? I find it a little odd that my 2015 Keystone travel trailer doesn't have the typical white reverse lights already built into the existing red brake, turning and running light units sold with the trailer. I'm thinking of getting that 7 pin tester plug I saw in this video, ruclips.net/video/I_Ego1emHwU/видео.html thanks
You can find some wiring diagrams on this old post - www.loveyourrv.com/finally-i-solved-the-case-of-the-intermittent-trailer-running-lights/ also here is how to turn on the marker lights - ruclips.net/video/O0dzsnPGB08/видео.html
You have a very neat and tidy roof. You have giving me a goal to reach with our roof. Thanks for the great video.
If you’d like to check out my first ever attempt at roof maintenance and give me
Some pointers, I’d really appreciate any input you have. The video is really bad, but I’m also learning to record and the weather never cooperates with my days off. Lol.
Thanks again and I loo forward to learning more from you.
D.
You have a wealth of usable knowledge thanks for sharing great video... signed "wandering DevilDog"
My van is fairly new but I get granddaughter to wash the roof she's 14 but she charges me £5 lol
Do you think u may use henrys on the roof?
It's a good bet, will try and keep this one maintained as long as I can, then at some point put a coating on it. Henry's looks like a great product.
Thank you for the reality check. Time to do my least favorite RV chore!