Slightly Urgent Advice - Sealant Recommendations March 27, 2020, 03:40:19 pm I’m leaving to pick up my new to me 2005 26.5’ MB in a couple hours and just noticed something on the rear that doesn’t seem to be showing on other LDs. Does the pronounced sealant that’s showing where the side panel meets the back indicate anything serious I should be concerned about?
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #1 – March 27, 2020, 04:00:12 pm You are seeing a very sloppy attempt to reseal an end cap. Who knows what is under the repair or if it was done correctly.I suggest that you inspect and reseal all of the end caps that need it and check the roof and windows seals, around the exterior of the window frames too.It's alway the toss of the dice when buying a used rigLarry 4 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #2 – March 27, 2020, 04:09:47 pm Is the concern that water could have penetrated the interior? What’s the best way to check that?
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #3 – March 27, 2020, 04:32:04 pm Just an opinion but it is thoroughly sealed underneath that end cap. That seam is not the final water barrier.At 15 years of age if the roof has not been resealed it should be, according to Lazy Daze. They want it done at 10 years. 2 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #4 – March 27, 2020, 07:00:04 pm Quote from: hbn7hj - March 27, 2020, 04:32:04 pmJust an opinion but it is thoroughly sealed underneath that end cap That seam is not the final water barrier.At 15 years of age if the roof has not been resealed it should be, according to Lazy Daze. They want it done at 10 years." it is thoroughly sealed underneath that end cap"Well, if the sealant held up forever, you could count on it being protected, unfortunately, I and others have discovered rot in the rear wall where the caps leaked and sealant beneath failed. The wood framing gets covered with polyurethane during construction. As the wood ages, expanding and contracting with the seasons, eventually, the sealant starts to break free, allowing moisture to penetrate the framing.The older the rig, the more likely the drain channel's sealant has failed.The end caps need to be well sealed.Larry 3 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #5 – March 27, 2020, 07:26:27 pm Crawl under your rear bumper and stick a screwdriver into the plywood that extends down from the rear wall. If it’s rotten you may have serious issues. 3 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #6 – March 27, 2020, 07:40:48 pm Thank you for all of the advice. 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #7 – March 27, 2020, 07:47:02 pm Quote from: downgrader - March 27, 2020, 07:40:48 pmThank you for all of the advice. Hope it ends well for you. Buying a used LD is fraught with risk but if all goes well the rewards are substantial. I have nothing but great memories of mine. 3 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #8 – March 27, 2020, 08:23:32 pm Good luck! And please update us! I purchased my "Ophelia" 2005 LD 30' TB a couple months ago after a long search. I really got blessed with both her condition and price. Virtually passing on that good fortune to you as well.Juanita 4 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #9 – April 02, 2020, 04:00:29 pm I just got back from Virginia with the rig and as you know Denver is having a cold snap (~20F). Do you recommend doing anything to the setup to prevent pipes bursting until tomorrow when it's warmer?I'll update you this weekend as I'm trying to catch up with work and maintain the thing :=0Quote from: OpheliaElaineLD2005 - March 27, 2020, 08:23:32 pmGood luck! And please update us! I purchased my "Ophelia" 2005 LD 30' TB a couple months ago after a long search. I really got blessed with both her condition and price. Virtually passing on that good fortune to you as well.Juanita 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #10 – April 02, 2020, 04:27:19 pm Howard, at -20, having lines freeze is possible. The good news is, if your lines are PEX, that probably is not a problem, though a freezing pump or strainer might be. The best thing is to open the compartment that leads to the pump, and open every cabinet that has a water line behind or inside it - under both sinks, keep the bathroom door open, etc., so warm air can circulate, then turn on your furnace and keep it 70 deg inside.Ken F in NM 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #11 – April 02, 2020, 04:31:35 pm For 1 night, in an RV that is new to me - try an electric space heater (of you have electricity) or even set the propane heater for the lowest temp just to get through the night.Then, figure out a better solution over the summer before cold weather comes again.Alternatively, you could try and drive somewhere warmer or park inside.You could also try to winterize the lines by either draining the water and blowing out the hoses, or using RV antifreeze throughout the system. Both of those are going to take a bit more time and effort if you're new to the process.Rich'03 MB in NC 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #12 – April 02, 2020, 05:01:46 pm Quote from: Kenneth Fears - April 02, 2020, 04:27:19 pmHoward, at -20, having lines freeze is possible. The good news is, if your lines are PEX, that probably is not a problem, though a freezing pump or strainer might be. The best thing is to open the compartment that leads to the pump, and open every cabinet that has a water line behind or inside it - under both sinks, keep the bathroom door open, etc., so warm air can circulate, then turn on your furnace and keep it 70 deg inside.Ken F in NMKen, that was not a -20, rather a ~20. My thermometer this morning in the Denver area said 28*. Howard should be OK with that but you never know for sure. Tomorrow morning could be colder. I would not take the risk.Chris 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #13 – April 02, 2020, 07:19:45 pm I missed something. At -20, he should take precautions, but at 20, he shouldn't have a problem.Ken F in NM 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #14 – April 03, 2020, 07:50:53 pm It was about 20F thankfully, not minus 20! I followed the lazy daze manual for cold weather camping and used it as an opportunity to test out all the systems as well. Everything went well Thanks for the advice.Quote from: Kenneth Fears - April 02, 2020, 04:27:19 pmHoward, at -20, having lines freeze is possible. The good news is, if your lines are PEX, that probably is not a problem, though a freezing pump or strainer might be. The best thing is to open the compartment that leads to the pump, and open every cabinet that has a water line behind or inside it - under both sinks, keep the bathroom door open, etc., so warm air can circulate, then turn on your furnace and keep it 70 deg inside.Ken F in NM 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #15 – April 04, 2020, 12:12:03 am Quote from: downgrader - April 03, 2020, 07:50:53 pmIt was about 20F thankfully, not minus 20! I followed the lazy daze manual for cold weather camping and used it as an opportunity to test out all the systems as well. Everything went well Thanks for the advice.Howard, were you in the LD with heat and/or did it stay unheated all night? It was 24* this morning. What do you mean "testing the systems"? Just curious. I would be very nervous leaving water in the lines in an unheated coach in those temps.Chris 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #16 – April 04, 2020, 05:35:53 am Quote from: Chris Horst - April 04, 2020, 12:12:03 amHoward, were you in the LD with heat and/or did it stay unheated all night? It was 24* this morning. What do you mean "testing the systems"? Just curious. I would be very nervous leaving water in the lines in an unheated coach in those temps.ChrisI stayed in the RV for several hours and followed the manual recommendations for warming up the water pump, turned on furnace, water heater, generator for power and got everything nice and toasty. Hadn't had a chance to really get all systems online at the same time for an extended period so that was what I meant. I didn't go into the rig today as it wasn't below freezing and the rest of the weekend is supposed to be warmer. Should I be doing something different? 2 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #17 – April 04, 2020, 05:37:56 am Quote from: Larry W - March 27, 2020, 07:00:04 pm" it is thoroughly sealed underneath that end cap"Well, if the sealant held up forever, you could count on it being protected, unfortunately, I and others have discovered rot in the rear wall where the caps leaked and sealant beneath failed. The wood framing gets covered with polyurethane during construction. As the wood ages, expanding and contracting with the seasons, eventually, the sealant starts to break free, allowing moisture to penetrate the framing.The older the rig, the more likely the drain channel's sealant has failed.The end caps need to be well sealed.LarryLarry is there a good instructional video for resealing the end caps? Would you recommend finding a professional to redo them?
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #18 – April 04, 2020, 11:13:09 am Quote from: downgrader - April 04, 2020, 05:37:56 amLarry is there a good instructional video for resealing the end caps? Would you recommend finding a professional to redo them?The Lazy Daze Companion: End CapsThe Lazy Daze Companion is a good place to start with answers to your question. In this article, there is a link to Larry's photos on resealing end caps.Chris 3 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #19 – April 04, 2020, 11:14:29 am Quote from: downgrader - April 04, 2020, 05:35:53 amI stayed in the RV for several hours and followed the manual recommendations for warming up the water pump, turned on furnace, water heater, generator for power and got everything nice and toasty. Hadn't had a chance to really get all systems online at the same time for an extended period so that was what I meant. I didn't go into the rig today as it wasn't below freezing and the rest of the weekend is supposed to be warmer. Should I be doing something different?Sounds right. 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #20 – April 05, 2020, 11:31:54 am Howard--Congratulations on your new-to-you baby & your successful cross-country journey home. Good on you with your timely queries & appropriate precautions. I ended up having to replace the water pump, HWH (popped like an aluminum soda can), connection to the toilet (fortunately, no lines or faucets)--when I got back from my purchase in SoCal to an ice storm/several days of sub-0 Missouri weather, I plugged in & set up space heaters (should have winterized her before leaving SoCal, but her previous family had never needed to & we just didn't cover that ), but I didn't heat the HWH/set the furnace to a minimum/insulate the cab as I've since learned to do during cold weather travel; apparently the breaker from the garage tripped in the basement & I ended up with icicles from the bathroom faucet. I've blown the lines to winterize since thens, but had a by-pass installed on the HWH last fall, did the anti-freeze method, & feel much more confident in this most recent winterizing. Looking forward to getting her ready for summer--even though there's no travel on the horizon, I can use her to shelter-in-place out at the farm. Happy Trails--Lynne 2 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #21 – April 05, 2020, 09:32:27 pm Quote from: Chris Horst - April 04, 2020, 11:13:09 amThe Lazy Daze Companion: End CapsThe Lazy Daze Companion is a good place to start with answers to your question. In this article, there is a link to Larry's photos on resealing end caps.ChrisDo you know if the DAP sealant is good to use on seals around the windows and other places as well?
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #22 – April 05, 2020, 11:36:17 pm Howard, DAP makes dozens of different sealants. Which one did you have in mind? 1 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #23 – April 06, 2020, 09:28:38 am I resealed our windows and plastic trim with 3M 5200. I used the fast cure on the windows and the regular stuff on the plastics because I could get it in different colors and I had the time to let it cure. It takes about a week to cure where the FC cures out in a couple hours or less. Larry recommended it and it's good stuff.Jon 5 Likes
Re: Slightly Urgent Advice Reply #24 – April 06, 2020, 09:57:57 am Quote from: JonS - April 06, 2020, 09:28:38 amI resealed our windows and plastic trim with 3M 5200. I used the fast cure on the windows and the regular stuff on the plastics because I could get it in different colors and I had the time to let it cure. It takes about a week to cure where the FC cures out in a couple hours or less. Larry recommended it and it's good stuff.JonNice job, Jon.Chris 2 Likes