Cabover water leak repair service needed immediately

[antsmomaz]

I'm currently in Roseville, CA and went to look at my 2003 24' Fleetwood Jamboree in outside storage yesterday.  Found water leak stains and possible mold in the overhead window area of cab after 1 week of continual heavy rains!  I just sold my home and need to be out of here by Jan 10th but now I'm worried (esp as a 66 yr old female not too experienced in DIY).  The weather has cleared up and we're not expecting any more rain for the next 2 weeks (hopefully).  I'm heading for Phoenix area and wondering whether I can wait for repairs to be done there.  I need recommendations for who can do this as I want to take care of this asap.  I will be able to stay with a friend in Phoenix while repairs are being done.  Any help out there?  Are there mobile repair people out there??  Thanks so much in advance for any suggestions!!!

 

[bullfrog]

It won't get any better so dry it out as best with fans and heaters (if possible remove easily removeable panels) as you can and treat the apparent mold. Park and tarp it in wet weather. Usually it is the front window seal that goes bad so have that checked, don't put big gobbs of silicone on the bad seal, replace the seal, if it is bad you will be better off in the long run. Be aware these things are usually like iceburgs as you only can see part of the damage but if you catch it early and treat the affected areas sooner is better than later. Usually in snowbird parks there are people that can give you refferences to good private tradesmen.

 

[antsmomaz]

Thank you! Yes, that was one of my main concerns - to get the panels off and get that wood dried out. A local "angel" responded to my post on the DIY RV Maintenance and Repair FaceBook page and actually came to my house to take a look. I had the chassis inspected when I bought it a couple of months ago and everything passed. People were at awe with my rig Another friend inspected the roof and said it was in good shape. I don't think anyone really bothered to take a look as far as the overhang portion of the cab.

The source of the problem was the running lights on the top of the overhead were cracked (from previous damage) and the light covers were taking in a LOT of water. We had enough rain this past week along with weeks of rain prior to cause this.

I'm just glad that I've been keeping an eye on any leakage and caught this in time (I hope) I'm hoping I can consider this a minor repair (a couple of hundred $$) that will need to be done vs a major repair (more than a couple of hundred $$).

Lesson learned and thank you for your response. Do I close this conversation now?

 

[bullfrog]

Nope, it will be here for others so that if they have similar problems they may get some ideas from your post.

 

[Dieseldave]

I too, have a leak in the cabover portion of my Tioga class C. I'm looking for someone to repair the leak which may be more than just a light or seal. I'm headed to RTR in Quartzite for a couple of weeks so if someone knows of a tradesman in the area I would appreciate the referral. I live in Southern Ca. and can travel to other areas Thanks,

 

[Hoot]

antsmomaz, google <   phoenix rv mobile repair   > and you'll find several. 

And fwiw to you and Dieseldave... a first for me  minor roof leak led to these articles by experienced rvers I was already following which were a big help, good edu whether you diy or have another do it:

https://www.loveyourrv.com/resealing-rv-roof-eternabond-tape/
https://www.loveyourrv.com/beefing-up-my-rv-roof-seals-with-eternabond-tape/

RV Geeks HOW TO: ''Prevent RV Roof Leaks (Dicor Maintenance)

 

[maki2]

You can quickly and easily repair a crack in a running light without having to replace the light. This is an easy DIY fix if you have a way to reach the lights. Save yourself hundreds of dollars, you can fix it yourself for less than $20.00. The hardest part of the job will be reaching the lights. This fix also works for cracks in plastic tail light covers. Done with care the repair will be invisible and it will not fail in the future. For older vehicles it can be difficult to find exact replacement parts for things such as covers for tail lights, turn signals and clearance lights.

The type of plastic the lights are made from can be mended with a watery thin solvent glue made for bonding acrylic plastics. Weld-on 3 or 4 is one version, it can be obtained at hardware stores, Home Depot etc. A small can is about $16.00. To apply it get a very fine tipped artist brush, dip it into the solution leaving some of the liquid on the brush rather than blotting off all the excess. Lay the tip of the brush along the crack moving along the crack slowly but steadily and the liquid will wick right into the crack from the brush. Do NOT try to brush it on as you would when painting, this is a solvent and it works by dissolving the plastic so that it then fills the crack but if you get a lot of it on the surface that will make the surface cloudy looking. If a little too much gets on the surface do not try to rub it off, that will just leave a smeary looking surface. Do it with care and the mend will be invisible and watertight.

Another version of this type of adhesive is available from hobby shops and craft stores that have a section for plastic model making. Hobby Lobby is one such large craft store with that kind of section. The product you want to look for is Plaststruct Plastic Weld cement. This product is the same class of watery thin adhesive as the Weld-on it might come in an applicator with a needle like tip. But on a vertical surface I think using an artist brush gives you better control as the needle tip can release too much fluid.

Remember for this method to work you need a clear, watery thin solvent adhesive that can wick into the crack. Not just any old plastic adhesive will work.

I have myself invisibly mended cracks in plastic tail light covers and turn signal covers using this type of adhesive as well as mending an acrylic window on the front of the cab-over RV I used to own.

Now if the crack is mended and you still notice a small leak it might be coming from around the rubber seal that holds the lights in place. There is another thin adhesive on the market that can creep its way into and fill up those small voids. It is called Captain Tollyey's Creeping Crack cure. Yes it really does work but follow the instructions to get good results. It is sold at marine supply stores or online from Amazon and other websites. It is a go-to standby fix to have in your roadside repair kit for fixing pesky small leaks in window seals or the seals around other penetrations such as running lights. I have also had personal experience with this product, it does work for treating small voids where water leaks in.