We started noticing some wrinkles on our motorhomes rubber roof, right near the front. Didn't think much of it.
Well, on our last summer trip, water started leaking in one night. Went up on the roof to check it out, and notice a small tear about two inches long right on the corner of the rubber roof.
I had some Yamabond rubber caulk, so I glued it together with that. Next day we drove a couple hundred miles. That night I went up on the roof to check the tear again.
The Yamabond was torn apart, so I added more. The next day it was torn apart again. So, I bought a roll of duct tape, and taped it every which way but loose. The duct tape came off in ten miles.
So, what was happening, is that the rubber roof was sucking up off the roof like a bubble when we were going down the road, and pulling the caulk and tape off. So, when we came home, it was time to dig into the rubber roof.
How hard could it be?
Well, I can tell you not to use contact cement, base board cement, weather strip cement, or Formica adhesive. It doesn't stick, and makes a big mess. Buy the Dicor 901BA adhesive and 501 Lap Sealant, and you will not have any problems.
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Prep
Prep - Remove the trim across the front of the motorhome that holds the front fiberglass to the rubber roof. Next, remove several of the screws holding the front corner moldings down to the fiberglass. Then remove the screws from the side moldings back to the point
where the rubber is still sticking to the plywood roof.
Prep - Fold the rubber roof back, and clean the black underside and the plywood with Lacquer thinner. Let it dry for several hours. After it is cleaned, use a wire brush to lightly scratch the black underside so that the adhesive will stick better.
Apply
Apply - Using a paint roller, apply the Dicor 901BA rubber roof adhesive to the black underside of the rubber roof, and the plywood.
Apply - Make sure you have a nice even coating of the Dicor 901BA adhesive.
Apply - Let the Dicor 901BA adhesive dry until it turns clear. The can says not to let it dry before mating the two surfaces, but that is for a new roof where the glue can evaporate through the plywood. LET IT DRY!!!
Apply - Roll the rubber roof back out using a Formica roller. Make sure it is where you want it before it touches, because it will not come back up. I had my wife holding up one corner, and my son holding up the other corner while a rolled it out.
Apply - Place a strip of putty tape on the rubber roof where the fiberglass is going to come down on it. The factory used a staple gun to hold the fiberglass down to the putty tape and plywood, so I did the same.
Apply - Place another strip of putty tape on top of the fiberglass where the trim piece goes.
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Apply - Clean the trim piece using Paint Thinner, not Lacquer thinner. Re-install the trim piece. Be careful not to strip out the screws. Keep tightening them slowly until the putty tape stops squeezing out. Remove excess putty.
Apply - Re-install the roof vent with putty tape under the metal flange. Again, tighten screws slowly to allow putty to squeeze out. Remove excess putty.
Apply - Use more putty tape under the lifted pieces of corner trim, and re-attach. Use Buytl Rubber caulk where the trim touches the fiberglass.
Apply - Use Dicor Lap Sealant to seal the screws, and anywhere the metal touches the rubber roof.
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www.RockAuto.com
has the best price on all auto parts, and their service is great.
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Final Thought - The roof looks good. We keep our motorhome inside a barn. I don't know why the roof came up. It still seems in good shape.
Hopefully we can get another 100,000 miles out of it.
