Stopping the leaks.

[hurdthat2]

Hello everyone,

I’ll be doing a “skin on” restore for now, so I am trying to stop any leaks before I replace the inside and I am wondering if I have this right. I have already patched the really “Big Hole” and taped it with “Quick Roof”. Next I can clean the rest of my roof, seal the seams with Vulkem, replace the Butyl tape beneath the drip rail edging and windows, and then lastly coat the roof with “Kool Seal Electomeric Roof Coating? Should I or can I also cover the “Quick Roof” tape that I have used with the Kool Seal? And is this a good plan of attack?

Thank you in advance..

[Gone Kayaking]

It would really help to see pictures of the "big hole" if you have a flickr or photo bucket album you can link in here that would be great. Quick Roof tap is not typically a good long term fix. You proba bly actually want to do an aluminum patch with an aluminum/metal welding epoxy. Check out Gremlin Guy's posts on this topic they are very good. Butyl tape as you indicate. I didn't seal the seams because they were tight adn the way they are bent should not leak. IF you want to seal the roof seams just do them. Most folks I think on this forum don't use the kool seal elastomeric because if it does crack it can trap water underneath.

[vikx]

I agree with Gone Kayaking. Elastomeric coatings are never recommended on a vintage trailer roof. If the metal is in good condition, it shouldn't need anything. If it has pinholes and/or cancer, nothing will really seal it. New metal is the solution.

[hurdthat2]

I have no pictures today but will get some soon. I did a aluminum patch with Quick Roof,screws and overlapped with Quick Roof again. Should I have used Butyl instead? I can remove at this point if so. As for the Kool Seal, I do not know if I have pinholes or not. I was just wanting to take that step to protect the inside until I can do the skin next year.

[Gone Kayaking]

I was forced to use quick roof this summer for a temporary patch on a window. That window now will need to be replaced and the skin completely cleaned because of the asphalt in the quick roof. It is a sticky mess.

I'm a little confused. Doing a skin on restoration generally is done when the skin is in good shape. Sounds like yours is not. Are you hoping to just protect it while you do the restoration for now? Then the best thing might be to tarp it with a breathable but waterproof cover when you aren't working on it like this one on ebay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=trailer+covers+shasta&_sacat=0&_odkw=trailer+covers+vintage&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

This is the link to Gremlin Guy's skin patching post.
vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=skin&thread=1700&page=1#8920

[Gone Kayaking]

Just read through your last few posts. You have a loflyte, which means that if you have a garage with a standard height door, you should be able to get the loflyte in there (that's what they were designed for) though you might have to take all/most of the air out of the tires (from what I've heard from others.

You should also look at Kevin Schofields loflyte restoration blog
airflyte.blogspot.com/ and his many posts on this thread, to see them just click on members put in kevschofield and his posts will come up. He's doing an amazing job on his camper, and does great posts some with tutorials on things like painting and using a kreg jig.

[hurdthat2]

Thank you I will. I was just worried that there "might" be pin holes. I assumed that the edge rails, windows and the large hole were the sources of the current water damage. I guess that I should do the edge rails and windows and then test for leaks. Also from reading these blogs I had seen where others had sealed their roofs but I just assumed I would need to as well. I do plan on getting new skin next year but wanted to do what I could to make my Shasta dry and clean enough to camp some this fall with my grandson. Than you all for your input. You really have given me direction and peace of mind on this.