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[/p][p]I would like to see if the manufacture can offer commentary on the construction of this roof seam - new 2017 VRV toy hauler. See attached picture.[/p][p]
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I will offer my comment. The end of the roll ran out when it came to your unit. So they overlapped with a new roll and made a seam. Crappy practice to save a buck on materials rather than start with a new roll and make it continuous.
David
[p]They are no longer using one piece aluminum roof. There is a transition here that at the very least is done poorly. I am hopeful that this can be remedied or if this is the standard future buyers can be properly advised. There is significant gapping between the TPO and Aluminum.[/p]
Stever - are you saying this is one of the new TPO roofs that you photographed? If so I'm surprised the joint is so -- not neat. Part of the reason they say they switched to TPO was to be able to do a neater joint to the orbit front. Most of the all aluminum ones have a sloppy transition. Wrinkles in the aluminum roof where it meets the orbit front are typical -- and they use lots of that sealant to seal the shit out of it.
Doctors bury their mistakes, architects plant ivy, and rv manufacturers use sealant! B-|
Can you post a closeup pic taken from more of a side view?
PEIslander - Yes this is the new roof. The cross seam between the TPO and the aluminum front radius. It has a large gap where the TPO is not pulled down tight. It is done very poorly. Water will be forced into that area driving.
In Alabama engineering terms, this in my opinion, is an ADR - ain't done right.
I will get some additional pictures this weekend.
~Stever
I'm appalled. >:D I really cannot believe LL let that leave the factory after all the hype about how the new TPO roof would make the front seam better. What a mess.
I should have been smart enough to get up on the roof before I drove away but I found a number of other issues inside and out that the dealer was addressing. Maybe others looking will take note and be able to make an informed decision and look at this before they purchase.
Hi Steve,
The image is showing the black powder coated non insert trim with sealant under trim and on top of each screw that is used in the transition between the superflex roof and the white aluminum front end. Roofs are always one piece and never spliced. This is the normal. That is not a gap. We recently standardized on black powder coated trim. In the past the same trim was used but not powder coated black and probably would not even have been noticeable.
It is leaking?
Best Regards,
Dan
It is not leaking; I suspect though if folks buying a trailer look at this seam they will be put off just from the appearance but maybe I am picky.
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Stever
I agree with you on the looks! Wonder if maybe they should use non powder coated insert trim with a white insert.
I am passing along your concern. Thanks for the feedback!
Dan
An off white or silver would not show. The sealing workmanship is pretty bad - with drops of goop near where they were sealing. Isn't there a strip of the same sealing material that can be rolled out over the seams and screws rather than the tube sealant?
Quote from: @stever" timestamp="1468945530" source="/post/23198/threadAn off white or silver would not show. The sealing workmanship is pretty bad - with drops of goop near where they were sealing. Isn't there a strip of the same sealing material that can be rolled out over the seams and screws rather than the tube sealant?
At least run a bead of sealant the entire width of the trailer covering the screws instead of those big blobs at each screw.
Just got an answer back from production that the reason they do not use insert trim the way many RV manufacturers do is that it would trap water inside of the insert trim.
Djmiller -
As it is water stands in the trim piece; water does not have a path out other than evaporation.
[quote source="/post/23234/thread" timestamp="1469028565" author="@stever"]Djmiller -
As it is water stands in the trim piece; water does not have a path out other than evaporation.[/quote]Did the people in production see the pictures? Is it possible the trim piece was installed upside down? The picture seems to directly contradict what Dan stated.
djsamuel -
The non insert roof trim is not installed upside down. And I have passed the images to production. It seems to be an appearance issue. I have suggested using a white insert in the trim before sealing the top. That would help the appearance but not necessarily give you any better seal.
Quote from: @djmiller" source="/post/23250/thread" timestamp="1469109394djsamuel -
The non insert roof trim is not installed upside down. And I have passed the images to production. It seems to be an appearance issue. I have suggested using a white insert in the trim before sealing the top. That would help the appearance but not necessarily give you any better seal.
Thanks for the info. The feedback from production just doesn't make sense since it actually does retain water. I agree, the white insert would look much better as well as being a bit neater with the sealant. My 2013 21BHS doesn't look great at that seam, but is is MUCH better than that posted here.
Dan -- I wonder why the factory doesn't use a sealant tape like EternaBond in place of goop it up with sealant approach. I'm thinking there'd still be a screw down flat bar as a pressure plate to positively clamp down the leading edge of the TPO but then use the EternaBond tape to neatly cover & seal the TPO edge & the entire pressure plate. Seems like an easy production fix to me. The flat bar could be just an inexpensive strip of mill-finish aluminum. >> [a href="http://www.eternabond.com/articles.asp?id=283"]EternaBond[/a] << is an amazing proven product -- with a useful outdoor life of 17 to 35 years.
-PEIslander
Thanks, I will pass that along. Sense going to our new roofs, I have been told we have not had any leaks. Not that it is not important but I do believe it really is just an appearance issue.