Advice on slide roof repair

[txloser]

I have some small holes in my 2 main slide roof edges. They are on the fore and aft outer corners of my kitchen slide and the aft corner of my dinette slide.

In the meantime, I’ve run a strip of Eternabond along the edges of each one. Still need to do a long strip on one corner where I was on the road didn’t have enough tape with me.

Here’s my conundrum. If the dealership replaces those roof membranes, I’d assume it will involve removing the slides, disconnecting hydro lines, etc. Pretty involved. I’m wondering if I’m opening myself up to larger issues if I get this done, vs just leaving the tape up there. They open and close well, and keep me dry. They either tore bouncing down the road or during operation of the slide. When open and closed everything lines up well for the most part. The flap over the floor is uniform for the length of the slides.

These are Solitude hydro through frame slides.

What would you do?

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Considering my relatively low opinion of dealers in general, I think I would likely do what you have done, and call it good. But I think I would also take it in to the dealer, not for repairs necessarily, but to just make the dealership, and by extension Grand Design, aware of the issue. Then if larger problems surface, they've at least been notified. JMO of course.

 

[Calbar]

I agree with @Hoopy Frood about leaving the eternabond tape. Only concern I would have is why did it tear in the first place and make sure that is fixed. Otherwise the eternabond will tear as well.

Rob

 

[traveldawg]

I put Eternabond on mine. Somewhere on this site is a post about it.

 

[txloser]

This all aligns with where I’m at. I’ve been in contact with the dealer on this on and off for about a month with them requesting different photos. I’ll see what their final opinion is this week and go from there.

My guess on the cause is one of a few things..:the wall opening is cut a little tight and this is happening during extension and retraction. Slides sitting a hair too high(visually unnoticeable). Maybe flex moving down the road, but in hind sight, these walls aren’t very thick and I’m thinking the cuts are fully inside the trailer when retracted not against the walls of the trailer.

A couple weeks to go on warranty and I think I’ve got this unit mostly ironed out except this and a loose wall panel at the back of the w/d closet. I’ll inquire on that too. Tried my own fix with small trim nails, but I’m hitting aluminum studs.

 

[Riverbug]

Normally I would go with just doing the Eternabond and/or adhesive caulk. However, this is a pretty new unit and if it is scraping now, I imagine it could get worse over time. Sounds like you already have things started with the dealership. As much as I loathe resorting to the dealership for anything, I probably would in this instance. If the slide is out of alignment or doesn't fit the hole correctly, that's something I would prefer not to do myself if I could help it. Although, I would probably try to back to GD directly rather than the dealership if I'm traveling out that way at some point.

 

[Chaps2018]

Eternabond as a fix is suitable to close the hole in the membrane. Any continuing path for water intrusion will result in repairs in the thousands. Don’t ask how I know.

As noted, the underlying reason for the cut and subsequent repair should not be left to a dealer unless you have some good recommendations or references for that type of work.

There are shops that do this type of work. I have done some of this work
myself and had work done at these type of shops. Nothing is worse than a unsatisfactory experience with a complex repair that cost $$$-$$$$.

I have used the factory’s repair center. The factory’s recommended 3rd party shops and repair center’s not related to the factory at all—but—all were recommended the type of work that I was looking to complete.

 

[Steven@147]

I have some small holes in my 2 main slide roof edges. They are on the fore and aft outer corners of my kitchen slide and the aft corner of my dinette slide.

In the meantime, I’ve run a strip of Eternabond along the edges of each one. Still need to do a long strip on one corner where I was on the road didn’t have enough tape with me.

Here’s my conundrum. If the dealership replaces those roof membranes, I’d assume it will involve removing the slides, disconnecting hydro lines, etc. Pretty involved. I’m wondering if I’m opening myself up to larger issues if I get this done, vs just leaving the tape up there. They open and close well, and keep me dry. They either tore bouncing down the road or during operation of the slide. When open and closed everything lines up well for the most part. The flap over the floor is uniform for the length of the slides.

These are Solitude hydro through frame slides.

What would you do?

I kept an eye on ours with the in and out of the slides to watch for tears on the edges. The TPO membrane isn't that thick and it can dry out, come unglued on the edges, and wrinkle with repeated in and out rubbing of the edges by the seals, I saw ours begin to wear on the edges where the sidewall meets the roof. Especially where the top seal overlaps the vertical side seal. I ran eternabond strips along the roof / sidewall edges before it tore.

I also ran a single continuous strip of eternabond across the top of the outside edge of the slide next to the outside trim. I saw the screws under their thin strip starting to poke through. Tightened the screws and covered with the eternabond which is much thicker and more stout than their thin covering. I didn't bother talking with a dealer or GD.
Some would say man that would be a pain if you ever need to remove the eternabond, but I say why would I ever need to remove it?

I would cover the slides roof / side wall meeting edge and a continuous strip across the top outside edge next to the outside trim and down the sidewall about an inch and call it good.

Heck I've seen where owners run a continuous strip of eternabond on the main roof edge and lap it over the side an inch or two. For us that would be @ 37 foot piece of eternabond !

 

[txloser]

I got it all taped up real nice. Then Friday GD approved the repair. So figured I might as well give them a go at it. Dropped it off Friday afternoon, and dealer completed it Monday. They replaced the roofing on both slides and made some adjustments.

I’m at work this week so I can’t grab it till next week. But I’ll report back on how it looks and operates. Still amazes me how quickly GD approves stuff and then how how quickly my dealer gets stuff done.

 

[orbiker]

I got it all taped up real nice. Then Friday GD approved the repair. So figured I might as well give them a go at it. Dropped it off Friday afternoon, and dealer completed it Monday. They replaced the roofing on both slides and made some adjustments.

I’m at work this week so I can’t grab it till next week. But I’ll report back on how it looks and operates. Still amazes me how quickly GD approves stuff and then how how quickly my dealer gets stuff done.

WOW.
That's amazing.
When you get it back, ask them what might have caused the problem.

KEN

 

[Chaps2018]

Fantastic repair time!!!

What dealer in the DFW area did you use?

 

[txloser]

Fantastic repair time!!!

What dealer in the DFW area did you use?

Mcclains in Fort Worth.