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Old 10-23-2017, 05:50 PM   #1
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Angry Front window leaking on 1984 Sunline

Front window will not stop leaking. I have pulled front window cleaned all old caulk from both surfaces. Used the window caulk around window put all new screws and even put dicor along where window frame meets the side. Today it rained for hours and water is coming inside. Only thing i can figure is water is running one of the screws. Should i pull window back out and redo and reseal with something different? Or is there something i could use ( caulk or tape) to go over outside around window. Im at the end of my rope on chasing this leak down. Thanks
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Old 10-23-2017, 07:04 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tazzplay0228 View Post
Front window will not stop leaking. I have pulled front window cleaned all old caulk from both surfaces. Used the window caulk around window put all new screws and even put dicor along where window frame meets the side. Today it rained for hours and water is coming inside. Only thing i can figure is water is running one of the screws. Should i pull window back out and redo and reseal with something different? Or is there something i could use ( caulk or tape) to go over outside around window. Im at the end of my rope on chasing this leak down. Thanks
My Advancer has a slanted front and had a similar issue.
Turned out the seal between the panes of glass was separating just enough to let water seep in between and down through the metal frame. I had to remove the rubber bead which isn't the real seal and then I noticed some green algae under the glass!
I pushed some of the really good Dicor type caulk down into the area with a popsicle stick and very carefully caulked under the decorative weather seal. That ended my problem.. hopefully the pictures help.

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Old 10-23-2017, 07:47 PM   #3
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Thank you for the info Draughtry, I dont have the round windows all of mine are square. Here is a picture like the front window i have.
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Old 10-23-2017, 09:55 PM   #4
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I have pulled front window cleaned all old caulk from both surfaces. Used the window caulk around window put all new screws and even put dicor along where window frame meets the side.
Hi,

You stated you used window caulk, what brand type is that?

I am assuming the leak is coming in from the siding to the window frame seal? And not leaking in the Jalousie glass panes?

If it is a frame to siding seal leak, this is how they are sealed.

These flange type sealed windows work best if you use butyl sealing tape. 1" wide x 1/8" thick. Be careful to not get putty tape, it will work just not last as long. You need to clean the surface well to get any old caulk off and hoping that silicone was not used as that is hard to get off and not much else will stick until it does. If there is silicone on it, let use know I found a new silicone remover that may help.

This link may help as it will drop you into the middle of a frame repair thread but we are replacing the window caulking. Your screws enter from the outside on the older windows and then enter from the inside, but sealing the window is the same process
http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...tml#post135419

You can then add Dicor non leveling (non sag) caulk between the siding and the window flange as a secondary seal. See here
http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...tml#post137746

The butyl tape will seal the screw threads. Adding the top molding insert cap assuming yours has one, can help shed most of the water off the screws letting the butyl seal keep the rest out.

Hope this helps. If what I described is not how your camper is built, let us know and post pics of what you have installed so we can see what you are up against.

Thanks

John
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Old 10-23-2017, 11:14 PM   #5
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Thank you JohnB, the local camper place had me to use the putty tape. Which is what was on it but i was hesitant to use. It is leaking from the siding to window frame. That im sure of cause i took inside paneling down and i can see the leak. This is my first camper purchase and i have learned many lessions. When i purchased it it had leaked down around fridge vent and toilet vents. All were cracked and broke. I had to replace all vents and replace two roof joists. Also all paneling from bathroom to front window,plus floor at door where water had settled. One thing i did too all the paneling i used screws in case i ever had to remove one to access or fix something. I sure would have liked to run across this site before i bought it, but am still happy with the purchase.
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Old 10-24-2017, 06:40 AM   #6
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We had a leaky front window in our new trailer. Steve removed it and reinstalled using butyl tape, as John B describes above. It hasn't leaked since.
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Old 10-24-2017, 08:20 AM   #7
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Hi Tazz,

A few things to pass along in case you did not pick up on them from the link I posted to you for applying the butyl tape.

On the corrugated siding, cut extra tabs of butyl to apply on the siding before you set the window frame that has sealing tap on it also. This extra sealing tape helps fill the voids in the differences of the siding. My link showed this being done.

On cooler or colder days when assembling the taped widow frame to the camper, use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm the butyl. You do not want concentrated high heat, keep the heat gun moving but your adding some heat to it. Warm the side of the camper too and you will go right over those extra tabs of butyl in the siding depressions as well. This helps even if it is 70F out side. If it is 85 to 90F during the day, the extra heat will not be needed as everything is then 85F or higher. When you tighten the screws, the butyl will flow into all cracks and crevices when warmed.

All brands and types of putty tape and butyl are not created equal. I do not know about the brand putty Sunline used back in 1984 but I can report on the one they used in 2003 to 2006. The putty tape they picked was better then most. But it was still putty tape and had it's characteristics. After 7 to 10 years of the camper living outside, the putty tape will shrink, separate from the siding and allow a water intrusion path if beating water finds it way to that joint.

You can generally tell putty tape from butyl by doing a pull test. Grab a piece of tape about 4 to 6" long and try to pull it apart. The putty tape will pull approx 1 to 2" long and snap clean. Buytl will pull like taffy, you can pull it 12" and it will not separate and be 3 feet or more before the last stringer lets go. The flexibility is very different. Butyl does cost a little more. Not a lot more but more. When your buying a roll or 2 paying the little extra is not much. Buying 1,000's of feet of it do add up.

I also have found all butyl is not created equal. I bought on line from a well known RV dealer several rolls of tape. When it was new it worked like it should, taffy pull and all. I put an extra roll in a zip lock bag and stored it in the camper as a spare in case of emergency on the road. A year later it was as hard as concrete... in that roll. I was shocked. These rolls had no markings as to the manufacture and when they where sent to me I had no identification back to the manufacture. Ever since this, I stopped buying butyl unless I knew the manufacture of the product and could read up and call them about their product. This suspect butyl also on the camper was crusty on the exposed edge of the flange a year later. I can say for sure, when good quality butyl is found, it does not act like this. Years later even if it is outside the shelf life stated by the mfr, it will still be pliable. And when you lift up a roof flange or something used with good quality butyl, it is still good under that flange. I can attest that after 15 years butyl is still as good as year 1. I am sure it can go longer, but I myself have no data to show that, yet.

There are some draw backs to butyl over putty tape which may be why many RV makers use the putty other then the raw cost. Good quality butyl is so stringy/sticky that it is harder to clean up on the side of the camper when excess flows out. It takes a little more time it clean it off. Dirt can also attract itself to the butyl more then the putty tape. This can be overcome by applying a small bead of Dicor non leveling caulk to the exposed edge to keep the dirt from the direct butyl. However hands down good quality butyl will seal better and last longer then the putty tapes. Unless you get one of those bad quality butyl rolls like I did.

Hope this helps and good luck with you camper. Sounds like you are handy and can do the repairs yourself. That is one of the beauties of these kind of campers. With common wood tools and a little wood working know how, you can repair any of them.

John
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Old 10-24-2017, 08:59 AM   #8
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Here is another window install show and tell. It may help add a little more then the other link. Different camper.

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...tml#post131769
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Old 10-24-2017, 09:19 AM   #9
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Appreciate all the information, and the links are a very big help. i will get some pictures as i go. Im going to take it back out and redo. I have called and found 1 inch butyl tape. I got 4 days before cold weather and rain start in and i have did way too much work to let camper get ruined again.
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