Puncture wound in siding

[Tracey]

Due to parking lot perils the vechicle next to us left us with a small 1/2 inch puncture in the siding. What is the best way to repair this? We have a 1996 T1700. Thanks!

[JohnB]

Hi Tracey,

If you have no place to store your camper under cover, for a "patch" fix that is quick, you can use Gorilla tape (only that brand) to seal it up to help prevent water from getting into the wall cavity. This is a patch that can be removed and the sticky stuff removed to then later install a permeant repair. The tape if applied to a cleaned surface, can last 6 months outside, maybe a little longer, but it buys you time to get the materials to do a long term repair.

For these kind of repairs, it really helps to see what you have to make a better recommendation on how to repair it. There are a few ways, but it depends which will work better from your exact situation. Can you post a few pics showing these areas,

1. The entire wall where the holes are.
2. Close ups of each hole.

Hope this helps,

John

[JohnB]

If you need help posting pics, here are the basics.

There are 3 ways to add pics.

1. Upload pics to a specific post attaching them at the end of the post.

2. Linking them in from a public viewable web photo hosting service you have.

See here for 1 and 2 https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...html#post86041

3. You can upload pics to the forum in your own personal photo album. Then link them to anywhere in the text of a post. See here on how to create an album. https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...html#post87945

If you still get stuck, let us know. Pic's go a long way in helping show things you are working on, and we really like seeing Sunline pics!

Hope this helps

John

[Tracey]

The puncture hole is small, could I just put some silicone to fill and a Sunline decal to cover? Is there a special type of silicone I should be using, or a more permanent tape instead of the decal? I tried to upload photo but with no success!

[JohnB]

Hi Tracy,

Not being able to see the hole I'm only going off what you have said and "you" feel it can be caulked.

If the hole or crease/slit creating a hole is small enough, yes the hole can be caulked with a caulk that will last.

Silicone is a good caulk when used in the proper application. Being on the exterior of a metal sided camper is not a good application for it. The bond will work at first but over time it will release from one side and leak right around the silicone bead. The bead itself my survive a long time, but to stop the leak, you need it to bond well to the siding/ moldings etc, for a long term repair.

There are two types of caulk I have used that I know will hold up and are made for the riggers and flexing of a camper, along with being in the sun a lot.

Dicor non sag sealant is a choice. I have used a lot it, it works well but it can have dirt stick to it over time more so then other caulks. It comes in several colors, I used the white on the white Sunline siding. This caulk can be used on the rubber roof, if your camper has a rubber roof. https://dicorproducts.com/product/no...-lap-sealants/

Note: Dicor make both self leveling and non sag/non leveling. You want the non sag/non leveling for the siding.


The other caulk I now use if Proflex RV. This is my newer go too siding caulk. It applies the same as the Dicor Non sag, but when it is cured, the surface is smoother and dirt does not stick as badly as the Dicor. It comes in many colors including clear and you can paint over it if wanted. This cannot be used on a rubber roof. https://www.geocelusa.com/product/pr...xible-sealant/

I normally buy both of those caulks at RVUpgrades.com https://www.rvupgradestore.com/default.asp However they are out of stock and have been. It seems there is a big rush on RV caulk ongoing. You can find both caulks at RV dealers. Amazon is selling both, but the price right now is more then double what it was a year ago. You may find it cheaper at a local RV dealer.

If you cannot find either of those, then standard Proflex can be used. It is made by the same folks who make Proflex RV, but for houses/buildings. This can be more readily found and in some hardware stores. They have lots of colors. https://www.geocelusa.com/product/pr...lymer-sealant/

There are some tricks to learn how to apply them, they both apply the same. This post will show details on how to apply the Dicor, but use the same process on the Proflex RV https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...tml#post137746

A few added tips for both.

Do not apply to siding in the high heat of a sunny day. Everything dries too fast on the hot siding and will create smoothing out and shrinkage issues.

Do short/small areas, ( 2 ft. bead length approx) and smooth out those small areas, then apply more. If you wait too long, the caulk will have started to cure and glob up instead of smooth out nicely.

Keep the wet soapy finger like the link above states and how to pat it down, then smooth it out.

Hope this helps.

John

PS, for the future, tell us what was the issue you had when trying to post a pic? We can help you with that, but need to know what did not work when you tried the 3 methods in the help link I posted.

[Tracey]

Thanks John B! You are better than an Owner's Manual for information!
We want to patch it and get as much Spring camping in as possible - before the heat, bugs, and people!
I will give it another try on posting pics and let you know where I get stuck!
Again, thanks for walking me through the repair!
Tracey
PS One more question: Is the back bumper strong enough to mount a spare tire?

[jim44646]

If you have a Eternabond tape that makes a great patch. I backed into my spouting and 2 spouting spikes punctured the siding on the back of my trailer. I took a couple of pieces of Etrrnabond tape (that I always carry in the trailer) and covered the holes. They are still there after 10 years.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Tracey

Thanks John B! You are better than an Owner's Manual for information!
We want to patch it and get as much Spring camping in as possible - before the heat, bugs, and people!
I will give it another try on posting pics and let you know where I get stuck!
Again, thanks for walking me through the repair!
Tracey
PS One more question: Is the back bumper strong enough to mount a spare tire?

Hi Tracey,

You are welcome. Thanks for the good words.

On your vintage camper, the rear bumper as it originally came from Sunline, was able to hold a spare tire, but that is about all. The bumpers on most Sunlines, I'm not totally sure on the older 80's ones, had a special bumper mount that would bend, on purpose, if there was much more then a spare tire on the back. When new, many had a 100# limit for anything being mounted to the bumper and the spare tire while it does not weigh 100#, the bouncing over bumps can take it's toll on the bumper mounts, even with a spare tire.

This is all the when the camper was new. If someone stored a sewer hose inside the bumper, many do, that accelerates the rusting of the bumper tube from the inside out. The bumper rusts bad enough on it's own as the inside is not painted.

I would suggest you do a good visual inspection inside the bumper and at the mounting points for heavy rust before mounting a spare tire. If the mounts and the bumper have heavy rust, they are not as strong as original and will break or bend at a lower weight rating.

Also, a prior owner may have made some modifications to the bumper. I have seen several where the bumper bent, and the owner had it welded on solid on as they may have thought it was poorly installed. Possibly not realizing it was intentional to not allow it carry much weight.

Adding weight to the back of a camper, reduces the loaded tongue weight of the trailer hitch up front. The teeter tauter effect occurs. If too much weight is added to the back bumper or wall area, towing stability of the camper can be affected by lower loaded tongue weight. This I "think" I'm not 100% sure, is why Sunline created the limit. The shorter/smaller the camper, the worse the added weight on the back becomes.

Hope this helps

John

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by jim44646

If you have a Eternabond tape that makes a great patch. I backed into my spouting and 2 spouting spikes punctured the siding on the back of my trailer. I took a couple of pieces of Etrrnabond tape (that I always carry in the trailer) and covered the holes. They are still there after 10 years.

I missed Jim's post as I was also posting. Yes, Eternabond will work and last a good long time on siding holes. I do use it pending the size of the hole. Very large holes, inches worth, is a very different fix.

This is where seeing the hole/crack helps with how to decide, do I just caulk it with the Proflex RV/Dicor or do I need to get the Eternabond?

Both are good long term options. Both have limitations though on size. This can also depend on, what you have access to. If you have a roll of E bond, use it. If you have the Proflex/Dicor, use it. If you have neither, we are back to what does the hole/crack look like so we use the right one?

Buying a tube of caulk to only use 3 squirts out of is cheaper then a roll of E bond 50 ft long that you use 1/2" of. They do sell Ebond in I think 25 ft rolls as a patch kit. The Ebond has a 5 year shelf life, the caulk not so many years and is toast about a few months after you crack the seal even put a nail and tape the tip after opening it.

Jim noted, he has a roll of Ebond in the camper all the time. I do also. When you get a roof poked hole from a tree branch, or most any other small hole, the E bond can be long term fix. I also carry a roll of Gorilla tape for quick patch to get me home then deal with the issue.

Hope this helps and let us know how you make out.

John