zephyrgreen Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Hello hello! We have recently purchased a 1984 Dolphin, with a gaping gash in the rear of the cab -- you could literally see daylight from inside. This weekend, we took a camping trip with some materials, minimal research and just went at it. We ripped off the ladder and roof rack, and bondo'd the holes and silicon sealed some cracks near the vent seals. We want to eventually replace the vents. Some online research shows that Liquid Rubber EPDM Roof is the best to use to seal off the roof to prevent leaks. Any suggestions? One note about the cabin is that once the gunk was removed (previous owner's haphazard fix to fill the split in the seam) and the rotted wood reinforced and replaced, the aluminum siding ballooned out when tucked back into place. Much to our despair. I plan to take sheet metal snips and cut down the 1" excess so that the siding can tuck back into place. Good idea? Bad idea? Also, the metal strip (what do I call this properly?) that covers the corner seams was removed and needs to be reinstalled, however, I need to drill new holes into the sheet metal as the holes no longer align....unsure how this happened. Also, should I replace this metal strip? It would be preferable to replace with one with a wider lip and wraparound to account for some of the warping/misshapenness. It was also warped slightly when removed and is very stiff to reapply. It seems that the back end may have collapsed down onto the rear bumper (which seems to be aftermarket and welded onto the frame?), which resulted in a split in the rear seam? I am unsure how to diagnose what may have happened, but the rear frame definitely needs a complete replacement sometime down the line. We also plan on tearing out the stove and fridge, minimalizing the weight and functionality of the rig. There are solar panels on the roof, which are wired into the cabin lighting and there is a single 12V socket. Ideally this rig will be traveled across the states and lived out of for a couple years at a minimum. I would prefer that it lasts a decade further, however, I know that it may be better to sell and rebuy another rig in the future. Pictures uploaded soon! Thanks for the input and will continue to research and dive into what has already been documented here! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aws910 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Has anyone else used this "liquid rubber EPDM" to re-seal their roof? The previous owner on mine used some rubbery stuff, but it looks like he used a broom to apply it - it looks like hell! Besides that, it still leaks a little, so I'd like to do the job right so it won't look so bad when I re-paint it. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aws910 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Also, looks like the "liquid rubber epdm" costs about $50/gallon. Looks like GACO is about the same price. Not too bad I guess, but has anyone been able to seal theirs with anything cheaper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR67 Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 (edited) I used Flex Coat by White Knight from Home Depot. Around $40 a gallon, cheapest that I found. I brushed it on, you can see the brush strokes, but then again who is tall enough to see your roof Edited December 7, 2013 by JR67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I have heard of folks using LINE-X to coat their entire camper shells. I'd like to see a finished camper probably pretty spendy too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 Zephyrgreen, Can you post some photos of your rig and it's problems? Its difficult to give advice without some pictures. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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