QuestionMy husband and I purchased new a 1992 Jamboree Rallye 28' cabover motor home directly from a dealer. It actually has gotten very little use other than when our children have borrowed it. One lived in it for a few months in Florida a couple of years back.
The motorhome is stored in the garage or outside if we needed the garage space for a car repair. Recently, we noticed that there was mildew on the bed matresses in the rear. My husband got on the roof and was absolutely shocked to see what materials it was comprised of. There is plywood with duct tape covering some of the screw holes and then a coating on the roof which is now totally peeling off in sheets. I am guessing it was some kind of rubberized coating. How can a motorhome roof be so badly manufactured and sealed? We have an old 1973 that my husband has bought to restore that is solid fiberglass all the way around and still in excellent shape with no leaks. We have had other cabover type RVs over the years and never bothered to worry about the roof because it was always garaged and there never appeared to be leak problems. My husband has no memory of a motorhome roof that is plywood and a rubber coating so cheaply done.
We thought Fleetwood made a quality product and that Jamboree was one of their better lines compared to their other lines of RVs. That having been said, the plywood is separating and there are large gaps between the edge where it should meet the fiberglass from the sides. Of course the coating has peeled off and my husband scraped the rest of it off. The duct tape having been applied is laughable. What materials do you suggest we use to repair and reseal the roof? My husband is very handy and if you could be specific if there is a particular product to use, that would be most helpful.
Thank you for taking the time.
AnswerSorry to hear about the poor craftsmanship. You should remember though, that a roof on an RV is the most important maintenence that needs to be performed regularly. It should be inspected at least twice a year. The sealant can dry up and peel and crack. Even if it is garaged, it can get old. That is probably what is happening to your roof.I have never heard of duct tape being used on a roof. It sounds like you have one of the early "Dicor" brand roofs. It is a rubber membrane glued onto OSB board. This is a perfectly good product as long as it is maintained.
It sounds as if you will need to replace the decking and the rubber roof. You can get the decking at any lumber yard and you can get the Dicor roof at any large RV dealer, and I am providing you with a link to their website.
Take it down to the rafters, install the decking, glue the decking, and roll out the roofing, being careful to smooth out wrinkles as you go. Reattach the trim around the edge, reinstall A/C and vents if there are any, and you should be all set.
Here is the Dicor link:
http://www.dicor.com/
Good luck and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Dave
