Steve, my '07 Arctic Fox, made in the Virginia plant the year it closed has this problem: (This is photo of crack and bubble on street side at the front lower corner of bedroom (forward) slide.)



Do you think it will be economical to have it repaired? I did just have a new roof done this past summer. Found out that the crack was caused by water intrusion through the seals which insurance adjuster says were installed wrong. No way that Northwood is going to cover a vehicle 10 years past warranty.

Strange that I never saw any water intrusion in the bedroom area since I've had the vehicle... purchased in 2009.

If you'd rather continue this discussion via email or PM, it's ok with me.

If others have any input, I would be interested into any comments.

Here's a photo of that side of the RV before the damage showed itself:

 

Bud,

I have seen cracks like that fairly often. My thought it it usually the result of pin box flexing. I do not agree that it is automatically the result of seals being installed incorrectly. The crack certainly wasn't caused by that, again in my opinion. Delam doesn't cause cracks. Did the adjuster say what was done incorrectly? I bet it cracked the crack admitted moisture.

I doubt it will get any worse or lead to anything worse. Repair could be pricey. You might just try an expoxy glue in the crack and use a little touch up paint. If you take the aluminum piece above the delam free can you get some epoxy behind the delam. If so, you can probably get it sealed back up.

Steve

 

So you think pin box flex is what caused it?


Make sense that where the slide is would be the weakest point.


I would think a proper fix would probably not hold and you would end up with the same thing.


Although ugly, sealing it and painting it would probably be the cheapest route, but do you think there is water damage behind it that should be addressed?

 

Just a guess, but I am not sure there is much water damage. It doesn't take much water to cause delam as any trapped moisture expands and contracts with the temperature. Where the problem is on this fiver is exactly where I have seen it on every bedroom slide where tje filon cracks. So the adjuster is saying in every case it was because the slides seals were installed incorrectly? I just don't buy it, but I would at least want to know how he decided that. How would he have installed the slide seals?

It looks like the bottom seal is accessible and the aluminum trim there is either just a cap or is part of the seal, but either way a little further exploration might allow one to form a more complete opinion.

My opinion,

Steve

 

Just below the two screws in the first photo shows(?) some buckling of the exterior skin. Might want to peel it back and have a look for a better overall indication of what is going on.

 

I see a lot of space in the caulk where the vertical seal meets the horizontal strip with the two screws. It only takes a pinhole in the caulk to allow a lot of water in over time.

 

That's just the screw cover. There should be tacky tape and caulk behind it under the aluminum, but it is easy enough to check.

Steve

 

Not doing anything until end of our camping season - which is Oct 24th.

 

What I would do to see of something is moving hooked up. Take a 4x4 or something similar and cut ot so that it sets under the pin, raise your jacks and watch that area when the weight is put on the pin. I'm guessing you will see the crack opening up and that area where the siding is bubbling change, of so you are seeing frame flex. The only way to see if it's a frame problem or wall as structure is peal the siding back.

Denny

 

Here is an aside about that crack. The adjuster said it is the result of poor slide seal, but the seal runs the full length under the slide and I have never one time seen that crack on the back side of the slide bottom, only on the front as in the picture. If it has to do with the seal, why does it never occur on the back side? Humm.

Steve

 

Maybe because it's NOT the bottom seal but the front side seal. Just playin' devil's advocate.

 

So why does it never happen on the back side of the slide, only the front. I would expect side seals to be prone to leakage either front or back.

Steve

 

Because it depends on the quality of the caulking job where it is applied between wall and seal and not the seals themselves.

 

So you are saying they always do a better job on the back side of the slide?

Steve

 

No, I'm saying that in this particular case, the caulk job was lousy on the front seal. I can go out in the park I'm at right now and take pictures of delamination on at least three trailers and it's not the front seal of a slide.