Yep, after pulling 5ers since 1976, finally found 'that branch' and dug 4 small holes in the rolled section of the EDPM roof edge. I just placed an AMAZON order for Eternabond 4" wide by 50 foot tape and will make my repairs Wednesday or Thursday - dang that stuff is not cheap. But since Keystone did such a crappy job of sealing the slide roofs with some sort of sticky, now peeling tape, will find a use for the remaining 45 feet of that 50 foot roll so the pain lessens a bit. But the embarrassment is still there

Any hints besides a good cleaning with acetone or their spray stuff (I'm using acetone) plus a good roll down with a flat wallpaper roller?

 

You have it covered. Not a big deal man. Just add it to the list of stories you have to tell about RVing!

Steve

 

my drivers side rear has a not so pretty mark as well.

 

From my vantage point, if you never make a mistake you are holding on too tightly.

Steve

 

Still watching for that branch after 33 years of RV towing, hope I'm not jinxing myself.


One bit of advice: When you clean with the acetone, use a clean rag and wipe in one direction so you are not dragging dirt back into the clean area. And when the rag gets dirty, change it out for a clean one so you aren't just smearing the dirt.


When I bought my trailer, I needed to run antenna cable extensions from just behind the front A/C unit to the rear ladder for a Carry-Out satellite antenna. I laid the cables down in a straight line and then put a strip of 4" Eternabond over the top of them. Later, I needed to add a little slack and found it was way too much trouble to remove the tape, so I had to make another extension instead. I used a lot of rags to make sure the strip was clean before I laid down the tape.


That eternabond is great stuff and you won't have to worry about repairing that section of the roof ever again!

 

Eternabond makes a good fresh water tank sealer in an emergency.

FYI. Also JB Weld makes a product that adheres to the Polypropylene and Polyethylene used with freshwater tanks.

Plastic Bonder Syringe | J-B Weld

 

Well said Steve.

 

Eternabond has a 4" wide roll just 10' long for patching the front cap to the rubber roof seam.
I think it's about 50 bucks but not the 50' you are looking at.

 

I haven't seen a 10 foot length, but have checked out their 25, 50 and 200 footers. Now it's a wait for a dry day which will probably be Tuesday now per Weather Underground. My duct tape emergency repair should hold a few more days.

There is also a 2 " wide X 4 feet and I believe a 3" but didn't see it on their website - it might be a commercial product. There is also some stuff called Webseal but that needs a top coating and IMO, really not a suitable product for my use.

 

Dave,
Here's the link I'm referring too.

EternaSeam RV Seam Eliminator

 

Dang, I guess my brand new $$ specs missed that --- and right in the middle of the products page, too

Thanks, Bob. Can't use it this year but next fall that kit will be on my list of 'needs'.

 

Finally!!!! Between the weather, a stair recarpeting on the 5er and many honey-do's got the patch on the roof today before the remnants of hurricane Patricia dumps a bunch of rain tomorrow.

The instructions that come with the roll also call for sealing the leading edge - so out came my tube of Dicor. I had to reseal the bathroom skylight where there is a stress crack across one corner of the flange anyhow so another completed project.

I learned a couple things - one, you get that Eterna Bond on right or start over with a new piece as the stickum is useless. Luckily I only lost about 4" which was my 'just in case amount'. Second - that Eterna Bond is one heck of a lot whiter then the grungy roof which of course begets another project - a thorough roof wash job.

 

spic and span and a soft long handled brush work wonders for cleaning the roof.

 

Trisodium Phosphate works very well for cleaning the rubber roof and even does a pretty good job of getting dark streaks off the sides. It's basically what soaps used to have in them (back when they actually worked good) before the government mandated it be removed to save the environment.

 

Scott - I already have some S&S along with the long brush left over from the last 5er

Ginther - TSP is my fall back cleaner for lots of things but an EPDM roof is just too tender, IMO, for that harsh of a cleaner.

Now, with cool (COLD !!!) weather coming on, all I need is a day where it gets into the 50s early enough so I don't mind getting up on the roof, sweeping the leaves off then scrubbing the trailer, top, sides and maybe even the bottom