Cosmo's Been Hit!

[Airstreamer67]

Wow, doesn't Airstream water-test those units anymore? What does $60K buy us nowadays?

[Bambi_Bandit]

Originally Posted by Bambi_Bandit

As I sit here at the RV park in Sikeston, the storm moves a bit further south and east than early predictions...I get heavy rain mixed with - you guessed it, hail...

Sounds like pea sized, but the storms not done yet. Will have to check that in the morning....

Oh yeah - to add insult to injury - I find 2 leaks... I guess since the trailer is always stored under cover, and we've never been out in a heavy rain since we've bought it, we never knew...

Started to see a STREAM running down the front bedroom screen, down the wall, then onto the bed platform and bed on the curb side...Matress and platform are getting soaked...

Ran outside in the RAIN and light HAIL to see what the source could be.. found the top roadside panel and center panel (where AIRSTREAM is written) has a 1/2 gap... no silkaflex, just open gap...

The only thing I happened to have in my toolbox was an old tube of clear silicon.

Anyone ever try standing on the front frame (and Hensley strut) in rain and hail, attempting to towel dry an area (with little results) only to put some caulk down on wet aluminum?

Leak reduced to 30% of what it was before... I'll have to live with that for now.

Also found the rear curbside wrap around bottom track wet. Don't see any water track or running down the inside of the glass, but water is collecting on the bottom track... ARG!!!

I need a drink....I tall drink...

The heavy rains was a blessing or curse - depends on how you look at it. It turns out we never had Cosmo in the rain as strong as last night, and thus we found (7) SEVEN leaks.

1. One on the window above the bed as mentioned above
2. One INSIDE the walls between the roadside wrap window and the curbside wall window. I could hear the "drip drip" of water hitting wet insulation, and water seeping out the inside panels
3. One on the Streetside window above the sofa lounge
4. One on rear curbside wrap window
5. One on the rear roadside wrap window
6. 2 on the rear center window.

Then, today, on the way to JC thru the rains in Illinois, I have a leak from the fantasitc fan above the bed, AND a leak coming from the panel above the bed towards the end of the bed by one of the halogen lights...

I guess that makes (9) total leaks that JC will have to address when I'm here!!


I'm sitting at the terra port now - semi-hoping for rain to come hard so I can show Airstream the leaks in the morning.....

[SilverCabin]

That many leaks is kind of surprising. I've had mine out and driven in some very hard rain and never experienced any leaks.

Randy

[uwe]

Originally Posted by Bambi_Bandit

Then, today, on the way to JC thru the rains in Illinois, I have a leak from the fantasitc fan above the bed, AND a leak coming from the panel above the bed towards the end of the bed by one of the halogen lights...

I had a mystery leak from one of my two fantastic fans while camping in Austin last July. Close inspection revealed a pin sized gap where the Vulkem was applied. ( by me, no less)
Apparently that was enough to cause a drip-drip-drip right above my bed...most annoying.
I feel for you, trust me..

[Westfalia]

Kevin, my 27FB had exactly three leaks upon delivery, and those would have gone unnoticed had it not been for torrential and driving rain in Arkansas when I picked it up. Fortunately, no others have been found once those were plugged. I'm confident that if you can communicate your leaks to the factory, they will get it fixed. Does the mothership have a way to pressure test the trailer like the SealTech pressure test?

[Bambi_Bandit]

Originally Posted by Westfalia

Kevin, my 27FB had exactly three leaks upon delivery, and those would have gone unnoticed had it not been for torrential and driving rain in Arkansas when I picked it up. Fortunately, no others have been found once those were plugged. I'm confident that if you can communicate your leaks to the factory, they will get it fixed. Does the mothership have a way to pressure test the trailer like the SealTech pressure test?

I spoke to the Airstream tech this AM. They will "shower" it with a device similar to that used in production, but outside. It "dumps a much a gallons per hour for 45 min" and they should see any leaks from it.

They statated that they will do all leak checks after replacing the hail damage panels...

Does Gene at Airstream of AR have a Sealtech pressure tester? Hmmm. If so I may need to stop there on the way home from JC...

Kevin

[Westfalia]

Yep, he does.

[Minnie's Mate]

I guess we've been lucky. No leaks except one of the storage compartment doors and that only leaks when being towed in the rain. It will be fixed under warranty.

[jcanavera]

You know if I remember correctly, the leak test occurs prior to any of the add on's. It's done before the roof top hatches, air conditioner, skylights, TV antenna, radio antenna, awning, just to name a few are even done. If you watched that program "Made in America" as the trailer was in the water shower, the inside shot of the ceiling showed that the roof was fully intact with no cuts it in yet.

Jack