I have been cleaning rivets of silicone all afternoon. My "new" trailer has leaks along the seamlines in the front & back. I've already sealed the rear seams, but the rivets still leak. The top & part of the sides were clopped with silicone! I took someone on the forum's advise & bought a dental pick & have them pretty well cleaned up. My question is: I read about parbond for rivets, and alcoa for rivets. What's the difference between the two? I only want to do this job once (if I live another 30 years!). The PO had the rivets completely covered with what I think was Vulkem & then silicone. I'm assuming you only have to get it around the rivet (do you clean up w/mineral spirits & a rag as you go?) I want the option of polishing later & want a clean job. Any advice is welcome! Thanks in advance.
Where are you seeing signs of the leak on the inside?
What roof appliances are in the same area or nearby (roof vents, skylights, AC, plumbing vents, etc)?
This might help with suggestions on correcting the situation.
martin.
__________________ Travelers by aluminum roadships, loyalists to one species, masters of convenience, herdsmen steeped in maintenance and restoration.
I have a leak in my 2005 airstream coming in the roof. Where and what should I start with? From the outside all the calking jobs look pretty sloppy.
Charlie33,
It would help if you provided us with a little more info.....like approximate area of the leak.........even though it may be entering from a different location.
First, I would tighten the 4 bolts holding down the air conditioner to compress the gasket a little further. Then, while on the roof, look at the sealant on the vents and fan, around the vent pipes for the drains and waste tanks and around the antenna. I would seal these with Dicor self-leveling roofing sealant.
Next, I would get a can of Acryl-R from your Airstream dealer of the factory store and go over each seam on the roof. If you still leak after that, I would have the trailer pressure tested with smoke or insert a compressor or the exhaust from a lage shop vac into the sealed trailer and with a spray bottle full of soapy water solution, spray it over the roof in sections and look for the bubbles.
Ok I have read this whole thread and I think I am almost as confused as I ever was. When I start on the exterior of our Argosy, I want to make sure I get everything sealed before I do any painting. Do I remove the paint on the seams first? I know I have to get the rust off the places where the end caps meet the alunminum, and get off any silicone that any POs have put on there. Does the Acryl-R work well on the joins of the two metals? Or should I use Sikaflex or Vulkem? Or Parabond? Someone????has scraped off the paint over most of the rivets, do I seal them, or will the paint itself be sufficient? Can I use a rust remover gel to take off the rust on the end panels? I had thought to do that and then use a wheel to take off any remaing rust. How about a rust inhibitor? Before or after caulking? Will it keep paint from adhering? Are the various calkings paintable?
So far I haven't found any leaks in the interior, but I do want to be sure I don't have any, either. The only thing was a wet patch behind one of the wheel wells after driving 400 miles in a driving rain, and I understand how that should be sealed. Also water came in under the front window in that same storm, I think the gaskets or weatherstripping need to be replaced, but it didn't leak sitting in the driveway in a 2" thunderstorm.
thanks for your input, I am just a newbie at all and I want to get it right the first time. Sandy
The "End Caps": I spent a great deal of time researching products that might seal and/or convert rusty surfaces. There are a dozen companies out there that will promise you their product will do a great job priming your galvanized end caps. I don’t think so. The more ethical sales reps and engineers of many companies expressed concern about the galvanized metal vs. non-galvanized.
I followed Boatdocs lead and cleaned / sanded the rusted areas down to shining metal before priming. He and others recommended an epoxy primer and that is what I used for the entire unit.
Sealants: If you look at the photos of our Argosy you will see that I only painted the body. All the window and trim was left unpainted for several reasons. This left us with a three tone paint scheme: silver, mill finish alum., and black.
I cleaned out as much old sealant as possible, taped the trim (see photos) and then painted. Everyone I consulted with recommended applying sealant after painting unless it was absolutely necessary otherwise. Because the color is silver the sealant selection was easy and it matches very well. Parbond is the product we are using the most of (around windows, door, & body molding. The larger sealing needs on the roof (vents and AC) are done with Sikaflex-221.
Hopes this helps,
martin.
__________________ Travelers by aluminum roadships, loyalists to one species, masters of convenience, herdsmen steeped in maintenance and restoration.
Thanks, I have about decided to use Sikaflex, I can get it locally, and order Parbond. Has anyone had any experience with the PL products, PL sealants, PL Ultimate? It is a polyurethane, I saw it at Lowe's and was curious whether or not it would work. Not buying it until I know. I haven't been able to find much on the net about it except the manufacturer's site.
The "End Caps": I spent a great deal of time researching products that might seal and/or convert rusty surfaces. There are a dozen companies out there that will promise you their product will do a great job priming your galvanized end caps. I don’t think so. The more ethical sales reps and engineers of many companies expressed concern about the galvanized metal vs. non-galvanized.
I followed Boatdocs lead and cleaned / sanded the rusted areas down to shining metal before priming. He and others recommended an epoxy primer and that is what I used for the entire unit.
Sealants: If you look at the photos of our Argosy you will see that I only painted the body. All the window and trim was left unpainted for several reasons. This left us with a three tone paint scheme: silver, mill finish alum., and black.
I cleaned out as much old sealant as possible, taped the trim (see photos) and then painted. Everyone I consulted with recommended applying sealant after painting unless it was absolutely necessary otherwise. Because the color is silver the sealant selection was easy and it matches very well. Parbond is the product we are using the most of (around windows, door, & body molding. The larger sealing needs on the roof (vents and AC) are done with Sikaflex-221.
Hopes this helps,
martin.
I appreciate your input. It really helps. As soon as we get some warm dry weather I think I am going to tackle it.
Great thread, read the whole thing. Isadora, where did you find the Sikaflex and parabond?
I found both at a local RV place here in Joplin. Some of the other RV places here had them also, some had one but not the other, and I also found Parbond at a mobile home supply. Colaw's had Sikaflex. They didn't seem to know what Vulkem was. Parbond comes in clear, Sikaflex in aluminum, white, and colonial white.
__________________
Jim and Sandy
"For still there are so many things
That I have never seen.
In every woods, in every spring,
There is a different green."
Bilbo Baggins 'The Hobbit'
I found both at a local RV place here in Joplin. Some of the other RV places here had them also, some had one but not the other, and I also found Parbond at a mobile home supply. Colaw's had Sikaflex. They didn't seem to know what Vulkem was. Parbond comes in clear, Sikaflex in aluminum, white, and colonial white.
I and others have had great success with Acryl-R as a final seam sealer. The stuff is excellent! It soaks into the seams nicely, and seems to remain plyable for long periods of time. The aluminum color is a great match for Airstream seams, and the applicator gun works especially well for those tight little seam areas.
That, along with SikaFlex 221 are all you really need, IMHO, for any sealing requirements on your Airstream.
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When I start on the exterior of our Argosy, I want to make sure I get everything sealed before I do any painting. Do I remove the paint on the seams first? I know I have to get the rust off the places where the end caps meet the alunminum, and get off any silicone that any POs have put on there. Does the Acryl-R work well on the joins of the two metals? Or should I use Sikaflex or Vulkem? Or Parabond? Someone????has scraped off the paint over most of the rivets, do I seal them, or will the paint itself be sufficient? Can I use a rust remover gel to take off the rust on the end panels? I had thought to do that and then use a wheel to take off any remaing rust. How about a rust inhibitor? Before or after caulking? Will it keep paint from adhering? Are the various calkings paintable? 
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