I give up! Drains for window wells...

[eheffa]

Originally Posted by Gene

I don't think I have this problem even though we have the same model and year trailer. Our rear window was resealed at the factory years ago after I discovered some water coming down on the inside of the skin above and below the dinette table. They took off some trim around the inside of the window and took out the original sealant and squirted lots of new sealant in the spaces. The front center window leaked a little where the small table is next to the queen bed and I put lots of sealant on the outside of the window. It was an ugly job (I was in Fairbanks at the time and only had black Sikaflex) but the rock guard windows hid it. Didn't leak again.

I don't know whether this is related to the problem of water pooling in the window. I have never noticed that. Of course we have a lot less rain here in western Colorado and the chance of seeing a problem is less.

Evan, how did you discover this problem? Is it related to the wet subfloor? When I exposed the floor in the rear 2/3 of our trailer I didn't find the kind of wet subfloor you had, but I haven't looked at the floor under the carpet in the bedroom.

Gene

Hi Gene,

I recall you relating your adventures at Jackson Center & having those repairs done.. I also remember reading your Alaska trip account & how you used *Black* Sikaflex on the front window leaks you had. I thought of you when I was doing a messy job of caulking mine; I tried to console myself that it would be hidden behind the front rock shields just like Gene's.

I suppose we do see a lot more rain in our travels here. Although Victoria is relatively drier than the mainland, we do live near a lot of rain forest.

It didn't take any detective work to see this issue. Virtually every time we would drive in heavy rain or spray, the window wells would be filling up. We tried driving with the windows slightly ajar. this would allow some of the water to run down the inside glass & drip out to the outside. We would also stop in rainstorms to pack paper towels in the wells to try & absorb enough to prevent spillover. To a lesser extent we would see some pooling at night when we were sleeping in the unit. Occasionally it would penetrate enough to run down the inside walls & wet the carpet or night stand. It didn't seem to do this so much in storage though - I don't think.

The floors were not too affected in the bedroom area - the floor was only wet in one small area where the belly band had no caulk & water was draining down off the roof. (Port side where the front round sheet metal transitions to the side sheets...near the GVWR stickers.) The window problem did not seem to be admitting enough water to affect the floors but it certainly bothered me to see it threatening to spill over the wells.

If you don't have the problem, that's great. It's interesting how we have the same AS unit but have had different issues to deal with.


-evan

[eheffa]

Originally Posted by mojo

Ran caulk above the gutter and it still leaked but when I put a dab into the end of the C channel underneath, it stopped leaking. Bad photo but...

Thanks Mojo.

I think I tried caulking my hinge area like that but wasn't impressed that it was all that successful. Maybe each unit has its own unique issues?

For me, removing the through-bolts and slathering them with clear sealant seemed be more successful in reducing some of the water volume entering the wells...

I never achieved complete success in eliminating the problem of water tracking down the inside of the glass - thus the drain solution.

-evan

[truxpin]

Well, after an enjoyable Sunday spent tracking down a few leaks ( thanks to the daylong rain storm we desperately needed!) I've come to find the source of each ( 1 in front/ 1 in the back) leak and am happy to see, each is a minor fix.
On the front window (above the hitch) the seal in between the glass & trailer is mitered in the corners and due to age (exposure) it's shrunk and has left gaps in the corners allowing rain to enter during a good downpour.
In the back of the AS, we have the curved windows in our bedroom. The last few days(during all this rain we've been having) I've been finding a small puddle of water in the middle of my bedside table. A lot of searching turned up nothing. It seemed as this water was coming from nowhere! I first assumed it was an issue with the A/C unit above the bedroom. It doesn't have a plumbed drain line and I just assumed it had finally found it's way inside the AS. (wasted time!)
I finally found the source. A very small portion of the seal on the top of the curved glass looks to have seperated from the frame. I'm guessing some good prep work and a dab of something will fill the small void.

[Gene]

I slathered Sikaflex over the entire area around the curbside window and part of the center window a couple of times to get the leak which dripped down on the night table by the bed. The metal work around the windows did not look well done, especially at the corners as truxpin discovered. I used black because it was all I had with me (why I bought black at all escapes me) and I didn't think I could find any Sikaflex in Fairbanks. On that trip it rained most every day and we only had a few days of sun in Fairbanks, so I made the most of it.

It took me about an hour or more to get the stuff to flow since I had opened the tube before (I can't remember why—probably I thought it wasn't black). That made the tip so large great gobs of stuff came out and made the mess even messier. I also remember the curbside rock guard kept blowing back while I was trying to work, so I stuck a screwdriver between it and the body at the hinge—the rock guard them blew back toward the side of the trailer and the tip of the screwdriver gouged the body—that does show. While I did this I could look at Santa's enormous butt because we were at Santaland in North Pole and they have a 40' statute of Santa. It was a memorable experience. Once I finished I had to prop the rock guard open a bit to keep the Sikaflex from sticking to it, but it finally dried. The rock guard didn't blow around while it dried, so at least that didn't make it worse.

A bad job poorly done, but it worked for a while and I had to put some more Sikaflex on later. Black, of course, and another job getting solidified Sikaflex out of the tub with a screwdriver so it would flow again—finally all leaks stopped for 3 years now. No one knows how messy it is but us, so don't tell anyone.

Some people have had trouble keeping the rock guards closed as the screws that hold it don't always hold, but ours work, so far.

Gene

[jdalrymple]

I have seen some water in frame, but not ever enough to run out on the floor.

Perhaps cleaning the glass and weather seal would stop the leaks? I keep the seals cleaned with 303 Aerospace protectant to keep them from sticking to the glass.

Perhaps a small adjustment of the locks would help minimize water intrusion, too.

Regards,

JD

[eheffa]

Originally Posted by Gene

I slathered Sikaflex over the entire area around the curbside window and part of the center window a couple of times to get the leak which dripped down on the night table by the bed. The metal work around the windows did not look well done, especially at the corners as truxpin discovered. I used black because it was all I had with me (why I bought black at all escapes me) and I didn't think I could find any Sikaflex in Fairbanks. On that trip it rained most every day and we only had a few days of sun in Fairbanks, so I made the most of it.

It took me about an hour or more to get the stuff to flow since I had opened the tube before (I can't remember why—probably I thought it wasn't black). That made the tip so large great gobs of stuff came out and made the mess even messier. I also remember the curbside rock guard kept blowing back while I was trying to work, so I stuck a screwdriver between it and the body at the hinge—the rock guard them blew back toward the side of the trailer and the tip of the screwdriver gouged the body—that does show. While I did this I could look at Santa's enormous butt because we were at Santaland in North Pole and they have a 40' statute of Santa. It was a memorable experience. Once I finished I had to prop the rock guard open a bit to keep the Sikaflex from sticking to it, but it finally dried. The rock guard didn't blow around while it dried, so at least that didn't make it worse.

A bad job poorly done, but it worked for a while and I had to put some more Sikaflex on later. Black, of course, and another job getting solidified Sikaflex out of the tub with a screwdriver so it would flow again—finally all leaks stopped for 3 years now. No one knows how messy it is but us, so don't tell anyone.

Some people have had trouble keeping the rock guards closed as the screws that hold it don't always hold, but ours work, so far.

Gene

What a vivid picture that is! Hopefully you didn't get any if that Black Sikaflex on Santa's butt...

- evan

[eheffa]

Originally Posted by jdalrymple

I have seen some water in frame, but not ever enough to run out on the floor.

Perhaps cleaning the glass and weather seal would stop the leaks? I keep the seals cleaned with 303 Aerospace protectant to keep them from sticking to the glass.

Perhaps a small adjustment of the locks would help minimize water intrusion, too.

Regards,

JD

Yes. Thanks JD.

These are all good suggestions & make sense to try first but unfortunately, in my case, these maneuvers failed to work.

If a simple fix could work, it would be much better than going to all the extra trouble of installing drains.

I understand that I am not the first owner to be frustrated by this issue.

- evan

[Not Done]

I removed the rivets from suspect exterior body panels, roof vents, and window frames. Removed the old sealer/gasgets. Resealed, reriveted, and now no leaky.

[Gene]

Sharing the visuals of my sloppy job and Santa's butt—

Gene

[eheffa]

Thanks Gene.


-evan

[wdgwdg]

that looks like an extensive project. Good work. But as an alternate fix, has anyone drilled a hole directly below and to drain outside, just below the window level? seems like that would work if I could line the hole with a tube similar to eheffa's fix. Is my description what swampthang7 did?

[rodsterinfl]

get some 3M blue painter's tape and lay it down tightly on either side of the place where you're going to apply your sealant. Apply sealant. Smooth it out with your finger or appropriate tool and mineral spirits. Wait a few moments for it to just start to set up. Pull the tape.

Drawing a smooth professional looking bead of any kind of caulk is a learned skill - and the consistency and set time of every formula seems to differ. Temperature and humidity can drastically change the firmness/runniness of the bead. The painters tape makes even a rank amateur like me look like an expert.

Foiled again, thanks for the tip. There are always things to learn on this forum even if they are a year or so old.

[Wayward]

I went the route of drilling a hole in each lower corner. First I used a razor knife to trim the rubber gasket.



While I was at it I pulled all the hardware off the glass and replaced with stainless fasteners. Also replaced the ridiculously long sheet metal screws sticking through the frame with shorter stainless.

Adjusted the window latches for a tighter fit to the seal.

So far so good. I check the holes when I wash it - no gunk in there yet.

[eheffa]

Originally Posted by Wayward

I went the route of drilling a hole in each lower corner. First I used a razor knife to trim the rubber gasket.

Attachment 204405

While I was at it I pulled all the hardware off the glass and replaced with stainless fasteners. Also replaced the ridiculously long sheet metal screws sticking through the frame with shorter stainless.

Adjusted the window latches for a tighter fit to the seal.

So far so good. I check the holes when I wash it - no gunk in there yet.

Hmmm. I wonder why I didn't think of that. Pretty clever fix & a lot less work.

Please keep us posted as to its success down the (wet) road.

- evan

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by eheffa

Hmmm. I wonder why I didn't think of that.

Or I was thinking...... Why didn't Airstream folks?

[switz]

There is negative interaction between copper and aluminum, so one would not want to have copper tubing attached to the aluminum frame.

[eheffa]

Hi all.

Just updating this thread.

We spent the Easter Weekend camping on the West coast of Vancouver Island. Several days of torrential rain including towing through monsoons & spray. The window wells remained dry.

I'm pleased to report that the fix seems to be working. Whew!

Here are a few pics from our weekend here:
http://eheffa.zenfolio.com/p28621209...0e92#h2e7ae93a

-evan[IMG]<a href="http://eheffa.zenfolio.com/p286212090/e38851389"><img src="http://eheffa.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v115/p948245385-4.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="evan effa: McKenzie Beach &emdash; " /></a>[/IMG]

[IMG]<a href="http://eheffa.zenfolio.com/p286212090/e2e3e8635"><img src="http://eheffa.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v5/p775849525-4.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="evan effa: McKenzie Beach &emdash; " /></a>[/IMG]

[IMG]<a href="http://eheffa.zenfolio.com/p286212090/e3826822a"><img src="http://eheffa.zenfolio.com/img/s12/v177/p942047786-4.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="evan effa: McKenzie Beach &emdash; " /></a>[/IMG]

-evan

[Gene]

Evan,

I've been thinking of you and Jane lately and am glad to hear you are enjoying yourself. Beautiful photos and if that was Jane in the last one, next time have her turn around. I also enjoyed the secret code that gives the formula for time travel.

I keep thinking of travel to the Pacific coast and would love to travel to Vancouver Is. again, but still waiting to sell our house.

Glad you're dry inside.

Gene

[eheffa]

Originally Posted by Gene

Evan,

I've been thinking of you and Jane lately and am glad to hear you are enjoying yourself. Beautiful photos and if that was Jane in the last one, next time have her turn around. I also enjoyed the secret code that gives the formula for time travel.

I keep thinking of travel to the Pacific coast and would love to travel to Vancouver Is. again, but still waiting to sell our house.

Glad you're dry inside.

Gene

Thanks Gene.

Jane is a little camera shy & hates me posting pics of her on the web...

Sorry to hear your house hasn't sold yet.

You're always welcome to see us in Victoria.

-cheers.

-evan