Window Leaks(?) in 76 Argosy

Toby Briggs · 08-13-2007, 11:47 AM

I have found some leaks Appearing during heavy rains. One is several feet to the right of the door (inside, facing the door) and just to the left of a window. The leak appears to drip from the joint of the interior skin about two feet off the floor and collects on the floor. The other is in the rear of the trailer just to the right of the large window. I caulked the marker lights, belt trim, and seems on the end cap with Velkum (or however that name is spelled). I suspect that the windows may be the source of the leak, since I have not done any resealing on them. If so, how would I go about resealing the windows? I am hoping to be able to avoid drilling out all the rivets around them, maybe just scraping out the old sealant above the cap/diverter piece (the sealant is cracked in some places but mostly intact) and re-applying sealant? Are these windows a common leak source? Thanks very, very much for any advice. -Toby

P.S> I will attach some photos soon

Ganglin · 08-13-2007, 12:03 PM

We have found three leaks in our 71 - two were exterior gaskets. The other was exactly as you mention. The caulk above some of the window frames was cracked. Took that off all the windows and put new sealant on the tops and down each side about 3 inches to match what was there. No more leaks. We are in the process of adding new window gaskets also - are yours good, dried out..?

Good luck.... welcome to The Forum.....

**CanoeStream** · 08-13-2007, 01:20 PM

Hi Toby -- I'll pretty much agree with Gary. The old plastic perimeter seal on the pano windows on my '74 Argosy were the source of a leak that completely rotted the floor under the tank. The plastic ages. I tried everything else possible and then laid a small bead of Sikaflex 221 at the junction of the seal with both the window and the outer frame -- I ran my finger along this bead to force it into any possible space and the leak was no more. The most critical problem was the lower horizontal bedding due to rain flowing from the glass down to that area.

I went partway through removing the rivets along one side of a pano window -- the outer frame is welded to all one-piece was my conclusion. I put Olympic rivets in the holes (each sealed with a dab of Sikaflex) and went on to the cure I tried above. No guarantees how long it will work ... but it worked for me. Acryl-R from the Airstream store might work just as well.

Toby Briggs · 08-13-2007, 04:04 PM

I appreciate the info. Here are some photos of the cracked selant and the areas inside where the water ended up, marked by the blue tape, and of course, the water stains on the floor. Bob, I'm not sure I entirely understand what you mean here. The photo close up I am attaching is of the area where I intend to remove te old caulking and re-seal, is this the area you mean?. Thanks again, Toby

>>>I tried everything else possible and then laid a small bead of Sikaflex 221 at the junction of the seal with both the window and the outer frame -- I ran my finger along this bead to force it into any possible space and the leak was no more. The most critical problem was the lower horizontal bedding due to rain flowing from the glass down to that area.