Getting on top of things (AS).

[PassinThru]

I've only had my Safari LS 25 since October and I need some advice. What is the best way to get on top of the AS to clean the roof, without damaging anything, dents, etc?

[Cantrell]

Hey, I get on top of mine occasionally to service/clean the air conditioner or to clean the top. The trick is to wear grippy shoes and walk gingerly only on the rivets because that is where the ribs are and strong enough to support your weight. Use great care--super slick when wet. Good luck.
Bill

[Cantrell]

After reading your post again, I think you may be asking how to get to the roof. I lean an 8 foot ladder against the awning housing and have someone stand at the base of the ladder for insurance.

[centennialman]

I build ponds as my other hobby. I use a piece of rubber pond liner (or you can use a blanket etc...) and put it up against the side of the trailer and against the top so that the aluminum is protected from the ladder. Then, have someone hold the ladder and go on up.

Be careful and stay on the rivet lines. They are the strongest part of the roof. Stay off of the end caps....they will not support your weight and will dent easily. Go slowly and be aware of what you are doing the entire time. It's easy to do and you will build up your courage.

Have someone there when you want to come back down off of the roof. It's good to have the ladder held steady.

[Silvertwinkie]

For general cleaning, I simply get an extender car wash wand that has a sponge or cloth on it. With a ladder I can get all areas of the roof without having to go up there.

I recently got a scaffold that may help should I ever need to get up there, but so far I haven't and have accessed the roof for cleaning as I describe.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Stay on the ribs, off the end caps and good shoes.

[dstalzer]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

For general cleaning, I simply get an extender car wash wand that has a sponge or cloth on it. With a ladder I can get all areas of the roof without having to go up there.

I recently got a scaffold that may help should I ever need to get up there, but so far I haven't and have accessed the roof for cleaning as I describe.

I just Walbernized my entire A/S except for the white painted roof. Do I need to Walbernize the roof also, and if so, is there a way to do that job without climbing on the roof?

[Silvertwinkie]

I have a tall ladder where I get as much of the roof as I can without getting up on it. Now that I have a scaffold, I might be able to either get more or get up on the roof more easily. I try to stay off the roof as much as possible. Mine is stored indoors so it really doesn't see much game time outside to get enough nasty stuff that a wash so far has been able to remove.

To be honest, Walbernize is easy on, easy off, but it does not appear to last that long. I have tested some carnuba wax from Mother's that appears to last longer, but is more like car wax and a bit more involved in getting it off.

[dstalzer]

Thanks, mine is stored inside also and will be out maybe 3 to 4 weeks out the year for the next couple years. Then hopefully if the stock market recovers we will be out considerably more.

[PassinThru]

Thanks for all the replies, lots of useful information, I really appreciate it!
Happy Streaming!

[Silvertwinkie]

This post had me wondering, so I dug into my picture archives when I was at the factory.

I noticed something interesting in the wide body trailers. There is a rivet line on the curbside of the roof that is actually NOT on an alum rib.

If you are walking up on the roof, based on this pic I dug up, I would not walk on that rivet line furthest to the edge on the curbside. It would appear the street side and on either side of the A/C unit would be the best lines to follow. Check out the attached pics on the upper left areas and let me know what you think. On the rivet line in question you can clearly see the silkaflex sealant line the whole length of the trailer. These pics are two different wide body units and they both have the same curbside rivet line that does not appear to be under any rib.

This of course would not be an issue on the units smaller than 25' as they are not wide body and IIRC, have one sheet of alum for the roof, whereas the wide body trailers that start at 25' have the roof in two pieces riveted together.

[PassinThru]

Silvertwinkie,
Great pics and VERY useful info on the roof. I concur with you analysis that there is a rivet line on the curbside that is unsupported. I really appreciate this update, as I would have used that rivet line to walk on, I'm sure.

[Gene]

Given all the stuff on the roof, walking may not be too common. Crawling and sitting are more likely. Fortunately this distributes weight over a wider area.

Trying to avoid getting on the roof, I haven't tried it. I would attach something to the ladder where it leans against the body, also looking for rivet lines. The awning wasn't designed to support a ladder and I would be very cautious about using that as a buffer though it's an interesting idea.

Certainly having someone on the ground is important. Having had a ladder fall over as I was about to use it and finding myself hanging by my hands from a roof 10' up from the ground, I can attest to the importance of having friends nearby. Not a lot of distance to fall, but the ladder was right below me and I couldn't have landed without getting my feet messed up in it.

Gene

[StevenG]

As expensive as repairs are to the AS, I personally liked the picture I saw of a fellow who had scaffolding on one side, ladder on the other side, and a 2x12 stretch between over the top of his AS. He never got on top, just worked it from the plank... That's my plan when the time comes. As careful as I've been in the last 40 years while in various attics, I have still managed to run a leg thru a ceiling. Sure don't want to do that on my AS! LOLOL
Good luck!
Steven

[Mikethefixit]

Gene Crawford
Now you speak for yourself on the sitting an spreading the weight over a wider area.
All fun aside Passin Thru I use an 8ft fiberglass step ladder up against the side of the Overlander ,I have glued strips of carpet to each leg, from an install I did here at home,U know us old people we can't frow nuffin away. They came in handy. I also have a piece of plywood wiff carpet on both sides(scrap also) that spans the ribs an spreads my weight, nice to kneel on or sit on.
Roger