What's going on here?

[afk314]

Getting to know my new-to-me 2013 25 Serenity. On the door, just below the window, I've noticed a thin piece of old tape on the window frame. I pulled up 1/8" of the tape and noticed a small crack. None of the other windows have a crack in the frame.

I've included a picture for reference.

Clearly, it is a crack, and one that the trailer probably didn't come with, but it sure would be nice to not have the tape at eye level on the door. I'm assuming the tape is doing some function here, but is there a better solution?



Adam

[overlander63]

Now that you've removed the tape that covered the seam in the window, you can buy a tube of Parbond, and fill it in again.

[afk314]

I'm a total newb, so please humor me!

Is this a factory seam that was once sealed, and then the previous owner taped over or does the factory do this taping? I'd be surprised if the previous owner did anything since he seemed a little intimidated by nearly every aspect of the AS.

So, let me get this right - remove tape, parabond a thin bead at this seam (clear parabond?) and then no tape, right?

Thanks!

[Sphere Guy]

It's not a crack but a seam.

Clean it up as best you can, Acetone, then get some Acryl R, it is what was used originally and put a small bead to cover it.

With a clear sealer you will still see the seam as with anything, it will still be noticeable.

It is on the exterior, I would seal it.

[guskmg]

Quite often the factory puts tape over a seam to prevent aluminum dust from entering the interior. The dust is a product of two skins moving ever so slightly as the trailer skin moves, as during expansion and contraction and movement going down the road. If you have notice this dust elsewhere then you can see the advantage to this during assembly. If you have a trailer that is covered in mouse fur, then you know what the aluminum stain is caused by.
guskmg

[ijustlee]

Yes that is a factory seam and a very good fitting one at that! I would think there is one at the top also so the window could be assembled. If it was my trailer I'd clean the dark stain off and seal it with something like the Acryl R suggested. That is the thing about Airstreams, they are made out of aluminum and there isn't any aluminum colored filler putty that is an exact match that I've seen.

[afk314]

Given so much going on now, I'll think I'll clean up the residue and retape.

Any special tape I should use? I'm assuming black electrical will be fine.

Thanks everyone!
Adam

[Al and Missy]

Parbond, as Terry suggested, is an aluminum color adhesive/sealant. It comes in a tube and would be very easy to apply once the area is cleaned up. It would make a good repair and would be less noticeable than anything else. I used it to fill some small cracks where the skin of my slideout at the top corner was cracked where it bends around from the outside skin to the side of the slide. For some time before I bought the trailer the slide was improperly adjusted and banged against the extruded aluminum frame of the slideout opening.

Al