Factory Skylight Installation

[Dr. Ohat]

Hey folks,

Was on top of my 2021 25' FC recently doing my first inspection up there and noticed that the skylight cover is not attached well. There are two holes on each edge of the plastic cover, but no screws attaching the plastic cover to the frame. There appears to be double sided tape on the top edge of the frame adhering the plastic cover to the frame, but there are large areas where the cover is not well adhered to the double sided tape due to insufficient flushness I think. So, it looks like the cover could potentially come off while driving.

So, any ideas on whether this is standard install? What are the unused holes in the side for? Missing screws?

Thanks,
Greg


Attachment 432412

[Pete B55]

Thats the standard installation. Don’t be tempted to put in screws, they will crack the acrylic.

[uraljohn]

Just had to replace the original factory installed skylight on our 2019 FC 25 RBT due to hail damage. Double sided tape held it on. Really held it on. Took me a bit with a sharp putty knife working from the inside to get that double sided tape to release. The new replacement skylight comes with an aluminum picture frame border piece that installs on top on the skylight that is predrilled with 20 small holes to accept #8 screws to hold skylight on. Used a butyl caulk as a sealer instead of double sided tape to get a full seal around skylight. Double sided tape goes onto the back side of the aluminum picture frame and then it sets down onto the top of the skylight. Gently pre drill holes into the aluminum rim supporting the skylight and gently install the 20 screws pulling them down very carefully as to not crack the skylight. Dab of caulk on top of screws finishes job. It will NOT blow off. Took about an hour to complete. Easy peasy. Skylight kit was $200.00, caulk was $20.00, Stainless screws were $5.00. Good luck.

[CRH]

You can get the same skylight from Home Depot for less than $75. The brand is Sun-Tek.

IMO, the procedure of installing the skylight using that aluminum picture frame and a hand full of screws shot down through the skylight is a poor way to do it. Sooner or later the skylight will crack at the screw holes and leak.

I installed one of these skylights a couple of years ago. First, I stuck it down to the curb with VHB tape. Then I used washers to make spacers to go between the side edge of the skylight and the side of the curb. I used the spacers and machine screws to fasten the skylight to the curb. I used the existing holes already in the side of the skylight. I only have 2 machine screws on each side. The way I installed it, there are no new holes drilled in the skylight and no hardware on a horizontal surface.

[uraljohn]

Originally Posted by CRH

You can get the same skylight from Home Depot for less than $75. The brand is Sun-Tek.

IMO, the procedure of installing the skylight using that aluminum picture frame and a hand full of screws shot down through the skylight is a poor way to do it. Sooner or later the skylight will crack at the screw holes and leak.

I installed one of these skylights a couple of years ago. First, I stuck it down to the curb with VHB tape. Then I used washers to make spacers to go between the side edge of the skylight and the side of the curb. I used the spacers and machine screws to fasten the skylight to the curb. I used the existing holes already in the side of the skylight. I only have 2 machine screws on each side. The way I installed it, there are no new holes drilled in the skylight and no hardware on a horizontal surface.

Thanks for the tip on Home Depot availability. That will save me some $$$$ next time. I just followed the detailed manufacturer's instructions in the box for installation. You do have to be careful not to tighten down all the small screws. Just pull them down gently per instructions. There is always more than one way to skin a cat when doing repairs/maintenance. If I experience any kind of cracking, I will post. First skylight lasted 4 years. Although I replaced it as a result of hail damage, I was going to replace it soon as it was pretty cloudy. New one is bright and clear!

[Boxite]

I replaced our skylight a few years ago and posted about it. If Home Depot has what you need…great. Others have posted excellent results from Maximskylights.com

I gave some information not available in the parts book about this skylight, so my previous post might be useful …(especially about who NOT to order it from): https://www.airforums.com/forums/f29...nt-168421.html

[SuperTrouper]

Originally Posted by Boxite

Others have posted excellent results from Maximskylights.com

X2 on Maxim Skylights. We've had those installed for 10 years. No leaks, no problems.

[dznf0g]

Yup, once and done.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Airstream Forums mobile app

[Dr. Ohat]

Thanks all for the replacement approaches, will keep an eye on it and replace it when necessary.

Cheers,
Greg

[Electronut]

Maxim just quoted me $364 for the square skylight replacement! You got to be kidding me. That's just utterly ridiculous. I wanted to upgrade that specific skylight because hate how noisy it is when rain hits it. For that cost, I'll leave it alone and replace it when I have to and not throw away my hard earned money. To me, Maxim is pricing themselves out of the market. That acquisition they went through a year or so ago clearly isn't working. You can't sell a 24" square plexiglass window and think it's OK to charge that kind of money. Covid blah blah blah. Call it what you want but that song has long been overplayed. Economy is hurting. No reason to sell that for so much. It was priced in the mid 2's just a little while ago and that I could live with. Won't be purchased by me anytime soon. If you think it's OK to pay that then more power to you.

[Foiled Again]

Three layers of protection. Insulation against heat gain and noise
Had mine about 6 years now.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Electronut

Maxim just quoted me $364 for the square skylight replacement! You got to be kidding me. That's just utterly ridiculous. I wanted to upgrade that specific skylight because hate how noisy it is when rain hits it. For that cost, I'll leave it alone and replace it when I have to and not throw away my hard earned money. To me, Maxim is pricing themselves out of the market. That acquisition they went through a year or so ago clearly isn't working. You can't sell a 24" square plexiglass window and think it's OK to charge that kind of money. Covid blah blah blah. Call it what you want but that song has long been overplayed. Economy is hurting. No reason to sell that for so much. It was priced in the mid 2's just a little while ago and that I could live with. Won't be purchased by me anytime soon. If you think it's OK to pay that then more power to you.

I gotta tell ya, that's almost double from 2012, when I did both of my skylights, but what isn't double in 11 years. Maxiims will still be there when the rest of the trailer isn't. They are the pinnacle of construction. I haven't touched them, except to clean them. After the literal waterfall I had with oem, they were worth every penny.
Do it once and do it right!

Sent from my SM-S901U using Airstream Forums mobile app

[DaveP]

4 x Maxim. They are each custom made for a perfect fit. They are bullet proof.

I replaced my rear skylight two weeks ago because of leaking of the OEM provided product (granted after 20 years). I was amazed how fragile the old one was. In my installation, they had driven screws down through the top sides of the skylight into the curb. The self-threading screws had broken through the plastic in four different places which caused the leaking.

I am going to replace my front skylight when I get some time this summer.

[Electronut]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

I gotta tell ya, that's almost double from 2012, when I did both of my skylights, but what isn't double in 11 years. Maxiims will still be there when the rest of the trailer isn't. They are the pinnacle of construction. I haven't touched them, except to clean them. After the literal waterfall I had with oem, they were worth every penny.
Do it once and do it right!

Sent from my SM-S901U using Airstream Forums mobile app

Yes OK I get it that all costs go up but they took approx a 30% hike in just a year or 2 for their skylights. I'm sorry, quality aside, these components and materials dont warrant that kind of increase. That's corporate greed.

[CRH]

There's nothing wrong with the original skylight. It's a residential skylight. The problem is the way it is installed by Airstream.