Maxim Skylight Replacement on our Pete

[ShinyPete]

Hello Airstreamers-

I know this has been covered before, but I just completed the replacement of the factory plastic skylight dome on our Shiny Pete, our 2014 Flying Cloud 27fb, and wanted to share. I studied the advice of several other invaluable threads on AirForums about this swap, and followed most of it. I am SO pleased with the new Maxim skylight, and we went with the clear inside panel, dark gray middle, and light gray outer panels with the clear anodized aluminum frame. A very quality piece of work! Kudos Maxim!

The big difference for me in the install was that I used Eternabond Tape to reseal the factory aluminum "curb" to the roof skin of the coach, as I am a big fan of the product over caulking......... The key is that ALL (and I mean ALL) of the factory white sealant on the roof of the "newer" coaches HAS to be removed, as it is high in silicone content, and EB tape will not stick to silicone. Lots of hard work here, cutting, scraping, flaking, cussing, begging, and "grinding" with a wire brush on my drill to remove all of it........... but it eventually came off. The only thing harder to remove is the plastic dome installed by the factory with "only" sticky tape. That tape has to be capable of holding an Apollo rocketship together, because it was that hard (in our case at least) to remove the original dome.........

To not rewrite "war & peace" here, my story is pretty much the same as the others. It is a project worth doing, and one I have been planning on for a while now. Fortunately, our Pete lives in our pole barn unless we're out camping (probably 50 nights per year average?), and that really kept the factory plastic dome in pretty amazing shape. I'm not going to even comment here about how Airstream should be using these Maxim domes on a coach that costs what Airstreams cost..............oh wait.............too late.......

I do hope this helps someone else tackle this project. You can do it. Be safe up there, properly support your weight on the roof ribs, be smart in how you use a ladder or other means to access your coach roof, and do as much of this as you can from inside the coach working up through the skylight opening. Your knees will thank you. Pictures should follow.

On Edit: Pictures should help. My ladder method, a shot up through from inside with the old dome removed, and 3 shots of removing the $#!! caulk. I then used a 2" strip of EB tape to seal the curb edge to the roof, and then followed with a 4" piece of EB tape from the edge of the curb down the sides, and then curved out over the 2". Shouldn't ever leak now. I then used butly tape over the entire top edge of the curb, and two "tek" screws (with rubber gaskets) into each side of the curb. I didn't even mess with the remaining screw holes, as believe me, this isn't going anywhere.......

[rmkrum]

Love the fact that the pole barn post is in just the right spot to keep the ladder from slipping. I end up tying mine to the AS axle or some other point on the chassis to keep ladder in place.

Don’t need an “E ticket” ride down the side of an AS atop a sliding ladder...

Install looks very nice!

[Silver Otter]

A great upgreade. Here's a link to my post from 2011 when I did ours:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f455...ess-82937.html

I'm having Vinnie do the next set in about 2 months when we're in California, along with a complete strip-and-recaulk of the Silver Otter III.

[LAWBC]

Notice that you have the high bond tape on the original sky light ( same as mine). How did you get that puppy off ? Did you use a heat gun or shear pulling power?
Any tips would help I am replacing mine next month, Thanks.

[ShinyPete]

LAWBC-

Wow, a heat gun. Wish I'd thought of that, and I have a nice one in the garage. DOH

Shear pulling power for me as you put it. It did come off once I got each corner started, but I wasn't kidding about the space program using this stuff, it's that tough. I don't know if ours would have ever come off on it's own, although I have read some have.

I think you should try the heatgun to loosen the space program tape if possible. Hope this helps.

[SilverCabin]

Pete,

What is the Inside Skylight Frame dimension that Maxim asks for? I'm not quite sure how to measure that with the inside trim in place (I also have a 2014 27' FB).

What were your thoughts on your choice of panels? We have been thinking of having all clear panels.

Also, how long did it take Maxim to respond? I sent them an email two weeks ago and still no response.

Thanks,

Randy

[GMFL]

Looks great. You should be very Proud. That maxim sky light will serve you well. The sky light upgrade has to be one of the best on my list of things we have done.

[switz]

I acquired the factory drawings for the aluminum collar that is up there for the two different shaped skylights on our 2014 31' Classic. One was also the same nominal dimension as on our 2015 23D International Serenity.

Maxim wants the actual as built measurements of the installed collar on your trailer as the drawings are "in theory" and there are usually significant variations in the measurements that will preclude a Maxim made to fit the drawing opening fitting the actual opening. Note these are collars are not necessarily square and the vertical corner welds are often not true either. So slightly oversize worked for us and still needed to use a grinder to "square up" a vertical weld....

[TexAirS]

Originally Posted by switz

Maxim wants the actual as built measurements of the installed collar on your trailer as the drawings are "in theory" and there are usually significant variations in the measurements that will preclude a Maxim made to fit the drawing opening fitting the actual opening. Note these are collars are not necessarily square and the vertical corner welds are often not true either. So slightly oversize worked for us and still needed to use a grinder to "square up" a vertical weld....

Ordered the Maxim skylights last fall and installed two weekends ago. I went round and round with the specs for my 30' Classic. Get as close as you can and call them. Sizes are fairly standard. I got on top and measured from there.

Evidently, I took off the second set of skylights and they were barely hanging on. The Maxims fit great. Used 3M 4000 to seal them and #10 self-tapping coated screws from the side. Hardest part was getting the old sealant off. Putty knife and wire brush. And elbow grease. I smoothed the welds with a flat file. No need for power tools with aluminum.

Another owner suggested working on the old sealant from the inside after taking off the old plastic from on top.

One tube of 3M 4000 was all I needed. I did not cut the end of the tube off. And it fit later as I was installing the screws, I squirted some sealant into the predrilled hole of the skylight before drill/screwing into the collar.

Remember to walk on the rivets on top.

John

[ShinyPete]

SilverCabin-

Maxim was quick to respond, with the only delay being that I contacted them between Christmas and New Years, and they were closed.

Like Switz said, you need to measure the skylight “collar” or “curbing” on your roof, which you can do with the plastic factory dome in place. Add about 1/8” to 1/4”, and you’re good.

Finally, we went clear, dark grey, light grey from inside out. We’re very happy with the choices, and the grey really matches the inbound light “tone” from the vista views, and blocks way more heat than the original.

As others have said, a Great Upgrade, well worth the effort. Hope this helps.

[switz]

We used frosted white for the 23D and the skylight above the toilet in the Classic. We used amber for the skylight in the Classic kitchen area. That allowed us see out of the one in the kitchen

[Moflash]

Originally Posted by SilverCabin

Pete,

What is the Inside Skylight Frame dimension that Maxim asks for? I'm not quite sure how to measure that with the inside trim in place (I also have a 2014 27' FB).

What were your thoughts on your choice of panels? We have been thinking of having all clear panels.

Also, how long did it take Maxim to respond? I sent them an email two weeks ago and still no response.

Thanks,

Randy

We went with clear panels four years ago and are very happy.You can see the stars at night.

[wcrockett]

I just ordered a Maxim Skylight for my Trailer. I called them on Tuesday and placed the order. I called again on Wednesday and asked for an email confirmation and was told the order had not been placed yet. I mentioned that I am in Colorado that it is winter here and I had to remove my old Skylight to measure the flange as required to order the Sky light so also asked if the order could be placed and shipped ASAP. Well about a day later I finally get an invoice that can only be paid with PayPal, I paid it even though I hate paypal because it is tough to get a refund when things go wrong.

I called today to ask for a FedEx Tracking number. I was told it takes 29 days to build the skylight. I can not find any place on the website that says the policy for purchasing the skylight requires a customer to pay in full and then wait a month for the product to be built and shipped. Nor is there any mention of that on the invoice. I did notice they printed quite clearly on the invoice that I will not get a refund. "**THERE ARE NO RETURNS OR REFUNDS POSSIBLE ONCE YOU HAVE PAID THIS INVOICE. NO CREDITS, NO RETURNS, NO EXCEPTIONS**"

I hope I am happy with the product because but I am definitely not happy with they way sell it.

[RFP]

Well, if you measured right, it will be perfect. There has been so much written on the forum about Maxim, inclding payment policies, lead times, etc.. Most of us have been delghted with our Maxim experience, I hope yours has a happy ending!

[Moflash]

Well worth the wait.They are great people and make an exceptional product.These are custom built to order and don’t come off a shelf.

[switz]

Note that the flanges on the Airstream roof may not be square or perfectly vertical. Ii is wise to take measurements at the base and the top of the flange. The inside of the Maxim flange will may some weld in those vertical corners, so allow for some room. We had to use a larger persuader to get one Maxim to fully seat.

[Moflash]

I did not even measure ours.Just told them the year and model of my Airstream and the both fit perfectly when I installed them.

[RFP]

Originally Posted by Moflash

I did not even measure ours.Just told them the year and model of my Airstream and the both fit perfectly when I installed them.

You were lucky. I'm surprised that they would accept an order without customer-supplied measurements... had it not fit, it would have potentially been their problem. As pointed out earlier in this thread, there can be significant unit-to-unit variations in the factory curb... don't risk it, measure.

When I measured ours, I went the second step. And fabricated a wooden "square" to my dimensions and slipped it over the curb. That way, I knew it would fit perfectly.

[switz]

Remember Airstreams are hand made. The factory drawing for that collar around the hole in the roof for the skylights is just that. A reference drawing. There were "variations" from the drawings in all three skylight openings where we have installed the Maxim Skylights (two on the Classic and one on the 23D). Thus, their website says measure first.

In our experience, they make an outstanding product.