bkenobi
98101
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Joined: 06/16/2016
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UPDATE 2022 Oct 12:
I cut back all the spray foam that was sticking out and made the wheel well pan tabs flush to the fiberglass siding. I had to remove the rubber cover and the screw down strips to get full access which required cleaning the factory silicon all the way across both sides which was fun. Iafter cleaning the surfaces, I installed eternabond as recommended. Since the silicon didnt hold the first time, i decided to use ProFlexfor as my caulking product. I put a dab in each screw hole for good measure.
On completion, all looked great. I had no issues with water with the soaker hose so was satisfied.
Fast forward to last week where I drove the rig ~3000 miles to southern Utah. I cant say there are any leak issues since the minimal rain we experienced did not make it inside. That said, i see why the fender leaked in the first place. The material appears to expand in the sun so no sealant would ever hold. I can post a picture, but basically when parked or driving on a 80F day the side in full sun buckled between the screws exposing a 1/8" gap between the screws at the front. If the sealant is required for waterproofing then this is a garbage material selwction!
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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Thanks for the update!
Fiberglass and metals have different expansion/contraction ratios. Doesn't mean they are bad or junk, but it does require some consideration to how it is constructed and what type of sealant/caulking is used.
As I mentioned before, manufacturer pretty much flubbed the build by turning the wheel well metal up on the outside of the siding.
So basically it is a manufacturing design flaw.
Manufacturer should have turned down the wheel well sheet metal, then ran the siding down to cover the turned down sheet metal. Then all that would be needed is a dab of caulking between the inside of the siding and the sheet metal.
Think of like shingles on a roof, the shingle on top of the lower shingle sheds water over the top of the lower shingle..
In your case, they installed it backwards with the top of the lower shingle on top of the bottom of the upper shingle..
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bkenobi
98101
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Joined: 06/16/2016
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Yes, that would have been a better approach. When I called and asked them, they talked to a designer or perhaps a "designer" who said that yes, the silicon was in fact the intended seal. And since the plastic clearly expands when heated relative to where it's attached it is designed to leak since there are no sealants available that would cover a 0" as well as a 1/8" gap. They might have been ok should they have had a gap to start but the caulking can't expand an infinite percent.
Anyway, I guess I'll just caulk it again so it looks better and rely on the eternabond to actually seal the thing. If the wheel well had to be removed at some point, I would not have it extend around the outside of the walls when reinstalled because, as you mentioned, it will just collect water. Yes, it's just like installing shingles backwards so the water runs to the sheathing instead of shedding over the side. Maybe that's why ducks don't swim backwards lol.
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Pbutler97
Midwest
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Joined: 09/22/2022
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Gdetrailer wrote:
As I mentioned before, manufacturer pretty much flubbed the build by turning the wheel well metal up on the outside of the siding.
So basically it is a manufacturing design flaw.
Manufacturer should have turned down the wheel well sheet metal, then ran the siding down to cover the turned down sheet metal. Then all that would be needed is a dab of caulking between the inside of the siding and the sheet metal.
There is no way for them to turn the sheet metal under the siding either up or down. The wall is a glued together laminated assembly, made by pinch rolling or vacuum bonding. The siding is part of that assembly and would need to be left loose somehow to do what you describe. Dutchmen has been doing the wheel wells like that for years. It's cheap and fast and that's what you get. Is there a better way? Yep. You're not going to ever see it.
On just about every trailer made if you poke around underneath you'll find exposed edges of luan in the wheel wells, which is the outer layer of the wall assembly behind the filon. Even better are the manufacturers who use a plastic wheelwell tub, like Forest Rivers Rockwood or Flagstaff brands. Its almost guaranteed you can find some exposed luan on those. Then it gets wet from wheel spray and wicks up into the wall which you don't see as it's behind the plastic surface mounted skirt, that is until the panel starts delaminating higher than the top of the skirt.
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bkenobi
98101
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Joined: 06/16/2016
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Sounds like a good business plan. Hide the crappy design so it's out of warranty before damage surfaces. I imagine insurance wouldn't cover that type of thing so you end up with a trailer falling apart eventually?
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