Minor Rot Repair and Resealing the Rear End of the Old Cougar Fifth Wheel Trailer RV
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- Опубліковано 16 лип 2021
- Link to the full blog post with product and tool and related repair links - www.loveyourrv.com/minor-wood...
Over the 2021 summer months, I've been applying loads of TLC maintenance to our 10-year-old Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel trailer. Projects have included a new slide-out roof membrane, a new air conditioner gasket, coating of the main rubber roof, and reseal of the rear slide-out window.
Next on the to-do list? Repairing some minor wood rot and a complete reseal of the rear-end corner bead flashing. For the project, I decide to use several Alpha Systems sealant products from Lippert and a corner seal tape called Seal-Tite from Dicor.
Disclaimer: Love Your RV! received the Alpha Systems product samples free of charge from Lippert. Alpha Systems Products on Lippert Store - www.loveyourrv.com/AlphaSystems
The bulk of the time was spent removing the metal corner flashing, cleaning up old sealants, and pulling out some broken screws and rusted staples. Prep work is always the biggest pain and time-consuming task. But yields a payoff in the end with a quality job that will last many years.
Related Posts and Videos:
Slide Roof Replacement - www.loveyourrv.com/alpha-syst...
RV Roof Reseal and Applying Acrylic Coating - www.loveyourrv.com/rv-roof-re...
RV Slide Window Removal and Reseal - www.loveyourrv.com/removing-a...
Eternbond Roof Tape Related Videos - www.loveyourrv.com/?s=eternabond
Milwaukee Hackzall Tool - www.loveyourrv.com/new-tool-f...
Vampliers Review - www.loveyourrv.com/vampliers-...
Amazon Links to Products and Tools Used:
Alpha Systems Butyl Tape - amzn.to/3yZNqFQ
Alpha Systems Non-Sag Sealent - amzn.to/2VGSoZI
Alphabond Roofing Tape - amzn.to/3z6gb3W
Eternaprime Spray - amzn.to/3wKXZLp
Seal-Rite Corner Tape - amzn.to/3xQ2llS
Hive Scraper Tool - amzn.to/3rcTx6Y
Plastic Razor - amzn.to/2UKRKtP
Vampliers - amzn.to/3z2jfxO
Makita Power Screwdriver - amzn.to/3eqEL7L
Werner Folding Ladder - amzn.to/3hFMssC
Off-Set Hex Driver - amzn.to/3krH2D9
LAs Totally Awesome Cleaner - amzn.to/3kmHmTX
Mineral Spirits - amzn.to/3ilZlqX
Visit the Love Your RV! Amazon Pages to shop a selection of my favorite RVing products, parts, and accessories
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*Link to the full blog post* with product and tool and related repair links - www.loveyourrv.com/minor-wood-rot-repair-and-reseal-on-the-rear-of-the-old-cougar/
Looking good Ray. All set for another 20 years. Those RV Tech Schools should declare you an Honorary Graduate and bestow upon you a tenured Professorship at RV University. They need to use you an a technical advisor. Stay Safe and Happy Trails.
Just found this repair Ray. How amazing you are. I sold my 5th 2 years back due to the complete disgust at repair facilities and their shoddy workmanship. How foolish do I feel now seeing how you operate. My compliments sir.
Thanks!
Quite the fix Ray. Your attention to detail is admirable.
thank so much for this video. I was backing up my Motorhome and had to go sharp, this woman saw i was pulling out of the gas stall and cut me off and parked right in the space i was using for my wide turn to clear my trailer and it caused my trailer to jackknifed causing the trailer to push into the driver side corner. it the light housing came off, the rear side generator door was damaged and the siding pulled back. when i checked out the damage i saw the wood they had across the back was rotted and it just fell out, lol. I was trying to figure out how to fix it and came across your video. the door part was easy, just order an new door. the corner and back damage was another story. your video really was a lot of help figuring it out. thank you so much.
Awesome! Glad it helped. Cheers, Ray
Always amazed at your approach toward preventive maintenance & skill at fixing stuff on your RV. Wish I had the guts to do that.
I used ProFlex RV clear sealant on my corner moldings. Yes, I made a mess, but boy does it seal well. The durability is outstanding
Thanks. Glad there was not a lot of damage to repair.
The only things that I would have tried to do different, would have been to treat the 2x4 with something to help preserve and protect it, then use 2, or 2.5 inch decking screws to attach the 2x4 to the metal brace (space permitting). After removing the staples, you could have marked the holes on the 2x4, then pre-drilled them to make it easier to screw in the decking screws. The last thing would have been to run caulk in seams/corners, where the side panels meet the rear panel.
Regardless, it looks like you did Ok!! Cheers Ray!!
At the very least use a treated 2x4..otherwise great job.
Ray... ...You are fearless! I could never do what you are doing.
Thanks for another great video - I am starting to gain a little more (repair) confidence, and knowledge thanks to you.
So glad you got your rear end all spruced up and protected. And glad you went with non-sag, cuz face it, at your (our) age, not only is it nice having your rear end sealed and protected, but being non-sag is a bonus!
Lets hope your rear end won't be leaky any more. Thinking Ann will appreciate that as well.
After all, having a well protected rear end that has a tight seal that's not leaking and non-sagging is peace of mind!🤣
And on that note, love all your vids and never miss a one. Thank you for always making enjoyable videos that I look forward to...Cheers!
hahaha, thanks!
Great video and great work that you did on your RV! Keep it up Ray!
Thanks 👍
That little hive tool is one of the handiest tool that I have . Nice job Ray , cleaning the sealant off is the worst part of the whole job. 😉 !
You did a great job on the corner looks really good I hope mine turns out as well thank you
Thank you! 😊
PVC lumber would be my material of choice in those locations. Temperature-stable, rot-proof, lightweight and strong.
Nice vid... I wasn't aware that the slide out roof could support "our" weight...
That may vary depending on make, model and year. But my 2011 Cougar slide roof is 3/8ths OBS on aluminum beams, so easily supports my weight. You can see the underlying roof boarding here when I replaced the rubber membrane ua-cam.com/video/KWfVkDooDss/v-deo.html Cheers, Ray
If only they would paint the damn frames. Even a coat of 1-2-3 Primer would protect the wood frame. Why the RV industry is so Mickey Mouse with this stuff is beyond me. If I ever switch from a TC to a trailer, it'll be a utility trailer that I'll build out myself for the most part. Nicely done though Ray! :)
you are talented.
Good job! ☺
Nice job Ray! Enjoy
You do good work, Ray.
Had to do the same on our cougar. Leaked at the corners repaired the same as you did.
Excellent workmanship as always... I felt kinda sick though watching as I have some front edge trim screws that no longer "bite"... maybe if I ignore that issue it'll get better? ;-)
Our 2006 Cougar 5th has the same issues. I need to do the same repairs soon. I'm also going to put a piece of 1/16" aluminum tread plate covering the first 14" of the bottom of the back of the camper. Our siding is wrinkled there so it should cover up that eyesore.
Back when I worked at a prefab home company, the guys on the exterior wall line always pushed the caulk guns when applying. If you want to smooth it out, if you spray it with glass cleaner first, it will not stick to your finger and make smoother caulk.
Thanks for the tip!
You have given me way more than I have given you! Best wishes! Kevin
Another great job Ray!
Thanks!
Thank you Ray, Great video. Youmake it look so easy :-)
Acetone should remove any yellowing on the molding. Did wonders for me on boat molding discoloration. Thanks for the video 🤗
Thanks, will give it a try before replacing. Guess it likely eats the top layer yellowed off. Acetone can melt some plastics.
Seal up around where then ladder bars go through the flange.
Nice that your trailer structure is aluminum. I’ve heard horror stories of wood framed trailers suffering catastrophic failures. I imagine that you have several hundred pounds of support equipment (tools and testers) that you carry with you since you are a full timer. Anyway, thanks Ray for another informative video.
Yes, my big metal tool chest in the truck bed is jammed full of tools and stuff. :) One of the reasons I went with another 1-ton pickup. I need the extra payload capacity!
eternabond / butyltape and sealant. I was thinking to do mine only with butyl tape
Ray... whereabout in BC are you? I'm in Abbotsford and just bought my first 5th wheel. Your videos have helped me learn how to fix some of my RV issues. Thank you.
In the video I was in Campbell River at Thunderbird RV Park. We are full time RVers so live in our trailer and travel around the last 11 year now. Spent most of our lives living in Victoria. Cheers, Ray
Good job, Ray! I do have two questions/observations, though. Is there a reason you didn't use a pressure-treated 2 x 4, or at least paint some kind of sealer all over that bare wood? Secondly, I like that you used that steel strip for reinforcement, but I'd be concerned that where the strip goes over the aluminum square tubing that you'll get galvanic corrosion, and eventually that it will turn to powder? I think I would have installed some of that bond tape in between to form a barrier between the dissimilar metals. Even though the strip is painted, I'm not sure that will keep it from reacting over time.
Stay safe, my friend!! 👍👍👍
Good idea. I think I will tackle the problem by solving why the water is getting in. Even if I was to coat that wood or use pressure treated, there is still the whole thin back wall that is bare wood. Maybe some rubber mat guard back under there. Cheers, Ray
Nice job ray i was just doing my first coat of Edpm hengs rubber roof coating today around all the vents and front and rear caps that vinyl trim is on Amazon made by camco I was looking at buying 150 feet to do the whole trailer like yours it’s pretty discoloured now as my trailer is a 2006
Idk what winnebago was thinking but the bottom half of my backwall is all wood and is just a huge sail, catches all the water, all rotted out
:(
We've been repairing a bunch of rot on our new to us Arctic Fox trailer this summer. Not what we had planned to do with our summer, but it had to be dealt with. It's all been replaced now and we are now heading into the interior to do a makeover, but had to reinforce the slide first as it was not as strong as we'd like. I've been so busy with the repairs, and filming it all, but had no time for editing and posting to my channel! lol! Hoping to get it up soon, but still lots to do. Nice to see we aren't the only ones dealing with it this summer! It's a tough job, but better than paying an arm and a leg to get someone else to do it!
So true, or having to buy a new RV. :)
Ray when you put the trim back on you use the butyl tape on it where the screws run through but there's nothing sealing the other edge on the side. Did you consider putting a bead of caulking on the trim before you put it back? I'm doing the same fix right now and the only thing sealing up the edge on the side was a bead of silicone that opened up and allowed water in. I'm going to do the same repair that you did but I think I'll run a bead of caulking on the inside edge of the trim piece that seals up against the side wall. Then I'll run a bead of caulk on both edges as a final seal. That way you have three barriers on all sides
Rather than caulking on the inside corner, I used the Seal-Tite Corner Seal Tape ua-cam.com/video/PO8EvZ4AAp8/v-deo.html So water would have to get by the outside caulking, then the butyl tape, and then finally, the Seal-Tite Corner Seal Tape
Any word that I replace on my RV I always spray a couple of coats of polyurethane on to stop her from soaking up any moisture.
Very helpful video, thanks! Unfortunately, I think on my RV the plywood that makes up the exterior back wall that the fiberglass is adhered to, may have some significant rot. In your video, you mentioned your friend who replaced his entire exterior back wall. any chance you can link that video for me? I need to evaluate the process to see if I can do this!
Yes, you can find his channel and video here ua-cam.com/video/mxzVozHys1I/v-deo.html Cheers, Ray
thank a BUNCH Ray!
Looks like you had good weather to do your work. Where did you get the little rain gutters drip end things? Cheers Ray
I got them on Amazon amzn.to/36IzqEl but pretty well any RV place has them. Was one of my first purchases for the RV. Cheer's, Ray
How do you adjust your awning after extended to resist wind better without using straps? 🤔
Not any adjustments I'm aware of that will do any good. I will take 7 gallon jugs of water and a ratchet strap attached to the corners sometimes. If the wind kicks up too strong for that then I undo them quickly and power it back in it in. If you like to have an awning in strong wind area best to get a manual type awning that has better corner braces. Cheers, Ray
We have a 2019 cougar half ton 5th wheel we have a dometic ac unit it cooled the first year this year it started leaking water in the kitchen floor we do not live in it just go camping so we turned it on the other day now it will not cool..do you have any suggestions..husband cleaned coils which were not dirty it sits under a RV metal cover...thanks
Not cooling at all usually is a problem with the compressor or the coolant in the piping has leaked out but maybe could be a problem with the electrical inside, like a capacitor. Hard to guess without testing things. Usually you can find a service manual online for the model and it will give some trouble shooting steps to isolate the problem.
@@LoveYourRV thank you I believe we have the manual
Nice job , but the board is called OSB board not Particle board !!
You got me. :)
Did you put butyl tape on both inside walls of the trim/flashing or just the screw side
Just the screw side.
@@LoveYourRV any reason you shouldn't do both?
A leaky rear end is the worst!!
I'll see myself out.
Giggity
- Men of culture
Every Major camper is "built to fail" and the way they build them proves it...
Yeah, and they design them to be built fast so cut corners for speed of build and they have to be light weight.
@@LoveYourRV The actual design is built to be just temporary, example " butyl tape" It is trash.
@@LoveYourRV even with Aluminum builds they still use wood in critical points that cause the most issues.....
I hate the use of long staples to attach many things together to speed up production and save money. The ones used on the floor and roof start to back out or squeak.
@@LoveYourRV it's designed to fail. The entire industry banks on it.
you have the same taillights as i do. i cannot find LED replacement for them.
You try Amazon or eTrailer?
Neither could I so ended up replacing with the same 2 years ago www.loveyourrv.com/replacing-my-fifth-wheel-trailer-tail-lights/
@@aguyandhiscomputer , yes. no one has or makes them.
@@pigybak I like Optronics brand but Ray linked to some replacements in his article.
Why not pressure-treated wood?
No particular reason, good idea, I was going to coat it on epoxy resin like boat woodwork but was didn't want to buy it for such a small job. I figure I won't likely have this trailer by the time that piece of wood rots again. Think I will also look at adding mud flaps to reduce the spray to stop water from getting in behind there in the first place.
Build Back Better
Good grief, you are staying in one spot for months at a time. All you are doing is fixing up the trailer. Doesn't sound like a fun way to RV. You are a great mechanic/fix -it guy but is that all you want to do? Me thinks you need to get a better RV so you can have more fun instead of work.
We normally average 7 months of traveling with about 40-50 different stops during a regular year but really love our summers here. As a full-time RVer, it is sort of nice to have a base. Here is a map of past years. www.travellerspoint.com/map/#/user/402164
However, the Covid-19 pandemic threw a monkey wrench into the works this last year and 1/2. So I've been using the downtime staying busy fixing and maintaining the 10-year-old trailer. We'll be leaving come September for a 7 month stretch of travel and I don't want to be fixing things, that's if things keep going well and there aren't restrictions again this winter. Just got my second vaccine dose so should be good to go. Fingers crossed the border reopens! Cheers, Ray