Lots of Leaks - 32QBBS

Hi everyone,

I could use some help (or maybe just some encouragement).

We purchased a 2009 32QBBS in June of this year. We bought it used from a non-Wildcat dealer. Although they are very accomodating, they really do not have much experience with Wildcats or Forest River products.

We are the 2nd owner, and the first owner barely used the 5th wheel (as I have been told). Which they didn't own it long, so how could they.

At any rate, we have had "lots of leaks". Including, but not limited to, the following: kitchen faucet leak under the counter causing damage to the shelf holding the garbage container; tub/shower faucet - leaked into the basement and under the tub, which we finally replaced with non-tub spout faucet; the bedroom slide leaked on both sides - still have not been able to stop the leak on the left; and now, if that is not enough, we believe the roof is now leaking.

We have seen drips coming down from the molding trim at the ceiling where the wall meets the roof above the dinette/couch slide. This has caused some 'bumps' on the panel above the slide. At one point, it runs down, goes around the window frame up there, and then drips down. During a rain storm, we have 2 footstools on stand by and we rush back and forth along the slide to make sure we get all the drips.

I have been on the roof on 4 occasions with a water hose spraying every area that I think may be allowing water in. Around the skylights, antenna, gutters, etc. We think we found one area around a skylight, so I added some flat-caulk that I bought from the camper dealership. We still are getting a little drip. I have not noticed any rips or tears in the roof membrane, so I am convinced it is either coming from around the skylight, or somehow where the wall raps around onto the roof.

I know this could just be a fluke thing with our Cat, but just maybe one of you have had the same issue. If anyone has any unfortunate experience with what I have described, please elaborate as to what I might can try to fix this. I have tried everything I know.

Thanks! Henry

Look the topic section you just posted this in " maint,repairs,trouble shooting, " and you will find some good topics on how to fix your slide leaks.
Oldelmer1 would be a good one to look up all of his topic's on leaks.
Its a fairly easy fix , you have to do it just right to make it work.

The faucet leaks are common also. You'll need plumbers putty for those. or new faucets. which a lot of members have already replaced ,,,, you should find a few topic's covering that also.

What part of the country you live in ?

I'll bet you have leaks from where the screws are holding in the rain spouting at the edge of the rubber roof. They replaced my whole driver's side because someone didn't have the butyl tape sealing the screws in mine.

You need to pull up the vinyl trim that covers the screws in the rain gutter. Then back out the screws that hold the guttter in place. pull off the entire rain gutter. You will be able to see black water marks where the water is getting in. Buy a roll of butyl tape and put that down before reattaching the gutter. Use tons of silicone caulking around the screw heads before putting the vinyl trim strip back in place.


Unfortunately, someone on the Wildcat assembly line likes to sleep on the job....



Steve

Thanks for the replies.

I have read everything I could find on leaks at this site and a few others. We are trying each 'fix' until we find one that stops our slide from leaking.

As far as the roof leak, I am caulking again today around the shower skylight. I sprayed the water hose there yesterday and saw some drips.

If that doesn't get it, I may have to try your suggestion, Steve. I have not noticed any external evidence of a leak, only on the inside.

Thanks again.

I've read that some dealerships can do a pressure test on your rig and detect exactly where the leaks are coming from. Some people have even come up with their own method using an electric leaf blower. The basic idea is to build up pressure inside the rig and spray water over the outside which should reveal the leaks.

spray water over the outside which should reveal the leaks.

Add a little dish soap and the bubbles will make it much easier to notice.

When ever you make your Cat wet you must always make sure that it is bone dry before you caulk or do any other type of sealing.
If you do find some little tears in the rubber roof eternabond is the bees knees.
Sean

#2 on using eternabond. I would forget caulk wherever possible and use eternabond instead. I've just about replaced all my sealant with that stuff.

Well, I think we have determined that the leak is coming from somewhere around the skylight. The dealer recommended some kind of self-leveling caulk. Well I have caulked it 4 different times, and it still leaks.

Today, I am scraping off ALL the old caulk even the new caulk that I have added. Then I am going to put some solvent on there to make sure the surface is clean of all old residue and then will caulk again.

We are expecting heavy showers this weekend, and we can't keep allowing water into the Cat. Who knows what kind of damage this had already caused that I can't see.

If this doesn't get it, then I am going to call Forest River and tell them they can haul this thing to the DUMP!!

Use rubbing alcohol to prepare the area to be caulked. I read this on the Dicor site if I remember correctly.

After scraping off use some acetone. This is the prep for eternabond but should work for caulk too. Has not harmed my roof at all.

Raining tonight, and still leaking.

I checked out some other topics and found one on skylight leaks. The poster quoted some info from Bev Scott with FR. She said to use the self-leveling sealant and THEN put the eternabod (4") on top of that. I didn't realize that the eternabond could be used around the skylight. I thought it was just for tears in the roof or to repair seams. I will pick some up tomorrow at Camping World. Maybe it will stop raining enough to install. If that doesn't get it, I really don't know what else to try.

It is a small leak, but any amount of water can cause damage.

Thanks. I will let you know how it turns out.

If you can locate one, go to a commercial roofing supplier. They sell more for cheaper than cw.

Eternabond has a store locator on their website, that should point you to a distributor nearby.

I didn't think I'd need all that I bought but it comes in handy for lots of stuff and I've just bought another roll.

Henry , you might talk to RV service and supply i think is their name at Laverne , Tn . they are located on the frontage road behind the Target in Smyrna . They are a wildcat dealer and may have an idea where they have had trouble with leaks .Seam like nice people and may have been where wildcat was bought new . Good Luck Jim

My good friend is a windshield replacement guy and how he tests for leaks around windows is to spray alot of foaming window cleaner the aerosol can type, then he uses a air compressor with a air blower attachment and blows air at the spot where he has sprayed the aerosol cleaner, it will be noticed immediately on the other side if there is any small hairline crack in the caulking membrane, keep spraying the window cleaner and blowing high pressure air on it while you have someone inside seeing where it is coming in. This works everytime I have seen him do it.

Ok, so I forked out another $50 trying to fix this leak. Picked up a roll of eternabond at local camper dealer. Figured we could always use it, so I went with the 25'.

Anyway, after sealing the skylight up real tight, we still had a small leak. Now, I am back to my original thought that it is coming from a screw hole at the top of the wall where it connects to the roof. I backed out several screws and caulked, but after rain again yesterday, there is still just a little drip coming in.

I will be back up there again tomorrow after everything is good and dry and will probably caulk the entire strip and all the screws.

I will let you know how it goes.... My DW has also suggested that I speak with the local WC dealer in Lavergne, but I thought I would have had this resolved by now. She plans to send a 'lovely' letter to FR just to let them know that their Cats leak. (Just in case they didn't know.)

I would have burned the Cat down by now, but I think it would just extinguish itself due to all the leaks.

Sorry you are having all the trouble. Tracking down a leak can be very frustrating. I had a Sunnybrook that leaked for almost a year before I found it. Every time I though I had it fixed, it would rain and leak.
Keep looking, you will find it.

This might work if you are able to do it. Get a sheet of plastic or a small tarpaulin and covet the suspect area and try to seal the edges so that it can not get wet under the covered area. Or make a dam around the area. Then wet the area and see if the you still have the problem. If the answer is yes cover a bigger area until you are satisfied that you have found the place that water is coming in. Water might travel a long distance before it shows its self. I hope this is helpful to you as I know this is a problem that needs to be rectified ASAP.
Sean