Sealing seams on my vintage trailer.

[Val Tuna]

Hi ho towing community..

I have to be more proactive about the old seams on my 1955 Roadliner and I need some advice.

 The seams "look" basically fine and the sealant is still pickable..but I have read that these old trailers are notoriously leaky and any tiny bit of missing grey sealant ( cannot think of the name for it) around windows and all exterior seams can be a real sneaky leak danger. I have to say..so far so good..but I do put a big sheet of plastic over her when it rains just in case. 

I cannot imagine doing all these seams myself..taking each and every piece of screwed aluminum apart( including windows)  and resealing..so what does one not so terribly handy lady do ?

Is this a job for a professional in my case?? My trailer has very very little water damage visable inside, and the Birch wood is beautifully preserved..so I do have a real concern here.

As always many thanks to any of you who respond.

trying to preserve the past...

val

 

[David Kreuser]

Hello Val, if you do not see water damage in your camper, I would assume it must be dry. I had a small leak where my marker lights are, and in a matter of days, saw damage. I caulked all my seems with a boat caulk called 5200 slow cure caulk. Very good caulk(used primarily on boats) where water is not wanted. I just caulked the edges of what I can see over the existing caulk. I did not remove any trim, or screws. With patients and a small ladder, you could seal the whole unit. Maybe white ROOF COAT on the roof.

[Val Tuna]

Well, thanks David..that does sound do- able for me. I had read somewhere that every seam had to be taken apart and scraped off, caulked and screwed back..so there would be no possibility of a leak or "gap" in the seals.

So what your saying is I can just caulk over the existing where it looks worn or missing?

I use that material over the grey caulking material..I think its called "butyle" the one that stays soft. They will bond together..even if the old sealing material is old? 

I started using silicone for one small section..but afterwards read that was a no no because its impossible to remove and scrape off when it's time to do it again.

[Val Tuna]

Oh Gads...that will take me years!!! I get why many people take their trailers to professional restorers. If that's the case..I will have to embrace the leaks and be a sheet plastic carrying tower!( which I am already!!!) looking for sunny weather!

Yes, Let's see what others have to say!

[Rich Thomas]

Val, I went both ways on mine. on the seams where the butyl tape was pliable I took a smooth piece of plastic and pressed it back into the seams about an 1/8th of an inch. On the seams where it was dried out I scraped the same amount out of the seam,  cleaned all of the seams with acetone and resealed with a poly based sealant which the name escapes me at this point but if David Craft recommends 5200 slow cure caulk you can take it to the bank it's good stuff. JUST DON"T USE SILICONE.