2011 roof - how much life left?

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2011 roof - how much life left?

January 22, 2018, 11:13:11 pm

Our new to us 2011 is in great shape, but I'm keeping in mind the need to watch the roof sealing. I'm still on the fence how to deal with it when the time comes - Eternabond or replace with like sealant - but my current concern is, I've zero idea what to look for to determine when maintenance is actually needed.

I've read 7-10 years is a typical lifespan, and we're approaching the lower end of that window. However, even though the coach came from SoCal - it appears to have been kept out of the sun, and up here in the PNW it will remain inside the pole barn when not being used.

What does one look for? Here's a link to a photo album showing the current condition - and while the seams along the edges look pretty decent to me, the goop around the vents is starting to crack.

2011 Lazy Daze Roof Seams - Google Photos

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #1 – January 23, 2018, 12:15:31 am

Looking at the photos it is my considered opinion that, yes, the roof is at or near the end of it's expected life and given the weather in the PNW there's not a lot of room to gamble.

There are at least two options...

1st you can take on a DIY project using Eternabond. It's not rocket science, requiring only attention to detail, a thorough cleaning and proper application of the tape. There are many posts on this board pertaining to the particulars.

Secondly there is the Mothership. They will do a prime job which will get you another ten years and you can go home satisfied that they will stand behind their work. All you'll have to do is pay the freight!

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #2 – January 23, 2018, 01:05:58 pm

Steve is right, the roof is ready for a reseal.
The front corners are spots where the sealant breaks down and your rig is showing the signs.

Lots of information here on reseals, look in the Companion or search my user name for many postings on how to do it yourself.
It's a bit of work but a DIY job can save you a couple thousand dollars if you are physically up to it and are not afraid of heights.

Larry

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #3 – January 27, 2018, 08:16:14 am

Really surprised. Mine is a 2006 and it looks better than that, even in the Arizona sun. Wonder why?

Probably a different sealing product. I think mine is Dicor, no clue as to the product number.
Harry 2006 RB

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #4 – January 27, 2018, 11:45:12 am

Quote from: hbn7hj - January 27, 2018, 08:16:14 am

Really surprised. Mine is a 2006 and it looks better than that, even in the Arizona sun. Wonder why?
Probably a different sealing product. I think mine is Dicor, no clue as to the product number.

All LD roof seams are sealed with polyurethane, from a variety of manufacturers .
I'm very surprised that a 2006 LD's roof seams are still in good shape after being store outside for over ten years, especially in the Arizona sun.
It is stored outside, isn't it?
Indoor storage is a different situation, the roof seams can stay in good shape for a long time.

Larry

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #5 – January 27, 2018, 11:53:40 am

I've seen three roofs on 2011 LDs; 'syspig's' roof appears to have the 'troweled on' sealant, similar or the same as some earlier model years. The two other 2011s I saw had a smoother, 'flow on', rubbery-looking sealant. There appears to have been a change of seam sealant product sometime during that model year.

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #6 – January 27, 2018, 12:48:02 pm

Well...now I'm really confused.

I called LD and spoke w/Vince a few days ago, inquiring as to cost and scheduling should I have it done there. He was extremely surprised to hear a 2011 would need any attention - unless as stated above, it had been stored in the desert for months/years on end. He was certain as he could be (without seeing it) that there was no way the roof would need attention yet. Generally speaking, he said they were just starting to redo roofs on 2006-2008 coaches.

I don't know for certain where the rig was stored, but both previous owners lived in Los Angeles, and there are zero signs beyond the roof of any significant sun exposure. All paint is very bright, as are the plastics - almost zero fading. Everything else on the rig looks near new.

Kinda sucks, as we drove right by the factory a few weeks ago - but didn't think I had any reason at the time to stop by. Still, I'll forward the pics to Vince and report back after he's seen them.

Being in the PNW I'm not interested in cutting corners on the roof - but while weather can be a concern up here, storage in the weather is not. The rig resides nice and comfy in the pole barn when not being used, so whatever the condition of the roof - it's not going to deteriorate significantly beyond its current state any time soon.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #7 – January 27, 2018, 12:57:49 pm

Quote from: Larry W - January 23, 2018, 01:05:58 pm

The front corners are spots where the sealant breaks down and your rig is showing the signs.

Not having the experience of you and others, I'm certainly not disagreeing - but I'm wondering if the pictures are a tad misleading. The attached pic from the album might make it look worse than it is.

The application of the sealant is rather thick and sloppy, and in several places there are clear trowel marks from the tools used for the job that might look like cracks from aging. They're sharp, straight and fine and being filled/stained with dirt - they stand out even more.

To my eye, the only thing that looks like actual cracks are the sealant lines around the two fan hatches. Those clearly have jagged lines in the seam from contraction/expansion. But...I'll continue to listen to the experts.

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #8 – January 27, 2018, 02:17:07 pm

The seam in the photo is highly suspect! It is not only due for a reseal but does not look like the work of the Mothership. I've never known them to do such shoddy work. Vince is extremely particular about the 'correct' way (the Lazy Daze way) to accomplish seam sealing. In fact to those contemplating work such as this at the factory, which has previously been done utilizing Eternbond, the factory (Vince) will not even talk to you, let alone repair the previous seal.

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #9 – May 02, 2018, 12:20:20 am

You are correct Steve. I just brought my 2007 to the factory and Vince checked it out; original factory job that he felt needed nothing but a slight reinforcement/overlay in one area. He said he just completed a 2007 roof reseal at the owner's request. He remarked that once he started he realized that it could have gone a few more years. You are correct that he won't touch a roof that has Eternabond on it.

FYI; when the factory does the reseal, they replace all vents and fans (included in the higher than DYI repair costs for sure) because Vince feels the plastic vent flanges are too brittle to reuse and any fan motors are due to be replaced. This sounds resonable to me. You can also be sure that they will do the job to factory standards but not everyone is close to the mothership as I am.

Gary

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #10 – May 02, 2018, 09:07:25 am

I've seen a few LD roofs, particularly those from 2008, that had troweled on, gloppy sealant on the seams. I don't know what sealant the factory was using, or who did the sealing, but, IMO, the roofs were really sloppy jobs. The uneven surfaces of the sealant provides plenty of places for dirt and water to collect; crud build-up makes it difficult to tell if the sealant is cracked.

I also think that the factory may have a little more confidence in the integrity and longevity of the roof sealing job than is warranted in many cases.

YMMV, as always.

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #11 – May 02, 2018, 09:39:22 am

Quote from: JCT - May 02, 2018, 09:07:25 am

I've seen a few LD roofs, particularly those from 2008, that had troweled on, gloppy sealant on the seams. I don't know what sealant the factory was using, or who did the sealing, but, IMO, the roofs were really sloppy jobs. The uneven surfaces of the sealant provides plenty of places for dirt and water to collect; crud build-up makes it difficult to tell if the sealant is cracked.

Isn't that around the time the factory let go of some of their more experienced long-time employees due to the economy?

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #12 – May 02, 2018, 09:41:17 am

"Isn't that around the time the factory let go of some of their more experienced long-time employees due to the economy?"
---
Yes, as far as I know.

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #13 – May 06, 2018, 08:34:17 am

We are planning to be in the SoCal area in July. I called Vince and asked him about checking the roof seams in our 2011 MB. It sits out in the weather and has gone through several snowy and cold winters. As noted by others, Vince expressed doubts that a 2011 model would need any work on the seams. But, I'm going to have the Mothership check the seams anyway. I would rather be proactive with the roof, than discover a leak down the road.

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #14 – May 06, 2018, 05:06:05 pm

Good idea to go for a free roof inspection; I did the same thing with my 2007 and Vince honestly said that it didn't need it at this time. He remarked that the material used in 2007 onward was a superior product to what was used previously. We all don't have to agree with everything they say at the mothership, but I think we all pretty much can agree that they are very honest!

Gary

Re: 2011 roof - how much life left?

Reply #15 – May 07, 2018, 09:29:01 am

Our 2009 roof is very good condition which is washed every time the LD gets washed. It’s has always been stored under cover when not traveling. If I wasn’t so lazy I’d crawl up on the roof and take a panoramic picture. 😆

Another LDO within a 2008 visited the Factory in recent months and Vince said the roof was still in good condition.

So I’d have to agree with the notion that the sealing material used by Factory since 2007 is long lasting.

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