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Topic: Why to stay up on maintenance (Read 687 times) previous topic - next topic
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Why to stay up on maintenance
I was perusing Youtube and found this https://youtu.be/5m51-7L7C9A

2000 Lazy Daze that apparently didn't get its scheduled checks for caulking integrity.  LOTS of work to repair leaks.  Kind of funny to watch the repairman try to take apart LD's construction.
Linda B
Green 2021 RB
2022 Ford Maverick toad
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #1 –
That shop will no longer work on any Lazy Daze RV.  Too difficult to take apart.
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #2 –
I haven't watched it all yet but kinda funny hearing him talk like they should have made the roof easy to come apart like you should do that often. Almost like he wants it made easy for him to do his work.
Steve and Jill, Steve posting
1999 26.5 Mid-Bath
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #3 –

Hi Steve and Jill;  I've seen this video once before, and I watched it this time mostly to refresh myself.  This company and others unfamiliar with Lazy Daze, DO expect to do it over and over, and have a good income with ten or more year old rigs, I expect.  Notice there was only a ten year warranty on the TPO membrane (Thermo plastic Polyolefin) and they included a patch with it.  The rig itself needed the ten year refresh of seams recommended by LD.  Had there been a  pristine roof underneath, their opinion about construction techniques might have been different. 
   Kits are available for less than $1k.    Amazon.com: classAcustoms 35ft TPO RV Rubber Roof Kit | 8.5' Wide | Camper...      RonB

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #4 –
"Ooh juicy wet" is not how you want your insulation described.   ;)
Joel & Terry Wiley
2013  31 IB   ORWAN   / 2011 CRV Tow'd LWEROVE
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #5 –
Quote from: Linda B  - 
2000 Lazy Daze that apparently didn't get its scheduled checks for caulking integrity.
/quote]

That was a lot of leaking going on to make that much rot (slow regular leaking over a period of time).  And insulation and interior veneer was quite wet when it came in. 
Maybe snow melt continually or in a rainy climate.  Their shop is in Georgia.

As roofers they attack things from outside in (eg standard house roof built that way, support structure, then plywood, then material on top.

It might have been a lot easier to go from inside out -  like others on the forum have done).  Just tear out the entire entertainment center and build a new one when done.

They also “proudly” made a much heavier roof lowering the CCC.  Likely a 30’ (entertainment center) though I didn’t see enough of window layout to confirm this, which already had a lower CCC.

They cambered the roof to create some runoff but over the years figure out it over-stressed the vents (made several comments saying the vents had on poor manufacturing and defects  but also said they were made to be installed flat (and didn’t mention UV protection problems which is likely what caused them to crumble, the stress just hurrying the process).
So they put those vents down so well you are never gonna get them up (sounds like big problems when you replace them).
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #6 –
I viewed this video when we were looking for an LD and didn't really know much about their construction. Just watched it again now that I've gotten to know my rig and really enjoyed it.

Quote
They cambered the roof to create some runoff but over the years figure out it over-stressed the vents

That hasn't been the case in my experience. The four RVs I've had before this great LD all had cambered roofs. I didn't have any issues with cracked vents. At the risk of being flamed I gotta say I agree with his opinion of the roof design on our LDs.

One thing I really like about the LD is the fact that it doesn't rattle going down the road. As the guy said, they put in a "gazillion" screws and used good lumber.

I think I've viewed all of the rig construction photos on the site but I really wish LD had put together build photos and schematics. Of course, if wishes were horses...
jor
09 27' MB
10  Suby Forester
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #7 –
Quote from: jor  - 
That hasn't been the case in my experience. The four RVs I've had before this great LD all had cambered roofs. I didn't have any issues with cracked vents. At the risk of being flamed I gotta say I agree with his opinion of the roof design on our LDs.

I think I've viewed all of the rig construction photos on the site but I really wish LD had put together build photos and schematics. Of course, if wishes were horses...

It was an interesting video, they did a good job but the cost would be much more than what the rig would be worth unless it was a DIY project, a very advanced project.
Many of us wish the roof was cambered. The aluminum roof is 2-dimensional and a cambered roof isn't, it's 3-dimensional. To have the roof sit flat on the edges, with a raised center would require stretching the sheet aluminum in the corners into a 3-dimensional shape, a fairly complicated task using a metal shaping machine, such as an English wheel.
English wheel - Wikipedia
Trying to hand shape a 20'+ X 8' piece of sheet of aluminum would be a handful, doing so would add a lot of extra labor and require a skilled tech, adding more cost to the build. I'm would imagine that in LDs' 60+ years of existence, the concept of a raised roof must have occurred to them... a thousand times.
Changing to a rubber roof would have solved the problem, fine if you don't mind having the roof stripped and recovered every ten years or so. A rubber roof is more delicate so walking on it often isn't recommended.
For whatever reason, LD stayed with the flat roof. The biggest issue I have had with Lake Newton is getting dumped on a few times while pulling off leveling blocks with the door open. I'm a slow learner.
Leaks around the roof A/C are rare and usually solved by tightening up the three or four screws that secure the A/C to the roof. The screws are found under the interior plastic cover. Occasionally, the evaporator drain will plug and dump condensate into the interior. LD glued the A/C gasket to the roof, reducing the probability of a Lake Newton leak.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #8 –
I agree with Larry;  The roofing company had to do a lot more than roofing as far as repairs to the structure and even the furniture inside. The TPO roof is only 60 mils thick, so about 1/16", and doesn't add much weight.  While the person there described the roof as 8 mm. That would be 5/16" plywood.  The weight added by putting in 1/2" plywood really about 12mm. wouldn't add more than 100# (to use an archaic symbol).  I think that is a 30' twin bed. Changed to a 31' in later years.  This company built up raised frameworks for the vents and put what I call 'roof jacks' for the one solar panel.  They took out the skylight for the shower and put in a regular vent.  Lazy Daze did improve on that 2000 skylight design, and the new one was much better. With the entertainment center, there were no windows on the side, or escape hatch in the cabover.  Flatness of the roof is a non factor with those raised frameworks.
   I always wondered why LD didn't put a drain pan under the A/C and run a pipe through an inside wall down to below the floor of the motorhome.  Might have alarmed people wondering what was leaking maybe?  In my Lindy before my LD, I built up the roof with a tapered edge 1/2" plywood shim to lift the A/C up over the depression caused by the weight of the A/C unit. So no 'Lake' build up. (dribbled over to the lowest corner, down the side)
   The owners missed a chance to upgrade the solar array. That would have been an excellent opportunity to have 'jacks' installed to support more modern panels on the roof.
    I don't like that blow-in cellulose insulation they used. Cut and fit polyethylene blocks like LD was using in the walls would be superior, for not much additional  cost. (mostly labor).   
     This company did have metal corner moldings along the lengths on the sides. He called them 'shoulders' at 27:50 in the video.  So LD with an aluminum roof would still have sealing problems. The TPO roof just covered over all of that to lower at the side rail gutter. A nicer look until you drag a branch over it.  RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #9 –
Quote
would require stretching the sheet aluminum in the corners into a 3-dimensional shape,
Yea, that sounds complicated! In fairness, my past rigs all had one piece fiberglass roofs over metal framework so much easier to produce a crowned roof.

Quote
I always wondered why LD didn't put a drain pan under the A/C and run a pipe through an inside wall down to below the floor of the motorhome.

LD along with so many other manufacturers including all my rigs. Always puzzled (and annoyed) me.

I had to laugh at the comment re being showered by Lake Newton (deserves caps). Same here! Slow learner.

Every rig out there, even the Newells and Privosts have their unique issues. All part of the fun!  ;D
jor
09 27' MB
10  Suby Forester
 
Re: Why to stay up on maintenance
Reply #10 –
Saw some posts (another group) on the moisture caused by condensation (even just a couple people) - black mold growing after just a couple months with a brand new RV ( humid climate) - between mattress and wood bed platform - not at wood rot level but at staining wood level.  I could see 10-20 years of high humidity causing problems similar to what was seen on the LD originally posted. 

The only RV I have heard about that pulled A/C condensation through the RV and dumped it below the RV (vs dumping it on the roof) was airstream.  Might be some others that did it though.
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.