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Old 07-14-2018, 03:36 PM   #1
Cougar326SRX
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Check your front cap sealant!!!!!

I just returned from a trip to Va Beach. We got there this past Wednesday. Wednesday evening, it rained. My wife figured she would go lay in bed and watch TV while it rained. She discovered water pouring out of the electric and USB outlets above the nightstand. It only rained about ten minutes.

I dried up what I could and since it wasn't going to rain anymore on this trip, we stayed. Deeper investigation showed the leak had been there a while.

We got home today and I started ripping into it. I have pretty much the whole bedroom taken out. At a minimum, the carpet will need to be replaced but, I'm not sure of the subfloor as of yet, I'll pull that tomorrow. I'll know for sure then.

The thing that really gets me is this fifth wheel is not even 3 years old. It's a 2016 Cougar 326 SRX that we bought in October of 2015. We camped in it in 2016, 2017 and due to 2 deaths in the family this past spring, this trip was our first of 2018.

The cap sealant looked horrible but has already been resealed. I will probably end up resealing every fall from here on out.

I'll have to figure out how to post pictures and then I may posts pics of the "remodel"
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:43 PM   #2
chuckster57
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Welcome to the forum
Sorry it has to be under these circumstances. A little late now, but roofs should be inspected at least 2X a year. You can post pics a couple of different ways.

One way is to upload to an online hosting site that allows 3rd party sharing. Another is to upload to your album here and then link it to the thread. If you look at the toolbar above the box you type in, you’ll see a paper clip icon. Click on it and you can upload from your computer.

Hope this helps, and well wishes on your repairs.
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Old 07-14-2018, 03:57 PM   #3
Cougar326SRX
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Thanks for the welcome chucksterr57, funny thing is, I did inspect it actually 3 times this year. Apparently, just not good enough, lol. The first time was this past April when I replaced all of the dry rotted roof vents. I was on the roof about a month ago repairing the AC and then just this past Monday night REPLACING the AC. Just didn't look close enough at the cap seal. Lesson learned for me!
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:00 PM   #4
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Well that didn't work like I wanted. Pic is upside down...
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:03 PM   #5
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Sorry I can’t rotate the picture for you. Or if I can, I haven’t figured out how
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2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:51 PM   #6
Cougar326SRX
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No worries, thanks.
Do you by chance know a good source for obtaining the screws used to hold the cabinetry in place? They are black phillips head screws. They have a drywall screw type thread to them and are sort of low profile button heads. I would post a picture of one but you've seen my ability thus far in posting pics...LOL
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:56 PM   #7
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Phillips or Roberts head (square head) #2. The dealership I work at doesn’t buy them, but it seems like all the RV manufactures use them. I think they are called “decorative” screws.

When the factory sends parts in crates, they use them and if we aren’t sending a bad part back, we save the screws. They come in different colors and lengths.
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Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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Old 07-14-2018, 06:37 PM   #8
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The photo should be right side up now. Makes it easier than standing on my head to see what's up (literally)
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Old 07-14-2018, 07:05 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
The photo should be right side up now. Makes it easier than standing on my head to see what's up (literally)
Teach me the ways of the Jedi please.
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Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

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Old 07-14-2018, 07:58 PM   #10
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It's easy, young warrior. Download the photo onto your laptop, open the file and adjust the orientation, save the file, then open the post, click on edit, click on go advanced, click on manage attachments (near the bottom of the page) when the window opens, delete existing attachment, then upload your "properly oriented photo", click on save and it's done.

The force continues...... Remember, young Padawan, “Fear is the path to the dark side.” (just try things, you can always click on "CANCEL" )
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:03 PM   #11
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It's easy, young warrior. Download the photo onto your laptop, open the file and adjust the orientation, save the file, then open the post, click on edit, click on go advanced, click on manage attachments (near the bottom of the page) when the window opens, delete existing attachment, then upload your "properly oriented photo", click on save and it's done.

The force continues...... Remember, young Padawan, “Fear is the path to the dark side.” (just try things, you can always click on "CANCEL" )
I'm lovin it Obi Wan!!!
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:04 PM   #12
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Thank you. Guess I’ll have to leave the comfort of my chair and wander out to the dark garage and use the laptop the next time.
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2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:10 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by Cougar326SRX View Post
I just returned from a trip to Va Beach. We got there this past Wednesday. Wednesday evening, it rained. My wife figured she would go lay in bed and watch TV while it rained. She discovered water pouring out of the electric and USB outlets above the nightstand. It only rained about ten minutes.

I dried up what I could and since it wasn't going to rain anymore on this trip, we stayed. Deeper investigation showed the leak had been there a while.

We got home today and I started ripping into it. I have pretty much the whole bedroom taken out. At a minimum, the carpet will need to be replaced but, I'm not sure of the subfloor as of yet, I'll pull that tomorrow. I'll know for sure then.

The thing that really gets me is this fifth wheel is not even 3 years old. It's a 2016 Cougar 326 SRX that we bought in October of 2015. We camped in it in 2016, 2017 and due to 2 deaths in the family this past spring, this trip was our first of 2018.

The cap sealant looked horrible but has already been resealed. I will probably end up resealing every fall from here on out.

I'll have to figure out how to post pictures and then I may posts pics of the "remodel"
From my experience, the sealant can crack anytime seemingly - and anywhere. And, some of those "cracks' are almost imperceptible. I carry a flashlight with my nose about 1' from the sealant to look for cracks....and some are virtually invisible. I have much more trouble with the front and back seals than those around other openings.
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Old 07-15-2018, 01:12 PM   #14
Cougar326SRX
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Progress made yesterday and today.
Now I need to get a bit of plywood and new carpeting. Oh yeah, a bit of insulation too. Hopefully the pic will post correctly and you won't have to stand on your head. It's right side up when I post...
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Old 07-22-2018, 08:30 AM   #15
Jerry S
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Keystone is notorious for building leaky camp trailers..We bought a brand new 32 ft Springdale in 2017 and the second time we used it it rained during the night. Next morning my wife got up to make coffee and water was running out of the the wall GFI in the kitchen, out from the wall under the cabinets next to the power converter, across the floor.. Great big mess, then on top of that Keystone was of no help just said it is a dealer problem not ours and the dealer said we can't get to it for several weeks. We had scheduled camping trips so it turned into a big problem getting it fixed. Won't go into the gory details but not happy with Keystone quality or service with their new campers. The leak turned out to be where the awning was mounted to the side of the camper and someone had put a hole in the wrong spot then moved to another spot and didn't bother to fill the over sized hole that they had put in the side of the camper under the awning rail at the factory. Also there was no sealant behind any of the awning rail screws that went into the camper outside wall.
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Old 07-22-2018, 08:44 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Cougar326SRX View Post
No worries, thanks.
Do you by chance know a good source for obtaining the screws used to hold the cabinetry in place? They are black phillips head screws. They have a drywall screw type thread to them and are sort of low profile button heads. I would post a picture of one but you've seen my ability thus far in posting pics...LOL

If you find some similar screws at Lowes or HD, stick them into a piece of foam board and spray paint them.
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Old 07-22-2018, 09:38 AM   #17
Phil Saran
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Since no one commented on the subject of rotted roof vents, I will.

I found the cure for this is to add those white vent covers (about $25 each at CW)
they bolt onto the aluminum frame under the vent and it also allows you to have
the vent open while traveling, keeps rain and snow out too.
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Old 07-22-2018, 10:13 AM   #18
mrb188
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Rotted floor

We also had issues with our Keystone 5th wheel. The furnace had quit working one morning. When I pulled the cover off to investigate, found the floor soaked and rotting under the furnace. I called to complain as it had initially looked as though it was leaking in through the furnace exhaust. As others have stated Keystone pretty much said sorry about your luck and we don’t care, you should’ve been looking under your furnace. While replacing the floor during a rainstorm with the wall and cupboards ripped out found the true culprit which was much worse. When the siding was installed, the top piece was actually installed under the bottom piece the entire length of the passenger side of the camper. The trim piece was then placed over top. When the sealant cracked it was a funnel for the water. Will NEVER own another Keystone product again.
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Old 07-22-2018, 12:38 PM   #19
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Leaky front cap?? At 72, I know I don't have many years left to haul my @#$$ up on the roof and crawl around on arthritic knees like some butt shot deer to find cracks in the sealant.

Fast forward, after installing a MorRyde rubber pin box, MorRyde step above steps and MorRyde wet bolts, in the last couple of weeks, I decided to check the front cap one more time. Hauled all the crap to the roof and found several cracks in the sealant. Enough of this!

Climbed back down and unwrapped my mega roll of EternBond tape. Pealed off some of the caulk bumps due to overzealous caulking in the past and proceeded to run the tape from one side to the other. It completely covered all the caulk and should seal the cap until the next ice age. Don't know why I didn't do this before. Also taped the skylights and the rear cap.

The white tape sort of contrasts with the roof color, but only the buzzards can see it and I don't intend to enter it in a beauty contest anyway. I'm meticulous about my RV maintenance and consider this one less PITA thing I have to deal with. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
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Old 07-22-2018, 01:29 PM   #20
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As a rule I advise against the use of eternabond for maintaining roof seals. In your case I see your point.
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Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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