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Old 03-19-2023, 05:18 PM   #1
another$pit
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Can I get on the roof??

Hello All,
New to the boards, just introduced myself in the newcomer check in thread. Anyways just bought my first entry level travel trailer, a used 2021 Keystone Springdale 1750RD. Yep, the dealer didn't tell me it had a leak, and doesn't care. Oh well, that's whatever...Looking from the top of a ladder, I can see where it's probably coming from, but I'm concerned about getting up there to assess the issue. I'm thinking of putting a couple small pieces of plywood up there to distribute my weight more evenly, and of course be very careful. It seems that you should be able to get up there now and then for general maintenance/inspection? Any thoughts?
Thanks, Gary
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Old 03-19-2023, 05:26 PM   #2
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If you have any question at all, it’s best to use something to spread the load. You’re going to want to use Dicor self leveling lap sealant, or Alpha systems lap sealant depending on type of roof, after cleaning the area with a non petroleum based cleaner. I like Fantastik, and don’t be afraid to put a FAT bead on the needed void.

Try to apply when the weather is dry and no chance of rain for a few hours, not easy right now in Calif.
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Old 03-19-2023, 05:49 PM   #3
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To determine type of roof:


https://www.etrailer.com/faq-what-type-rv-roof.aspx

You can use Dicor on both types, but some prefer using only Alpha products on the TPO roof.
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Old 03-19-2023, 06:25 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by another$pit View Post
Hello All,
New to the boards, just introduced myself in the newcomer check in thread. Anyways just bought my first entry level travel trailer, a used 2021 Keystone Springdale 1750RD. Yep, the dealer didn't tell me it had a leak, and doesn't care. Oh well, that's whatever...Looking from the top of a ladder, I can see where it's probably coming from, but I'm concerned about getting up there to assess the issue. I'm thinking of putting a couple small pieces of plywood up there to distribute my weight more evenly, and of course be very careful. It seems that you should be able to get up there now and then for general maintenance/inspection? Any thoughts?
Thanks, Gary
Gary,

First, welcome....

Now, what is "walkable" for a 150 pound person may be "utterly and completely" unwalkable for a 400 pounder... So, the term "walkable roof" is not an all inclusive term.... I weigh 175 in the summer/fall and tend to increase 15 or so pounds in the winter. Even at 190 or so, there are some "walkable roofs" that I won't attempt to climb on without a couple of 2'x2'x2" rigid foam (pink sheets from HD or Lowe's) to spread my weight more evenly. When on a roof using those foam blocks, remember that when you kneel, your foot is no longer the "heavy part" so shift the foam to your knee if kneeling or to your butt if sitting..... Yep, those two "boney buttons" when you sit down deserve to be considered (if you're a skinny soul) but may have sufficient padding to ignore any "weight spreading requirements" if you're sufficiently on the upper end of making walkable roofs become "no way I'm getting up there" roofs.....

That said, according to the 2021 Springdale brochure (you can download it at the Keystone website by scrolling to the bottom of their home page and selecting "BROCHURE ARCHIVE") the Springdale travel trailers, fifth wheels and toyhaulers do have a walkable roof, but the single axle units do not have a walkable roof. Here's a part from the Springdale brochure:
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Old 03-19-2023, 08:07 PM   #5
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Thanks Chuckster,
I have the Dicor non-leveling/non-sag. Is it okay to use this?
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Old 03-19-2023, 08:12 PM   #6
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Thanks JRTJH,
So the way I'm reading this, is the single axel, like I have is not "fully walkable", but okay to get up there carefully with foam pieces to spread your weight out. I weigh in depending on the day between 185-190.
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Old 03-19-2023, 08:29 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by another$pit View Post
Thanks Chuckster,
I have the Dicor non-leveling/non-sag. Is it okay to use this?
On a roof (horizontal surface), self leveling Dicor is appropriate. Non self leveling is appropriate for the camper's sides as self leveling will run when it get into direct warm sunlight and is not fun to clean. I suggest you describe where on the roof you intend to reseal as you may be able to get to it with a ladder from the side. I have a 12.5" telescoping ladder for use with my 5th wheel as I don't really trust the ladder on the rear. I am not the 170 lb guy John described.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/27551425092...BlBMUIiDs9TfYQ

If your roof is leaking in one spot, the entire roof should be checked and resealed including the front junction between the roof and cap and along the rear where there is a strip with screws (strip is lateral).
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Old 03-20-2023, 04:40 AM   #8
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Thanks Chuckster,
I have the Dicor non-leveling/non-sag. Is it okay to use this?

Here is a guide from Dicor on roofing materials vs sealants;

https://www.dicorproducts.com/eblast...very_Guide.pdf

I have used Dicor 501 on a TPO roof with no ill effects but don't remember if it had fleece backing or not. I have not used their Ultra and won't on this TPO roof, I just started using the Alpha product made for it.
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Old 03-20-2023, 05:56 AM   #9
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I never fully got on my 177rd, but was able to access from a ladder on all sides and leaning over the top. I weigh around 170 I probably would've been fine but I could reach everything so never tried.
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Old 03-20-2023, 07:35 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by another$pit View Post
Thanks JRTJH,
So the way I'm reading this, is the single axel, like I have is not "fully walkable", but okay to get up there carefully with foam pieces to spread your weight out. I weigh in depending on the day between 185-190.
Well, If I were you, I'd look beyond the "brochure" and consider the reality of how your trailer is made before reaching any conclusions on how to "defeat the advertisements"....

First, unless Keystone has changed the construction materials since 2019, your trailer has 2x2 wood "built up roof rafters". What that means is they use "whitewood" (sometimes spruce sometimes white pine sometimes poplar) to create the roofing framework. The only metal in the roof is the staples with maybe a couple of screws in "stress points".

If any of those "2x2 wood components has a knot or a "branch split" (where the wood is weaker than the rest of the rafter) then that spot is considerably weaker than intended. IF (a possibility not a probability) there are two knots in one of those 2x2's, one at each end of a span where things are stapled together, and you happen to step on that section of a rafter, whether the pressure is "spread by a piece of foam or not" you risk "crashing through the roof and into the trailer interior....

The "problem" then becomes, from a Keystone perspective, "why were you on the roof, we stated clearly that it is not "fully walkable". Warranty denied. So you claim it on insurance and they may/may not approve the loss....

I always thought my Springdale was "well constructed" until we had a tree fall on it during a thunderstorm. That's when we discovered that 1/4" OSB sheeting under a sheet of TPO isn't going to stop anything. I had "walked on that roof many times" but after that "discovery" about just how cheaply they are constructed, I NEVER walked on that roof again, with or without something to spread my weight.... At the time I weighed around 165 pounds.

Here's a couple of photos of just how "sturdy" a Springdale fifth wheel roof really is. Your "single axle trailer roof" is not built as sturdy as the rest of the Springdale line....

I'd say, If you do walk on that roof, with or without anything to spread your weight, you do so at your own "peril".... I wouldn't consider it. YMMV
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Old 03-20-2023, 08:15 AM   #11
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Well, If I were you, I'd look beyond the "brochure" and consider the reality of how your trailer is made before reaching any conclusions on how to "defeat the advertisements"....

First, unless Keystone has changed the construction materials since 2019, your trailer has 2x2 wood "built up roof rafters". What that means is they use "whitewood" (sometimes spruce sometimes white pine sometimes poplar) to create the roofing framework. The only metal in the roof is the staples with maybe a couple of screws in "stress points".

If any of those "2x2 wood components has a knot or a "branch split" (where the wood is weaker than the rest of the rafter) then that spot is considerably weaker than intended. IF (a possibility not a probability) there are two knots in one of those 2x2's, one at each end of a span where things are stapled together, and you happen to step on that section of a rafter, whether the pressure is "spread by a piece of foam or not" you risk "crashing through the roof and into the trailer interior....

OP take note of the highlighted above. I sat in the office of a service manager one day looking at a couple of very warped lengths of 2x3. They had knots along with some cracks. I asked him what they were and he said they were from a warranty repair on a wall? IIRC that failed. I couldn't see how they could have been used in anything or how anyone could overlook the defects and use them. He just laughed and said they repaired them all the time. So, be careful, don't assume or press your luck - there is no telling what's under that roof material.
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Old 03-20-2023, 08:44 AM   #12
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Here are a couple of photos of what I was describing.

In the first photo (of a building rafter, not an RV rafter, you can see how that knot and limb split can easily cause the beam to break. In the second photo, you can see how the rough sawing and the knot on the top left of the support can make the 2x2 weaker and increase the risk of it splitting at that point.

And, trust me when I say that the second photo is of a "better than most" type of wood quality. I've seen 2x2's in RV roof rafters that had knots spanning the entire thickness, very similar to the first photo. In those types of rafters, the only thing holding the entire span is the strength of that 1/4" OSB panel. Just putting a minimal bit of weight on that type of rafter can cause the rafter to break or split and then there's nothing but OSB to carry all the weight.

Walking on a trailer with a roof that's stated, "not walkable" might work for some. Then again, it might be the very first time you step on those 2x2 foam "weight spreaders" when your leg crashes through the OSB....
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Old 03-21-2023, 06:22 PM   #13
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Mine has metal stamped trusses, I found that out when running a wire and using a magnet to pull it. The trick still worked to get close enough to get the job done.
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Old 03-21-2023, 06:35 PM   #14
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Mine has metal stamped trusses, I found that out when running a wire and using a magnet to pull it. The trick still worked to get close enough to get the job done.
The OP has a Springdale 1750. It's a wood frame trailer with "built up wood roof trusses"... The only Springdale trailers with aluminum framing are the fifth wheels. They have aluminum sidewall framing, but the floor joists and the roof rafters are still wood, similar to the rest of the Springdale line.

As far as I know, all of the Keystone aluminum skin trailers are wood frame units and all of the FILON skin trailers are aluminum frame, most with stamped steel rafters.
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Old 03-26-2023, 04:58 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by another$pit View Post
Hello All,
New to the boards, just introduced myself in the newcomer check in thread. Anyways just bought my first entry level travel trailer, a used 2021 Keystone Springdale 1750RD. Yep, the dealer didn't tell me it had a leak, and doesn't care. Oh well, that's whatever...Looking from the top of a ladder, I can see where it's probably coming from, but I'm concerned about getting up there to assess the issue. I'm thinking of putting a couple small pieces of plywood up there to distribute my weight more evenly, and of course be very careful. It seems that you should be able to get up there now and then for general maintenance/inspection? Any thoughts?
Thanks, Gary
Really glad you asked that question. Great answers . I think I will just stay off the roof unless no other alternative. Rigid Styrofoam a great idea as well.

I have a Cougar 25 RES 5th wheel.
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Old 03-26-2023, 07:38 PM   #16
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Really glad you asked that question. Great answers . I think I will just stay off the roof unless no other alternative. Rigid Styrofoam a great idea as well.

I have a Cougar 25 RES 5th wheel.
Unless I am mistaken, I think you can walk on a Cougar roof which has significantly more structural strength than the OPs roof.
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Old 03-26-2023, 08:08 PM   #17
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I had no choice...

I really appreciate all the input from everyone! From the top of my ladder, it was pretty obvious to me where the water was coming in. There was a visable gap at the flange of the wingard 360+ where the factory sealant had separated from this flange. This is right above where the water was coming in, at that little wingard cap inside the unit. There was no way that I could get to it from the ladder, so I had no choice. I got 3 boogie boards from the pool shed, spread them out, kneeled on them very gently, with never my whole weight on a single board. It honestly felt very stable, I didn't see or feel any flex in the roof at all. Filled that gap up with a healthy dose of Dicor self leveling sealant. I let it cure for a solid 24 hour, ran a hose over the area, as well as the entire roof, no leaks! I believe it's fixed!
Thanks again to all!
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Old 03-27-2023, 06:06 AM   #18
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Excellent! Happy you found the issue and can now concentrate on having fun.
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Old 03-27-2023, 06:51 AM   #19
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Excellent! Happy you found the issue and can now concentrate on having fun.
+1 Water leaks are no joke!
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