We picked up my 2007 3H SL BP Jamco this past weekend.

We drove through quite alot of rainy weather on the way home and I discovered that there was water inside the trailer when we arrived home.

Now to be fair there were 2 side windows open (butt side) and the center (middle stall) roof vent open (I forget which position) for about the first hour (and it wasn`t raining that entire time either), but these were closed for the rest of our journey (which should have been about 4 hours total).

There`s definately a leak in the DR - I saw drips coming down the wall near the door and the floor there is wet.  Both windows in the DR were closed the entire time.

I had picked up 4 barrels which were in the first stall, the second barrel (the one just under that roof vent) had about 1 inch of water in the top - the others were dry.  This roof vent was closed for the entire trip.

We also ended up having to be towed to a repair shop (Ford dealer).  They told us that something in the trailer had shorted and caused the brake light switch to melt, ending up with the speed sensor not working - hence our tranny went into "limp mode" until we stopped at a rest area and couldn`t get it out of park.

The lights in the trailer all still work - I`m wondering if it`s possible for there to be a leak around the light without water actually getting into the light itself.

For the shorting problem, we`re taking the van to be serviced this Thursday.  I`d like to rule out anything wrong with our van so we can isolate where the problem is coming from.

This trailer is from the NH/MA area - so my main concern is snow damage.  I do have a 30 day warranty.  I`d also like to test for leaks myself so that I can give the dealer as much info as I can.  Would it be an accurate test to take a hose up there and run water directly at things like the roof vents (while they`re closed)?

Is there any way I can inspect it from the inside for potential leaks and past snow damage?  The ceiling from the inside looks like a drop-hung ceiling - I don`t know how it`s actually constructed.  There is some reddish discoloration in a couple of places and the light at the butt end of the middle stall has a whitish residue around the black seal - perhaps a mineral residue?

Thanks!

If you have a finished ceiling, it's very difficult to determine the source of the leaks from inside. The easiest way is to pressurise the inside of the space with a fan and apply soapy water to the exterior surfaces. Your leaks will show up as bubbles. They most likely will be found near lights, windows, vents, seams or any other penetration of the roof's surface.

The stall area roof vent can easily be recaulked.

Thanks gard!

The latch on the DR door is also very stiff.  I have to put lots of pressure on it then it suddenly pops open.  I noticed today that the upper L corner of the door looks tight to the frame while the bottom L edge and corner looks less tight - like there has been weight on it that has bent it out slightly.

I guess I`m still concerned about snow damage and if this does turn out to be true, what can I do to fix it?  I don`t want to make a mountain out of a molehill, but OTOH I`ve paid alot of $$$ and if there is something that needs to be addressed I`d like to get it done.

Thanks! 

You can slightly reshape the door within the frame, by inserting a block of wood in the tight area between the door and frame, and then push the door closed a bit. Use a little force, too much and you can snap a hinge. The door striker plate contains the latch bolt. Once the door is corrected within the frame, the striker plate can be adjusted so it lines up vertically, and has the correct depth to properly hold the door closed.

With a thirty day deadline, you should quickly inventory the faults and notify the seller in writing and Email. Keep a copy of each. If the thirty day period includes his actual repairs, you should soon make an appointment for his attention.

Most winters my trailers are buried up to at least the windows in snow. The roofs have had as much snow as will stay on them. Other than rust on the steel trailers, I have not had a mechanical problem as a result.

Any idea where the leak could be coming from in the DR?  There are no roof vents in there, both windows are closed yet there are drips and water coming down the wall  near the door.  I moved the saddle rack to the rear tack yesterday and wiped down the wall but this morning it`s covered again with water droplets and there`s water on the floor.

Could water be coming from the stall area roof vents and traveling forward within the roof?  There is a visible gap in the interior roof panels near the leaky area.  The only thing I see externally are the side running lights, but these are on the vertical wall, not the roof.

I`ve also taken pix of the leaky areas.  Having never done this before would it be fair to ask for some compensation for fuel for returning the trailer for warranty service? 

Thanks gard - I really appreciate your advice!

I finally got a response from the dealer from sending a certified letter with my warranty issues. 

Once I had someone that I could talk to they were very nice and suggested getting some local estimates v.s. bringing the trailer to them (a 5+ hour trip) for repairs.  I really appreciated this!

I got 2 estimates.  Both identified the leakage as being caused by the caulking around the perimeter of the roof being all dried up and cracked.  The first place wanted to charge me to remove all the old dried up caulking and re-seal everything with new caulking.

The second place (the closest Jamco dealer to me, about a 1 1/2 hr drive) did the repair (for less than 1/4 the price of the first place) by adding new caulking to the roof seam and around each roof vent.  They also told me that it looked like it had been patched up previously.

Problem solved.  But this raises the question in my mind - at some point would the old caulking need to be removed, and when would I know it`s time for this? 

I`ve heard mention of doing maintenance for the roof vents - what would this be?  Anything in addition to making sure the caulking around them is OK?

Thanks!

Gard,

I'm having the same problem with my trailer - caulking has dried up and needs to be resealed - unfortunately discovered after both of my show saddles got a good soaking :-(  Can you suggest a good way to strip the old caulking and a product to re-apply?

Thanks!

The handiest tool I've found for digging out old caulking is a cotter key extractor. We commonly use them in the aircraft industry, and every rollaway has at least one. They look like a bent ice pick, with a curly que end at right angles to the shaft. Sears sells them.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00904319000P

Be very careful if you use a utility knife to cut out the old caulking. If you score the aluminum, it will eventually result in corrosion and a failure at the line. Plastic putty knifes work well. Rigid plastic types with a sharp cutting edge are available. I'm not speaking of the flimsy plastic type used for spackling. They won't dig into the aluminum like the corners of metal putty knives. If you have to use a metal putty knife, grind the corners into a small radius first. This will eliminate most of the potential damage.

You can also reprofile the end of a worn straight slot screwdriver into a half rounded tip. This makes a good "digging" tool, and different widths will result in narrow or wide applications as needed.

You can also purchase round brass brushes, mounted on a shaft that chuck up in an electric drill. They are less aggressive than steel. Absolutely the best wheel to use is a teflon variant. Unfortuantly they are usually only used in industrial applications, and are not readily available at hardware and big box stores. They often can be sourced from the internet.

Most aluminum metal roofs are quite thin, ~.032"-.060". It is very easy to puncture the roofing by using the wrong tools. Be carefull and go slowly.

Forgot to add the materials. I highly recommend a marine grade polurethane caulking by 3M or Sikaflex. They have excellent wearability and a good resistance to UV damage. Do not use a household silicone caulking.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=2002&familyName=3M+5200+Marine+Adhesive+Sealant

Another product that does well is an elastomeric coating. It will seal a seam or a whole roof, and have an excellent elasticity and bonding strength.

There are many companies that are now selling sealant tapes. They vary in quality and application, and they are being used on many new trailers and in repair centers. I don't think they have been around long enough, to know what the long term service life is. I would think the area in which you live, would greatly dictate the tape's longevity.

Thanks grayland for asking what was my most obvious next question!

And thanks, gard yet again for your terrific advice, especially the tool and product recommendations and sources.