Brown Liquid - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

ckindle56 · 05-22-2011, 02:22 AM

I removed the optional cabinets and installed a bunk bed. When I mounted one of the front brackets and tightened the screws, a small amount of brown liquid squeezed out around the screw heads. This occurred only on one side. Any idea what the heck that means ?

PopRichie77 · 05-22-2011, 07:51 AM

Probably water, from a leak.

RichR · 05-22-2011, 10:23 AM

Has to be a leak.

Check all the caulking on the roof and around the front cap. Check the corners of the front cap for any cracking. If there is any cracking drill a 1/4" hole at the very end of the crack to relieve stress and then seal with a good quality caulk. There has been plenty of talk about that here lately.

sam · 05-22-2011, 09:37 PM

Anywhere you have screws on the exterior you should back them off and apply caulk..The awning brackets are a good example of thiis. Sam

ckindle56 · 05-23-2011, 12:44 AM

I am planning to lay some eterna-bond around the parameter and over the cross seams of the roof. This roof does not look that bad and I can't see any obvious way water could have seeped into the affected area. Looking at the door of the 22t, the area is located above the left frame of the right window. From there, if you draw a line straight up and over the roof. Then, from the front edge of the roof back about 2 feet and over to the right about 2 feet. So, it is about a 2 foot square area.

At any rate, there was a crack in the left side of the back end cap which I have fixed. I can't imagine that water could have come all the way around from the back end cap into the area I described above. So, without seeing any other obvious entry points...I am baffled.

I am also going to back off screws like Sam suggested...the awning screws could be suspect for that area???

Is eterna bond any good or is there a better product to completely seal outside of recaulking everything up there since I can not pin point the source ?

sam · 05-23-2011, 02:36 AM

Our owner of the HiLo dealership told us after many years of ownership to back off the screws to the awning and caulk. I always give credit where credit is due. Anything the makes a hole or sticks out on the exterior needs caulk. The awning screw holes allowed water to get in and delaminate the side. Caulk is a must on the exterior lights on the back of the trailer.

campthewestcoast · 05-23-2011, 11:14 PM

Eternabond tape is a very good product. I used 2 rolls 4"x50' on my trailer. I used it on the roof seams and behind the box style awning. It works great on flat seams( nothing better on the market)
But there are some problems, it does not stick to caulking( you need to clean the surface and remove the old caulking for it to have a good bond). The tape doesn't stay if put on a 90 degree corner unless you have a 3'' lap on each side of the corner ( then you need a 6" wide roll plus it doesn't look very nice on the side of the trailer). I used Sikaflex 1a caulking for the wall to roof joint. Let me know if you have any other questions.