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07-16-2014, 05:24 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
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Front Leak in 189 Fun Finder 2008
Has anyone had trouble with their 2008 18'9 Fun Finder leaking on the front Top Panel? Down the front by the window? How did you fix it?
Thank you
Ricky and Terry
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07-18-2014, 12:04 PM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Calgary, Canada
Posts: 99
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Similar but different
We have a 2010 and I'm not sure how different yours is from ours. We haven't had any leaks from the top of the plastic front cap, but I have used Dicor Sealant roof sealant to redo and add to the original sealant that was applied at the factory. It should be considered yearly maintenance to get up there and check and reseal the edges of the roof and vents/AC etc.
Where we have had a leak is from the front window itself. If you lift the window cover and look around the inside where the glass sits, there is a rubber grommet weatherstrip that goes around the glass part. With the way the entire window is mounted in the front cap (at a leaning back angle) water can pool in the recessed window where the rubber meets the plastic. During a rainstorm on our previous trip, water pooled at the bottom of the rubber strip and slowly made its way past the rubber strip and created some drips at the bottom of the window. I simply added a bead of silicone where the rubber trim touches the plastic frame and it stopped ingress of the water.
If you have water dripping above the window it is probably screw heads that are becoming exposed by the aging roof seal and can simply be resealed from above. If it is just below the window, check the rubber trim under the cover on the outside of the window.
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07-19-2014, 10:09 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
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thank you for the information. I think we are going to have to replace the front panel. We have an appointment next west to take it in and see how much that is going to cost us. UGH!!!! Everything else seems to check out on the camper. We are also going to have the roof sealed again. Thank you again for the info. We are newbies and just getting into this camping stuff.
Terry
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07-19-2014, 10:16 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Southern California
Posts: 2,142
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Do it yourself?
It is not hard to re-seal a front window, if you have two people. Get the butyl tape, which is like ribbons of rubber. You unscrew the window, remove it carefully, scrape off the old butyl or silicone, and then stick the butyl all around the inside of the window frame and re-assemble. Hang in there -- you won't be a newbie forever. Trailers take some maintenance, just like all RVs.
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04-16-2016, 12:00 AM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Duluth, mn
Posts: 14
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The front of our 2006 fun finder is a crinkled mess . We are going to attempted to fix it our self . Is there anybody that can give us detailed information on what they did ? And pictures ? Hammykat7@yahoo.com
Kathy and Paul
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karherine
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04-16-2016, 07:36 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 487
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Goodness folks,
I am sorry I can't offer too much here...
We were told that the previous owners, of our trailer, hit a large owl and caved in the front cap. A local trailer repair and used trailer sales (where we bought the trailer) replaced the front cap with 0.062" aluminum and in the process, removed the front window for the owner.
Mike (The Trailer Repair & Sales Owner) did a great job and the finished product looks great... The Trailer place is in Princeton, MN... Let me know if you are interested in the name and address.
We have not had any problems, but a front window would be nice...
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Happy Camping,
John (JC)
2013 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 4X4 MAX Tow Package
2018 Dutchman, Coleman Lite 1805RB
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04-16-2016, 08:14 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Duluth, mn
Posts: 14
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John , could you give me the information on who fixed and price you got your front end redone . I like it and I'm fine with no window . Good job
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karherine
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04-16-2016, 08:35 AM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Duluth, mn
Posts: 14
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Name and number of repair person
Quote:
Originally Posted by John_C
Goodness folks,
I am sorry I can't offer too much here...
We were told that the previous owners, of our trailer, hit a large owl and caved in the front cap. A local trailer repair and used trailer sales (where we bought the trailer) replaced the front cap with 0.062" aluminum and in the process, removed the front window for the owner.
Mike (The Trailer Repair & Sales Owner) did a great job and the finished product looks great... The Trailer place is in Princeton, MN... Let me know if you are interested in the name and address.
We have not had any problems, but a front window would be nice...
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Can you give me information to contact the repair shop? Or the person who fixed the trailer . I'm thinking I would like mine done the same .
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karherine
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04-16-2016, 08:47 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 487
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Hi Katherine,
Just sent you a PM with the info...
Good luck and Mike did a great job on our trailer... close to 9,000 miles since the repair and still looks great...
__________________
Happy Camping,
John (JC)
2013 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 4X4 MAX Tow Package
2018 Dutchman, Coleman Lite 1805RB
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08-28-2016, 09:04 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Duluth, mn
Posts: 14
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Needing information on fixing front of trailer
Quote:
Originally Posted by John_C
Hi Katherine,
Just sent you a PM with the info...
Good luck and Mike did a great job on our trailer... close to 9,000 miles since the repair and still looks great...
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John , last year you gave me a name of a man in Princeton who can fix the mess on the front of my trailer . I lost his number . Could you please send it to me again .
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karherine
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08-28-2016, 10:02 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 487
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammykat
John , last year you gave me a name of a man in Princeton who can fix the mess on the front of my trailer . I lost his number . Could you please send it to me again .
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Hi Kathy,
I sent Mike's contact info to your PM and to your e-mail... Shoot me an e-mail when you and Paul are coming down and if I am around, I'd like to drive up, meet you folks, and maybe get a cup of Jo...
I am about 15 minutes from Princeton...
__________________
Happy Camping,
John (JC)
2013 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 4X4 MAX Tow Package
2018 Dutchman, Coleman Lite 1805RB
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08-28-2016, 10:07 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 487
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Hi Kathy,
BTW, Mike did the repair work for the previous owner and I never knew what the repair cost was ... I'm sorry I couldn't help there...
__________________
Happy Camping,
John (JC)
2013 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 4X4 MAX Tow Package
2018 Dutchman, Coleman Lite 1805RB
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08-29-2016, 05:21 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,330
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammykat
John , last year you gave me a name of a man in Princeton who can fix the mess on the front of my trailer . I lost his number . Could you please send it to me again .
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Hello Kathy, if you contact the repairman and get a quote would you mind sharing it? Our front is showing some bubbling at the top above the window. No problem with the window or leaks showing inside though. Thanks!
__________________
2008 Fun Finder 189 FBR, (replaced by) 1996 Shasta 265DBFW April 2017.
2006 Jeep Liberty 3.7 (replaced by.....)
2006 Chevy 2500HD, Duramax, crew cab
It's a big world...explore it!!!
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09-03-2016, 11:18 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Battle Ground, WA
Posts: 221
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Seems to be a common problem. I too have a small bubble above the front window and a larger one near the roof seam. I did some careful inspection and re-caulking so as far as I can tell, there is no active leaks. Just pulled 80 miles down the freeway through heavy rain.... nuttin. We'll see how it goes.
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2008 - 189 FBR
2007 Jeep WK Limited CRD
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09-04-2016, 07:06 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,330
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We pulled out trailer down some pretty rough dirt roads earlier in the summer. I'm wondering if that could have caused the vacuum bond between the skin and the foam to fail in places. Like I mentioned, no evidence of leaks. The bubbles were not apparent when we bought the trailer.
__________________
2008 Fun Finder 189 FBR, (replaced by) 1996 Shasta 265DBFW April 2017.
2006 Jeep Liberty 3.7 (replaced by.....)
2006 Chevy 2500HD, Duramax, crew cab
It's a big world...explore it!!!
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09-11-2016, 09:12 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 487
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Hi all,
I don't think Mike will mind... Here's the info:
Mike Patten at:
Patten Custom RV
4383 Highway 169
Princeton MN
(763) 389-9403
Patten Custom RV - "Quality Custom Built Products"
I don't mind if you reference my trailer... or me, John C. in Zimmerman, MN...
Good luck folks and one trip to AZ, through Southern Cal, back up through Nevada, Teton Nat Park, Yellowstone, and across the Dakotas back to MN -- Ballpark 5,000 mi. And another trip straight out to Southern AZ and back... not as much running around -- about 4,000 - 4,500 miles, and six or eight trips here in MN over good roads and bad, even one required 4x4!! -- I guess about 10,000 on the FF And the front clip looks as good as the day I bought the trailer...
Good luck...
__________________
Happy Camping,
John (JC)
2013 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 4X4 MAX Tow Package
2018 Dutchman, Coleman Lite 1805RB
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09-13-2016, 08:32 AM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 11
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I didn't read thru all the comments so forgive me if it was said or asked already.... But has anyone use any kind of 100% liquid silicon of some type to recover the whole roof to seal and insulate ? Or is there even such thing for Rv roofs ?
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09-30-2016, 11:00 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 498
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Wow - interesting read. I have replaced my front window seal twice. (once because the original install was lousy and leaked like a sieve - and once because I'm an idiot and left the front awning un-latched, which caused it to rip loose and fly fly away) Apparently it's cheaper to replace the whole window than the awning.
But I digress, what I need to ask is how do you check for the front roof/cap/whatever to make sure it doesn't need to be re-sealed. I suppose after 8 years and 20,000+ miles, I should just do whatever need to be done, but I don't know what that is. And what product do you use to do it?
Thanks!!!
Liz
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2008 189FBR & 2014 FORD F150 Now Full-Time
Tons of Inexpensive Camper Mods WackyPup.com
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10-01-2016, 08:33 AM
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#20
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,287
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PaintyLiz
Wow - interesting read. I have replaced my front window seal twice. (once because the original install was lousy and leaked like a sieve - and once because I'm an idiot and left the front awning un-latched, which caused it to rip loose and fly fly away) Apparently it's cheaper to replace the whole window than the awning.
But I digress, what I need to ask is how do you check for the front roof/cap/whatever to make sure it doesn't need to be re-sealed. I suppose after 8 years and 20,000+ miles, I should just do whatever need to be done, but I don't know what that is. And what product do you use to do it?
Thanks!!!
Liz
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At least annually or better yet twice a year, inspect all of the seams and edges and look for gaps in the caulking. Any that you find should be resealed with butyl caulk - not silicone. The reason that you don't want to use silicone is that once it's set nothing sticks to it including more silicone so you can't reseal over it. Plus its next to impossible to remove it. Dicor makes butyl caulks designed for RVs as does Geocel and 3M. Typically for roofs you want self leveling caulk and for windows you want a non-sag version.
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2011 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 4X4
2009 210 WBS
Prodigy P3
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