Hi there,
Being new to this, I'm not sure if this I'm going to ask is rather silly, but I'll fire anyway.
I've just bought a 1988 caravan. I haven't found any damp with the meter, but being this old I fear the dreaded one.
I was wondering whether it would OK to re-seal all around it, just in case.
To do that, would I have to scrape off/clean off any old sealants, or would I just apply new sealant (like sikaflex 512) on top of the old seals?
Thank you
If it is not leaking leave well alone, if you needed to reseal you would have remove things like the awning rail & put the sealant underneath, putting sealant on top is just a bodge
------------- 2003 Bailey Moselle & William the Land Rover
Mobile caravan & motorhome Service Engineer
listed in the company Directory service and repairs section under
agree if not broken do not mend it.been looking at caratape for ours but this only last two years and can find no recommendations anywhere.at £25 a roll need to be sure it will work.
Taking the rail off would be the best option. Are the screws under the plastic seal that runs just above the auning rail. What do you use for the new seal,would that be just standard bathroom seal or is there some special seal for caravans.
For the first time i've noticed some water in a top cupboard in my Avante had 9 inches of snow on the van for a week.
Personally I wouldn't use CaraTape as a permanent solution - if you're the type that thinks that it's ok you would probably use duck/gaffer tape anyway!
Do a proper job when it is necessary and you'll add value...
When it is necessary...
When there is water ingress
When any of the rails show signs of coming away from the body
When there has been damage to the van in the area of the rails
Remember that each of the rails usually cover a join in the aluminium sheeting so check that this join is waterproof as well when you have the rail off.
Incidentally I've been using Tiger seal for my repairs and upgrades it seems to flow easier than sikaflex and adheres better but otherwise is the same stuff
Personally I wouldn't use CaraTape as a permanent solution - if you're the type that thinks that it's ok you would probably use duck/gaffer tape anyway
that's rubbish and an insult,it only last two years and is a prevention not a cure.during my 40 years of industrial engineering in the motor production industry i have possibly used every conceivable type of sealer and adhesive.we used lots of it in production methods of switch gear, most are there foremost to prevent water ingress.i found sikaflex easy to use when i re-fitted the rail for the new three front windows on our last van.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.