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Old 07-06-2015, 02:40 PM   #21
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Hi: All... Anything I have to say past this is unprintable on this forum. Sufficed to say there's always one customer you wish you didn't have. Alf
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Old 07-06-2015, 02:46 PM   #22
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Hi: Jubal... At least your Escape doesn't have a transmission!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
Boy I understand that one . Our truck is a older Ford 1992 but she got us all the way home back and forth to Canada . Bringing new trailer home pouring rain and backing into our driveway lost our trans fluild . Instead of fixing seals did whole rebuild . We had over 100,000+ and 21 years old , so we can't complain . She used to haul our 91/2 camper for 12 years and use it haul a boat before that as also her others duty 's carrying heavy stuff . Pat
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Old 07-06-2015, 03:10 PM   #23
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Look at your trailer windows caulking ! The caulking is clear at the top and butyl on the sides and bottom. Hardly a result of impact, another poor attempt to divert the subject.. The caulking is clearly cracked, shrunk, and degraded. This is not the only window with cracked caulking. I understand that silicone caulking does not adhere well to gelcoat. I assume the caulk is clear to blend in with the white gelcoat and black window frame. Any suggestions for a clear caulk that will work ? Really, caulking repair within two years is maintenance ?? Not just a piece missing the whole top seam is open.
The mastic is place all around the window on all 4 sides. Proflex is added at the top and slightly down the sides to help prevent infiltration or water, debris, into the mastic. It is not applied bellow in order to allow excess mastic to escape. As the mastic moves, it sometimes moves the caulk (it has on mine).

Now the reason you want to use Proflex clear or white on your trailer (This is a product by Geocel and available at most RV shops) is that it is one of the few caulks that adheres to itself. You can actually apply it OVER the previous caulk if you have cleaned and prepped it properly. Even after I had to fix my upper tail lights, the caulk I applied still pulled away some and I had to clean and ADD caulk and all is fine now. There is no other caulk that I am aware of you can apply to the existing caulks on your trailer. Maintenance using the same Proflex makes touch ups and small repairs quite easy because there is no need to remove what is there. I always mask with blue tape and tool with my finger dipped in soapy water (Less successful with the mineral spirits) Remove the tape as soon as you can as Proflex sets up quickly.

I think the reason the caulk may separate more readily around the windows is that there is still a lot of movement in our fiberglass trailers. The good thing is that layer of mastic in addition makes water penetration very unlikely unless there is some catastrophic failure. Good luck on your repairs.
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Old 07-06-2015, 03:25 PM   #24
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Thank you for the information. Very positive . Yes, the flexing of the fiberglass may well be the cause, as it results in butyl material squeezing out. The fix seems easy enough ! I wonder if proflex is avaliable in small tubes ? Do you recommend a strategy (clean and prep ) for preparing the old caulking before applying new caulking over it ? Thank you for a positive response.
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Old 07-06-2015, 03:57 PM   #25
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Pro flex caulk

Bob
The only way pro flex is sold in our locality is in a standard sized caulking tube. I get a fresh tube, about $10, and check all my seams, windows etc. one by one I "touch them up". When done I store the tube vertically with a small screw inserted in the nozzle and a piece of electrical tape over the screw. I can usually use an ice pick to clear the nozzle and break the skin on the caulk to reuse it for the rest of a season if needed. I check the caulk when I'm getting ready to gear up for the season, if dried out, I buy a fresh one along with a new water filter etc.
After a lifetime of maintenance work for a 4000 acre municipal park system, I don't mind a couple of days of systems tuneup on my boat, cars, camper, gasoline engines etc. brings back memories, reassures reliability for the upcoming season and gets me out of the house. When I used to be in charge of park dedication ceremonies and a dignifairy would let some ribbon fall to the ground, I'd turn to the foreman and remark"maintenance begins"
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Old 07-06-2015, 04:13 PM   #26
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I've had good luck using our vacuum sealer (that we usually use for freezing our garden produce) and sealing opened (plugged with a screw) caulk tubes in one of the bags. The airless environment has, so far for me, kept most caulks in useable condition.
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Old 07-06-2015, 04:14 PM   #27
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I read someplace about freezing? not sure if it was a dream or a helpful hint.
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Old 07-06-2015, 04:17 PM   #28
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That's a pretty good idea, I'll have to try that, those sealers are real slick. We use ours on meat all the time. No freezer burn.
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Old 07-06-2015, 04:30 PM   #29
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I read someplace about freezing? not sure if it was a dream or a helpful hint.
Yeah, that's an old-timers solution. Supposedly you freeze the unused caulk, then thaw it out for 3 days before using it again. Might work on some caulks, but others specifically state to not allow the unused product to freeze, because the freeze/thaw process breaks it down and makes it useless.
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Old 07-06-2015, 04:34 PM   #30
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Y
Quote:
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Tim
Thank you for the information. Very positive . Yes, the flexing of the fiberglass may well be the cause, as it results in butyl material squeezing out. The fix seems easy enough ! I wonder if proflex is avaliable in small tubes ? Do you recommend a strategy (clean and prep ) for preparing the old caulking before applying new caulking over it ? Thank you for a positive response.
Sorry, I have never seen small tubes but I try to do multiple touch ups and just write off the $10. Lots of good ideas on storing caulk given here but I have never had good luck keeping more than a month or so.


As to prep, isopropyl alcohol and clean rags. Rub caulk until no dirt shows on rags. Wipe dry. Again, I'm fussy so I mask both sides of the area to be caulked. Tool with soapy water to get a smooth bead. Work one area at a time as it sets quickly. Remove tape immediately after tooling as you may have to run over it one more time after lifting tape. Happy caulking!
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Old 07-06-2015, 05:16 PM   #31
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Hi: techfan... Seems everything at my local RVTech's shop is 10 bucks. A tube of ProFlex or three black plug/twist fasteners for the fridge vent grille. He had 2 packs. 1 had two and 1 had only one. He said he normally sells them 2 for 7.50 so I said then I'll take both packs for... 10 bucks. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 07-06-2015, 05:27 PM   #32
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Is Proflex what is used to cover exterior screws that secure roof vents etc on ETI's trailers? Also, how do you best remove existing Proflex in order to replace vents etc.? Thanks in advance for your help!
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Old 07-06-2015, 06:08 PM   #33
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Is Proflex what is used to cover exterior screws that secure roof vents etc on ETI's trailers? Also, how do you best remove existing Proflex in order to replace vents etc.? Thanks in advance for your help!
I believe it is. Ugh, removing caulk not easy. That is why I use Proflex over Proflex and don't remove it. I have found some stuff that works but it is not easy. It requires you manually remove as much as possible by mechanical means first e.g. Cutting, scraping. It is called Motsenbocker's Liftoff Silicone Latex Caulk and Foam Sealant Remover. Requires multiple applications and you need to let it sit and work.
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Old 07-06-2015, 06:14 PM   #34
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Guess I have to add Proflex to my list of products that need to be smuggled into California!
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Old 07-06-2015, 06:18 PM   #35
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Just have the US post office do the smuggling and order a Tube online:

ProFlex RV Flexible Sealant - Bright White - Geocel 28127 - Roof Maintenance & Repair - Camping World
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Old 07-06-2015, 06:19 PM   #36
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Is Proflex what is used to cover exterior screws that secure roof vents etc on ETI's trailers? Also, how do you best remove existing Proflex in order to replace vents etc.? Thanks in advance for your help!
Can't say on the Escape, but on my Starcraft you used ProFlex on vertical surfaces and Dicor on horizontals. If you don't get a definitive answer I'd drop ETI an email, they've been good responding.
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Old 07-06-2015, 06:27 PM   #37
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Great idea! USPO doesn't have a clue anyway. My trailer's hopefully new enough that I won't need it for a while.
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Old 07-06-2015, 07:57 PM   #38
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Can't say on the Escape, but on my Starcraft you used ProFlex on vertical surfaces and Dicor on horizontals. If you don't get a definitive answer I'd drop ETI an email, they've been good responding.
Isn't Dicor a self-leveling caulk that is used on lap joints with roofing material? Self leveling wouldn't form those little curly cues that adorn every screw on all my vents. I know that Proflex was used on all the roof joints on my Chalet LTW hard side A-frame where a fiberglass panel was being sealed to an aluminum frame. Still, best to confirm with ETI.
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Old 07-06-2015, 08:21 PM   #39
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Yes it's self leveling, and now that you mention it it may well be used because of the rubber roof.
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Old 07-06-2015, 08:28 PM   #40
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Over the years, I haven't heard of any clear CAULK of any brand that stays CLEAR. Some can get brown and grungy in really short order. I would have been perfectly happy with just the buytl under the window frames and nothing added around.

Hummm, maybe one of those maintenance issues I need to check out on Ten Forward. YARD that caulk off.... YMMV
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