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Update: Don't miss the WARNING in post 9...you don't want to repeat the mistake I made.
Watching an All About RV's video, Jared mentioned he replaced the OEM decorative cover on the gutter with a better version. The pertinent part of Jared's video starts at :48 and goes through about 2:02.
"Good idea", I think to myself, so of course I ordered a big 'ol roll of the stuff.
Before installing the new cover I decided to wash and wax the trailer and to my dismay the picture below shows what I found on the rear of the unit.
As you can see, those bulges were pockets of water.
What I found when I started pulling apart the roof gutter was beyond alarming. The diagram below is an attempt to show the construction versus typing out a zillion words. The key takeaway: the only barrier to water finding the screws (and staples which are not shown) is that thin strip of cap sealant over top of the gutter.
The coup de grace is the vinyl sticker installation. It was installed after the gutter so it was stuck to the bottom of the frame effectively sealing the bottom and trapping water that was behind the gutter rail.
Many of the screws I removed from the gutter looked like this:
As mentioned previously, there was even staples driven through the gutter into the TPO and wall. (WHY???)
So what started as a simple replacement (the decorative cover on the gutter) turned into an all-day project.
A quick summary:
1) Take down the gutter (have only done the street side so far). It comes down in two pieces. Clean off the sealant and sticker residue (not fun).
2) Take off two vinyl stickers (that were now destroyed). The rear one as shown previously above and the very front one that also had moisture behind it.
3) Clean off the leftover vinyl sticker glue from the side wall of the camper. (Not fun.)
4) Clean the overlapping roof material of leftover sealant and gunk. (Not hard but tedious.)
5) Apply a single continuous strip of butyl tape the length of the camper that is now under the gutter rail. A 30' piece was nearly a perfect length. I did it this way (versus putting on the gutter) so there wasn't a vertical seam for the water to work through on the butyl.
6) Reattached the gutter rail over the butyl using #10 x 1" stainless screws. (The originals were #8 x 1" --I went one size larger as I was sure the material in the wall was compromised.) A helper was needed at this point to hold the other end of the gutter.
7) Install the new decorative cover in the gutter. (Easy!)
8) Cap seal and caulk. (I'm a lousy caulker...looks like I turned loose a kindergarten class on fingerpainting day to apply it...sheesh.)
Still need to do some finishing work and tackle the curb side. If there's anything pertinent I'll add it to this thread. As always, questions and comments (or constructive critiques) welcome.
Howard
Watching an All About RV's video, Jared mentioned he replaced the OEM decorative cover on the gutter with a better version. The pertinent part of Jared's video starts at :48 and goes through about 2:02.
"Good idea", I think to myself, so of course I ordered a big 'ol roll of the stuff.
Before installing the new cover I decided to wash and wax the trailer and to my dismay the picture below shows what I found on the rear of the unit.
As you can see, those bulges were pockets of water.
What I found when I started pulling apart the roof gutter was beyond alarming. The diagram below is an attempt to show the construction versus typing out a zillion words. The key takeaway: the only barrier to water finding the screws (and staples which are not shown) is that thin strip of cap sealant over top of the gutter.
The coup de grace is the vinyl sticker installation. It was installed after the gutter so it was stuck to the bottom of the frame effectively sealing the bottom and trapping water that was behind the gutter rail.
Many of the screws I removed from the gutter looked like this:
As mentioned previously, there was even staples driven through the gutter into the TPO and wall. (WHY???)
So what started as a simple replacement (the decorative cover on the gutter) turned into an all-day project.
A quick summary:
1) Take down the gutter (have only done the street side so far). It comes down in two pieces. Clean off the sealant and sticker residue (not fun).
2) Take off two vinyl stickers (that were now destroyed). The rear one as shown previously above and the very front one that also had moisture behind it.
3) Clean off the leftover vinyl sticker glue from the side wall of the camper. (Not fun.)
4) Clean the overlapping roof material of leftover sealant and gunk. (Not hard but tedious.)
5) Apply a single continuous strip of butyl tape the length of the camper that is now under the gutter rail. A 30' piece was nearly a perfect length. I did it this way (versus putting on the gutter) so there wasn't a vertical seam for the water to work through on the butyl.
6) Reattached the gutter rail over the butyl using #10 x 1" stainless screws. (The originals were #8 x 1" --I went one size larger as I was sure the material in the wall was compromised.) A helper was needed at this point to hold the other end of the gutter.
7) Install the new decorative cover in the gutter. (Easy!)
8) Cap seal and caulk. (I'm a lousy caulker...looks like I turned loose a kindergarten class on fingerpainting day to apply it...sheesh.)
Still need to do some finishing work and tackle the curb side. If there's anything pertinent I'll add it to this thread. As always, questions and comments (or constructive critiques) welcome.
Howard
Once the gutters are back up and sealed I get to figure out how to reinstall an awning. <sigh> 
. . . Good thing you neighbours were there. Why am I reminded of the guy sitting on the end of the branch while cutting it off with the saw . . . Lol!
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