Loose rivets on my roof and leaing water

[leskorcala@hotmail.com]

living in Northwest its starting to be raining season from now on..so climbed up on the roof and checked for any leaks, I quickly discovered that lots of metal rivets are either gone or lot their heads! i did use silicone gun and cover all of them for now! I will have to re rivet the roof next year!
Later we found out inside wet carpet , right near the driver's seat on the top of the slide! water is made trought the roof wall inside the coach and was dripping on to the slide than on to the carpet, no so much but somthing to be taking care of fast! since is raing all day I just went and cover all with silicone for now and have to re do when we get 2 dray days, if will happen ? ha, ha!

I have question, if anyone had the same problem and what type silicone or other stuff they have used and worked for them?

Best,
Les & Cheryl Korcala
2001 #828

[lbrachfe]

I did not need to replace any rivets but had a seam leak where the cap is and used Dicor Lap Sealent for metal roof applications. It worked great

[chockwald]

I'm wondering what would cause rivets to come lose on the roof? I don't think I've ever heard of this happening on the forum. Is this an issue with not leveling properly, or a construction flaw?

[leskorcala@hotmail.com]

When I asked them at Newell, voa phone since I found the problem at home, thay said : they have see them coming for service with AC units etc. that some of them had rivets either totally gone ( empty hole ) or just floating in the hole with out the head! he never exoplained why or due to what conditions?

The rivet I am refearing to are the ones runs along each top side of the roofs ( not the back cross section )
He also said, there is nothing to worry about it , its my choice if I want to have them re do all of them at some point, he alos sugested to seald them with sealer. I bought specialtube of sealer specially formulated for RV roofs .

Les

[leskorcala@hotmail.com]

I looked at some posts on this formu ad foud few about missig rivet and places and ways to replace them.
Roofs on most Newells are mad of two aluminum skins and riveted , but over time they can working them self out, i would asume constant vibration and weather condition case this fact!

There is new rivet system up there with plastic washers , some people never visits their roofs and you just never know what is going op up there!

Les

[RussWhite]

This is my favorite for roofs. Easy application, will not leak, and looks good. Just be sure you don't have any plans which involve removing it. I don't think that would be fun.

www.eternabond.com (http://www.eternabond.com)

Russ

[Wally Arntzen]

I have an 88 coach and I replace approx 3 rivets every year but they have all been on the lower areas of the coach. Front, center, rear and I replace them with a larger pop rivet and plug the hole with a pastic plug that I got from Tom. I have a large pop riveter called
'Big Daddy" that has handles about 18" long and can put in some very large rivets. As soon as I see a hole I fill it with a rivet. I think it is just fatigue that caused them to come out. Also they used steel rivets going through aluminum siding into a steel frame which caused them to deteriorate. You sure do not have to go to Newell to have them reinstalled you can do it yourself.

Happy travels Wally