Sealing Girard window awnings and slide toppers to coach

[pwhittle]

On our 2005 Signature the rubber seal that Monaco used between the slide topper housings and the window awnings and the body was allowing water behind the housing and onto the top the of the slide. Sometimes the water would make its way into the floor.

Monaco used an inappropriate rubber seal and not the one recommended by Girard.  The seal Monaco used was the same as the seal that runs around the top of the windshield to channel water away. There is no good way to create a watertight seal with the body or the top of the slide topper, especially after it hardens and shrinks a little with age.

I replaced ours with this:

Trim-Lok P-Shaped Rubber Seal – EPDM Foam Rubber Seal with HT (General Acrylic) Pressure Sensitive Adhesive – Door & Window Weather Seal for Homes, Cars, & Boats – .5” Height, 1.25” Width, 100’ Length

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CJRIT4A

It lays with the flat part horizontal and the round part against the body.

I added 3/8” VHB to the top of the P to stick to the body.

3M - 4611 0.375" x 36yd VHB Tape 4611, 0.375 in width x 36 yd length, 1 roll

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N3U6742

I also used the following adhesion promoters.

For the VHB to the painted body surface:

3M 111 Clear Tape Primer - Liquid Bottle - For Use With 3M VHB Tape - 58147 [PRICE is per BOTTLE]

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00745Z8BK

For the VHB to the rubber

3M Tape Primer 94 1/2 Pint 8oz For Vinyl Di-Noc

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LDG7HQ

Finally sealed the edges with this:

RV Trailer Camper Sealants Proflex Rv Flexible Sealant Clear 10 Oz. Geocel Quantity 4

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YBG3PR4

I use masking tape to get a clean line on the clear sealant.

Details on 3m adhesion promoters here:

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/66019O/vhbtm-tape-surface-preparation-technical-bulletin.pdf

Finished installation. I fixed this back in GA’s Dixie Dust season when pollen covers everything.

Paul

Edited January 9, 2021 by pwhittle

[Bruce B]

Great job and thanks for the documentation.  I have the same slide covers and awnings and will need to do some work on them one day.