Slide & Roof Questions - 2000 Knight

[RorySamuels]

1) Noticed that there is a difference in the height of the floor between the slide out and the rest of the floor especially in the kitchen area of my 2000 Monaco Knight.  Is this the way the coach was manufactured or is this due to a repair?

2) I am getting ready to re-seal the roof. I am waiting for some parts. I wanted to know what you thought of using 6" wide tape to go over areas where the existing 4" tape seems to be in good shape instead of removing the tape and replacing it.

[JDCrow]

Good eve! 
 

Not sure I’m following you on the floor? The slide out is taller than the main floor? 
 

Also, do you have aluminum roof with tail down the middle and over the front and rear caps?

 

 

[1nolaguy]

Hi Roy. Roofs are different. On our coach we have painted aluminum sheet with a seam down the middle and seams on the front and back end caps where the roof transitions from aluminum over wood to fiberglass. The oem was tar tape, with and aluminum face and tar backing to seal the seams. When we bought our coach in the spring of 2018 the tar tape at the front and rear caps was not in good shape and pealing up in places. the center seam was fine. After cleaning the roof very well I removed the tape on the front and rear caps using a heat gun and then MEK and mineral spirits to remove the residual ( first the MEK and then MS for final clean up). I recommend wearing nitrile or vinyl gloves when doing this and do it with the coach outside so you have good ventilation. I then cleaned the area again with rubbing alcohol and applied 4" Eternabond tape. Note in spaces where the transition from the FG cap to the roof were not level or gapped more than about 1/8" I bridged the gap first with self-leveling roof sealant. On the center stripe the tar tape was all good so I cleaned the surface with MS and then RA and after drying I covered with 6" eternabond. This gave me a double layer of protection with the eternabond having a 1" overlap on each side of the tar tape. That was in 2018 and now it is spring 2023 and the taped seams look like the day I put them down. Our coach has been outside and uncovered in the deep south for the full time.

As to slide floors there are two types, regular and flush floor. Most slides, particularly those prior to 2010 have regular or raised floors on the kitchen side. This is in part because cabinets usually come fully to the inside edge or over the slide floor so you won't be stubbing your toes or tripping over the raised portion. This raised floor is usually 2" or less in height. If your floor is higher than that you might want to have the slide checked to see if it needs adjustment ( box within the hole). Hope that helps.

Edited April 11, 2023 by 1nolaguy

[Tom Cherry]

8 hours ago, 1nolaguy said:

Hi Roy. Roofs are different. On our coach we have painted aluminum sheet with a seam down the middle and seams on the front and back end caps where the roof transitions from aluminum over wood to fiberglass. The oem was tar tape, with and aluminum face and tar backing to seal the seams. When we bought our coach in the spring of 2018 the tar tape at the front and rear caps was not in good shape and pealing up in places. the center seam was fine. After cleaning the roof very well I removed the tape on the front and rear caps using a heat gun and then MEK and mineral spirits to remove the residual ( first the MEK and then MS for final clean up). I recommend wearing nitrile or vinyl gloves when doing this and do it with the coach outside so you have good ventilation. I then cleaned the area again with rubbing alcohol and applied 4" Eternabond tape. Note in spaces where the transition from the FG cap to the roof were not level or gapped more than about 1/8" I bridged the gap first with self-leveling roof sealant. On the center stripe the tar tape was all good so I cleaned the surface with MS and then RA and after drying I covered with 6" eternabond. This gave me a double layer of protection with the eternabond having a 1" overlap on each side of the tar tape. That was in 2018 and now it is spring 2023 and the taped seams look like the day I put them down. Our coach has been outside and uncovered in the deep south for the full time.

As to slide floors there are two types, regular and flush floor. Most slides, particularly those prior to 2010 have regular or raised floors on the kitchen side. This is in part because cabinets usually come fully to the inside edge or over the slide floor so you won't be stubbing your toes or tripping over the raised portion. This raised floor is usually 2" or less in height. If your floor is higher than that you might want to have the slide checked to see if it needs adjustment ( box within the hole). Hope that helps.

Great comments.  Couple of thoughts. 

MEK is pretty potent....as is Acetone.  Be very careful and don't use either anywhere else.  Some folks will use blue painter's tape to prevent damage to surrounding surfaces.  Gloves and working outside.....a MUST. 

https://ecolink.com/info/mek-vs-acetone/#:~:text=Due to acetone's fast evaporation,more potent%2C stronger cleaning agent.

I use Acetone for most spot cleaning.  It DOES evaporate....but it does not stay in the caulking or whatever and continue to dissolve it.

The EternaBond is great stuff.  The only info I would add is that it really needs to be ROLLED DOWN.  I had all new toppers that @throgmartin made for me.  I noticed the EternaBond peeling when I looked under the toppers. I ordered a long roll...enough to do all the slides.  Chris recommended that I provide the tech with the EternaBond cleaner....as it works great.  He also recommended that I purchase the heavy duty EternaBond steel roller so the tech could put it down and roll it out just like Monaco should have done....or didn't do properly. I would invest in one of the heavy (weight) EternaBond rollers so that you get it totally adhered.  Mine was changed out in 2015 or 6 years after Monaco built it.  The replacement EternaBond is in great shape and no edge peeling.  Just passing that on.... Amazon was my supplier....

[96 EVO]

4 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

 

The EternaBond is great stuff.  The only info I would add is that it really needs to be ROLLED DOWN.  I had all new toppers that @throgmartin made for me.  I noticed the EternaBond peeling when I looked under the toppers.  

That wasn't Eternabond that Monaco used!

It is a aluminum foil backed tar tape. Messy stuff to remove. As mine breaks down, I too remove it and replace with Eternabond.

[JDCrow]

Ok, I just cut back the foil where it had came up. I then taped off the areas and went right over the tape with proflex 

[96 EVO]

6 minutes ago, JDCrow said:

Ok, I just cut back the foil where it had came up. I then taped off the areas and went right over the tape with proflex 

Once the edge of that stuff starts lifting, it's a constant battle!

The top wipe seal just continues to lift a bit at a time every time you retract the slide.