Bad place on roof cap at the rear

[Dragracer]

What caused this?

[JDCrow]

How long you had it? The aluminum is hard to damage other than hitting something. They are “floating” roofs. 

[Dr4Film]

Whatever it was that caused the damage it looks like it hit the railing of the ladder too as it appears dented.

[Tom Cherry]

Really hard to tell….and there are thousands of possibilities.  Since it is near a ladder, my gut says someone tried putting something on the roof and did a poor job of assessing the correct lifting and placement strategy.

Now, I am prejudiced as I have a  a much smaller in the same spot. The Tech who wreatled my Wingard satellite dish underestimated his strength and agility and droppled the base on the corner.

Since it is near the ladder, then I would lean that way….

A little closer and higher resolution and magnification photo might reveal more.

Somwrhing blunt or round may have fallen and “smashed” in the roof as it rolls over the edge.  The end cap seemed to handle the impact better.

In my case, the proper repair was exorbitant. I chose to drill the ends of the crack and then cover over with clear Proflex.

In this case, my best “did a little fiberglass work and helped repair broken boats, there are probably many options.  So….an idea from one individual might morph and a better soultion developed. Cutting out the damaged piece….then using maybe 1” strips of sheet FG and then glassing them UNDER the broken edges.  Then using something like “rat wire” and freeforming the contour.  Keeping the “form” smaller than the final or original contour.  Then using “rovin wovin” and putting down a layer of FG….then a layer of mat.  Maybe even a little Bondo.  Once it approximates the original contour, out down two layers of FG cloth.  Then start handoworking the entire area and blend it in with the mating edges.  A good curved body rasp and a small hand vibratory or oscillating sander to keep shaping,  Sort of like a NASCAR team will do when a driver crumples a fender in warmup or time trials.  

Finally, use the section cut oit and have a can or two of spray paint blended….then refinish.

The trick is to have a good reinforcement (heavy guage rat wire) as the form and then several layers of glass (roven woven, matt, and glass) will provide strength…

Many more experienced will chime in and help making it easier or perhaps less labor intensive.  At the end, you will (may) have to apply layer of EtenaBond to seal the end cap to roof seam.

OTHER options would be to get some flat SS sheet and have access to a “roll former” of hand work an overlapping patch and then use the 3 prong pop rivets to install.  Whatever is stronger and meets your aesthetics is your call. Proflex will seal or the 3M Marine adhesive sealer that @throgmartin supplies with his guardian plate kits will definitely “glue that sucker on”.

 

[Dragracer]

I’ve had it 6 months. It was like that when I got it. 

[gdroberson]

you can probably use some hotmelt glue and glue something to it and pop it back out and then use some denatured alcohol to take the glue off

[JDCrow]

9 minutes ago, Dragracer said:

I’ve had it 6 months. It was like that when I got it. 

Ok, IMO you can pound that out from the inside, then used some metal filler,prime,paint.

The upper cabinets will come out. I believe the ceiling is in first then cabinets up, so you would have to cut a section of the foam ceiling to get to area affected. 
 

A 2” or so rounded off chunk of wood and a dead blow hammer to slowly tap it out. It aluminum, so it will not have memory like steel and snap back. Get it close to smooth as you can or are comfortable with. 
 

Then like above, filler/prime/paint. Reinstall ceiling/cabinet. You can always put a top piece in the cabinet so the cut out piece isn’t visible. 

As others have mentioned the ladder, my best guess is a small tree or branch hit that main dent and smaller branches took out the ladder. Uncle just had a tree fall in his yard and take out the mirror on his coach. 
 

Would be an awesome project for you to tackle and take pics of for future people who want to see the under roof and see the structure/truss
 

[Tom Cherry]

Fascinating discussion.  The rollover section of my Camelot is FG & not Aluminum.  If the damaged section is Aluminum, then body shop techniques are needed…

No expert on construction of older units.  However Sales brochures are a wealth of information..

YEP. AL U MINNIE UM.   So have at it.  Don’t know if hot melt has enough tensile strength to bond a dent puller tab.  Many body shops using spot welded tabs and then refinishing.  JB Weld would work, but be careful when you grind off tab(s)….

 

[JDCrow]

The Aluminum roof is easy to distinguish by the row of large buck rivets right down the center covered with aluminum, tar based tape. 
 

Side point on the Diplomats of this era is a hung, gelcoat wall. No vacuum bonded styrofoam, it has fiberglass insulation in the walls. 

[Floyd4949]

Something like this will work for metal. You may have to get creative with "pull point" attachment.
Maybe expanding molly or riv nut.
A little more creativity would be required for fiberglass.

https://www.harborfreight.com/slide-hammer-and-puller-set-14-piece-56894.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiNzA0ODQ5ODYiLCJza3UiOiI1Njg5NCIsImlzIjoiMjUuNDkifQ%3D%3D&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20938164463&campaignid=20938164463&utm_content=160638356594&adsetid=160638356594&product=56894&store=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAqY6tBhAtEiwAHeRopQ3FuQQbipF0yh2LsywRSWXTxOk9dmGtkK7ehA4rzlre1wH9iAEWpxoCe3gQAvD_BwE