Scamp locking strip inside vs outside.

[Cmtravels]

Hi. I know this topic is talked about so much here but can't seem to find the answer for this.
We replaced our scamp windows (yes it was a test of ALL sorts!!). So now we are trying to fix the leak. It's a tiny leak that seems to come through the seam at the bottom of both windows. Scamp said locking strip on outside and silicone Caulk in the gap. We did install the locking strip with the grove on the inside the first time. From research now this seems to be wrong. The question is, before we take them out and reinstall: why? How does the seam on the outside help with leaking?
Thanks for y'alls help!!


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[Cmtravels]

. This is the locking strip we have from Scamp.


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[Donna D.]

You need to put sealant to seal the two ends together. I suggest using black windshield caulk. It's designed for your application. You can get it at any auto parts store <$5

[gordon2]

The lockstrip is installed on the outside on my six month old Scamp 16, and it leaks.
I think in my case the caulk is bad. It looks like maybe a chemical got on it and damaged the caulk. You can even see light through the gap. I emailed Kent Eveland just this morning and am waiting on his response. My posting on the subject is here.

It also seems to me that if the gap was at the top it would work better, and if it leaked you would see water on the inside of the plexiglass so it would be easily discovered. I don't know if it can be done that way however.

PS, this sure does seem to be a manufacturing defect so even if the fix is only $5, I expect it to be covered under warranty.

[Cmtravels]

Thanks Donna! Heading to autozone now!!

Gordon- That caulk job leaves a lot to be desired. 😳.

I was thinking about getting a turkey injector needle to try to get the caulk into the gap. Might be too thick though.


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[mary and bob]

Cindy; did you use new weatherstrip? If so, were you able to get weatherstrip with the correct groove width to match the wall thickness and the lip on the window. What you show is the same type weatherstrip that Uhaul used to install their side windows, and they were notorious for leaking. Part of that I attribute to the weatherstrip grooves not matching the wall and window thickness. Uhaul installed the lock strip on the inside, only because they put a pull tab on it so it would be an emergency exit. I have heard that generally the lock strip would go on the outside but I see no benefit to either way. I was able to install my new side window without it leaking afterwards, but it took two of us to handle the weatherstrip, and after I got it in place I then trimmed the length. I put the weatherstrip in the opening, then window into the weatherstrip. Seam is in center of a vertical edge. Others have put the weatherstrip on the window first, then installed it using the string method, so they will disagree with what I did, but mine doesn't leak so it worked for me. I thought Scamp only used clamp ring type windows, that's what I put in one side of my Uhaul.

[Cmtravels]

Out scamp is an 1982. We bought the weather strip from scamp and had the New plexi windows cut at the glass shop. They were the same thickness as the old. The groves seemed to be fine as far as size.



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[Cmtravels]

Donna do you have a link or photo of that caulk?


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[Cmtravels]

Sorry think we might have found it.


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[KenjiFox]

I suggest using butyl rubber instead;
Robot Check

Rip off a small bit of it and work it in your fingers until it gets extremely sticky. You will know, as it will begin to stick even to your skin. As it is heated and worked it becomes more tacky. Make sure the gap in the rubber trim is cleaned out nicely and wiped down with something like rubbing alcohol. Then simply apply the butyl to the gap. Press it down into the cracks and it WILL be sealed. This stuff will not fall apart or shrink and come loose over time the way silicone will. Not only that, but it works instantly. No need to cure or anything, and you can just peel it off and replace it whenever.

I don't use anything else for small gaps.

As for large objects such as holding on flexable solar panels, or for sealing around something with edges I use EternaBond tape. ( Robot Check ) Treat this stuff like it is a deadly weapon. No joke, it is so damn adhesive you could end up stuck to yourself or other objects. Make sure someone is around to help you in-case it ever got on your mouth or something. Just saying. If you don't need to seal the edges (I always prefer to do that) 3M Very High Bond or VHB tape will also do the job.

If you have a roll of butyl on hand though, no leak will scare you anymore. Even in the middle of a downpour you could take a little wad of it and stick it over the offending rivet or crack/gap.

[Donna D.]

Gordon, what you show in your pictures is awful! Properly done with the right stuff, even finding where the two pieces meet should be hard to visually find....

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Gordon, what you show in your pictures is awful! Properly done with the right stuff, even finding where the two pieces meet should be hard to visually find....

yes I never paid any attention to it until the leak happened (my bad). I cannot rule out that some chemical got on the caulk/sealant and caused what you see in the photo but I am fairly sure it was nothing that I did. it might even have been a bad batch of whatever goop they use, but that is not very probable. I only use good quality car wash and Meguiars marine wax, which I don't think got on this area (but might be bad for it if it did). In any event, it appears that the caulk/sealant did not get into the gap but was only on the surface. So my best guess is (once again) shoddy workmanship but I can't say that for sure. I do wish I had inspected it closer when I picked up the trailer.

[Ian G.]

There are a number of specific steps to take to ensure the gaskets seal correctly:

• when installing the gasket around the window opening make sure it is fully seated in the body, use a rubber mallet to "pound" it gently and ensure it is seated.
• Where the ends join at the bottom cut then seal so there is about 3/4" of overlap between the ends, lift the gasket out of the lower body, I use rubber vulcanizing adhesive (bike tube patch glue). Put the ends together the FORCE the moulding into the opening. This keeps pressure on the join even as the seal shrinks over time.
• ALWAYS install the seal so the lock strip is on the outside. It is designed to a) keep water out because if you look there is a small bead on the outer seal surface that presses against the window and b) structurally it is stronger, I have seen a number of front windows blow into the trailer while towing at highway speeds

[Keaner]

I suspect that your leak is from that terrible caulking job. Clean it up and reseal it and it should be OK. Also, locking strip goes on the outside.

[Timber Wolf]

My 1988 front window seal had spread apart at least a 1/4" and had been leaking for quite some time before I bought the trailer. I filled the gap with my old standby good quality white acrylic latex caulk and after it dried "painted" it with a black magic marker. It has held up two years so far. Go ahead and point and laugh, it works for me!

[Cmtravels]

Sooo.. After trips to two auto shops and buying what I thought was caulk but really adhesive, we've decided to try black silicon caulk from Home Depot. Taped the Windows so not to make a mess. Cut the tip off a turkey baster and squeezed the tip with pliers so the caulk would get "into" the gap and not just on top.
We will see how it works this week with the forecasted rain. If this doesn't work we will take the Windows out and flip the strip.



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[Eddie Longest]

I use the same procedure as Ian outlined. If you can see light between the ends of the gasket after 1 year the gasket was not seated properly and was cut too short. The gasket need to be replaced and resealed.
Eddie

[gordon2]

Sounds like some good advice here. For what its worth.. this is an excerpt of what Kent Eveland said about my front window leak:

What you have is the weather stripe adhesive has come off. The best thing to do here is to clean it up, purchase a small tube at a local auto parts store (you can send us a copy of the bill) and reseal it. The entire gap should be filled and sealed up to and a little bit on the lower part of the window. What will happen in this type of leak is that water runs down the window and funnels into the gap.

I should add that I told him I was willing to DIY. Of course if I brought it back they would have done the work