1980 Bigfoot B-16- help with couple of issues

[Conrad in BC]

Hi there,

My wife and me have just bought a used 1980s Bigfoot b-16 travel trailer 2 weeks ago and have already used it a couple of times and love it! We are planning on trying to do a couple week long road trips here coming up in the fall/ winter and I had a couple of questions I was hoping you would be able to answer about some maintenance that I was wanting to do on my trailer. I have been doing a bunch of reading from different forums and sites trying to gather information, but I keep seeing conflicting information. I contacted Bigfoot in hopes they would respond to me, but have yet to respond. I was wondering if anyone here could help me out please and thank you!

1. What sealant do you recommend for re sealing the roof vents, and around the window openings? I am wanting to reseal everything to make sure no leaks
2. Where do you recommend buying the replacement window gaskets as mine are wrecked from the weather- I have contacted sun view industries , any other options
3. Who do you recommend for replacement fresh water and grey water tank? Was the grey/ black tank both going in to one waste tank and not 2 seperate ones? Mines got massive holes in it and looks like they both just drained into one.
4. My door has a 1/2” opening at the top compared to the middle of the door and I was wondering if theirs a way to correct it so I don’t have rain leaking in or if I have to replace the whole door?
5. I’m not sure if it was factory installed but I have an awning on my trailer and the mounting brackets where the awning is attached attached too has about a 2”x2” break in the fibreglass shell. I was wondering what you recommend for me to patch this/ best fix? Or should I just put butyl tape/ than like a lap sealant over the flange of the mounting brackets ?
6. Someone previously installed a radio antenna on the roof and bolted through it, I want to remove it and rematch these wholes. What’s the best way you would recommend patching it?
7. Also I was wondering what you recommend for recoating/ water proof protecting the roof with?
8. I have seen some people reinforcing their fibreglass roofs due to sagging/ wavy roofs. I was wondering if this is something you recommend doing? And if so what do you think the best way is? Because I believe the 1980s weren’t originally a reinforced roof. My roofs not crazy bad, just dips a little bit just worries a little of rain water pooling.
9. From my understand none of the kitchen cabinets / bedding where actually attached to the shell of the trailer? And where just attached to the floor? So would that mean none of the cabinets are load bearing so I could uninstall them and rebuild all the furniture? - further reading it appears that the upper cabinets are structural to the roof? Also my front table bed is missing the cabinet / support on right hand side should I repair this?
10. I’m not sure if previous owner disconnected the wires, but looks like the 1980s never came with side marker lights mine are just reflectors, has anyone
Installed running lights on their trailers for night time driving?


Thank you very much for all your help, appreciate the response

[Case-O]

Hey Conrad! I have a B16 as well! Does yours have two windows in the back? Yours looks like in way better shape than mine too lol.
In regards to Bigfoot that is in Vernon, they have no relationship to the old bigfoots anymore. They won't have any info on older models, its a completely different company now. I think I read that somewhere on these forums from an old post.

For your windows you need two things to make sure they wont leak. Gaskets from Sunview windows and butyl tape. Sunview were pretty helpful when I talked to them and helped me get all the gaskets I needed. I can see if I have my old receipt from my order and can put it up because you will need all the same gaskets. Took a while to figure out because some of them have different part numbers now than years ago. What I learned about re-sealing your windows if you take them out is to only use Butyl tape and never silicone. I still have to do my windows but I'm waiting till this spring to do a complete rebuild of my bigfoot. Your windows have openings at the bottom where they slide open on purpose, to let the inside breath a bit, they will always get filled with dirt and a few bugs but I just take a cloth and clean it out, you shouldn't completely seal off your windows. My front window is leaking and I found some sealant tape that seems to work after cutting it in very thin strips. I hope it doesn't do damage and will be hard to take off like silicone would but we will see. With the new gaskets and butyl tape the windows should never leak.

For your fiberglass issues I'd just recommend taking it to a boat shop to get it worked on, most boat places will work on trailers. Though I am sure there are lots of people on here with fiberglass experience that can tell you what to use if you want to do it yourself.

My roof is sagging at the front as well and causing a small leak. Sure seems to be a common issue with older bigfoots. I don't think re enforcing the roof is a easy job. From my searching on here it seems the cabinets kind of hold the trailer and roof together and the load bearing supports are the vertical pieces that run from the floor to the ceiling. Like at the entrance to the trailer, the washroom frame and the closet with the upper cabinets holding all this together. If you are missing a upper cabinet part I would repair it as it helps hold it all together. I do think the furniture and counter top is nailed into wood strips that are glued to the fiberglass. As these were handmade back in the 80's and from searching other bigfoot posts, sometimes bad workmanship has shown by some nails missing the wood strips on the inside causing roof sag and other issues.

I will probably start a thread with pictures I took when I got my trailer years ago and you can compare to what you have. I read that if you get all the holes in your fiberglass repaired and with a gelcoat on top that you do not need any other re-sealing done on your roof. I'm sure any fiberglass sealant after would be fine but would just be for your peace of mind. My B16 only had side reflectors as well but the previous owner installed red LED running lights on top at the back that actually look really nice, and added just a couple of the on the side of the trailer. If you can add some I would.

I will see if I have my order from sunview windows and post it here if they haven't got back to you yet.