Scamp seam tape

[ScampBum]

Before replacing the old yellowed seam tape,do I need to do any prep work?As in cleaning the surface with rubbing alcohol?

[dylanear]

You have tape on the seal around the middle?

I need to recaulk that on mine. There's nothing but cracking caulking, no tape.

Where do you get this tape? What kind is it?

[ScampBum]

[QUOTE=dylanear;316511]You have tape on the seal around the middle?

I need to recaulk that on mine. There's nothing but cracking caulking, no tape.

Where do you get this tape? What kind is it?[/QUOTE

[ScampBum]

Oops...my two clumsy typing thumbs hit the wrong button.I was asking about sealing the interior seams on the old elephant hide.Looks like you were asking about the seal on the exterior belly band.

[RogerDat]

Scamp store sells the tape for elephant hide seams, some folks have questioned it's sticking quality as it is less expensive than other sources of same general product. Hopefully they will weigh in with link to those other sources to give you a choice if you desire.

Some use 3M spray on glue (77 if I recall) as a supplement to the scamp tape built in adhesive, available at big box home improvement & most hardware stores.

I have the scamp tape but am just now getting ready to test a couple of small seams to see how it sticks. Already removed the old yellow crud covered stuff that was there.

On the belly band it's not actually a "seal" it's just cosmetic (or supposed to be) when the top and bottom half of a scamp are put together they fiberglass the inside wall at the seam so it "should" be totally water tight. The aluminum belly band just hides the lip that is on the top and bottom when they come out of the mold.

People do caulk the top of the belly band to keep dirt from collecting there, acrylic latex caulk works well. Just need a tiny bead to fill in the gap between edge of aluminum and wall of trailer. And don't do if it's really hot and sunny, the hot aluminum can cause a near instant cure of the caulk. (found out the hard way)

That said mine had a huge snake of silicon caulk that took two days to remove and it turned out was keeping water from a chip right at the seam that did leak. Chip was hidden by belly band, but looking at band after locating leak I could see it had scraped something right at that spot.

[Perry J]

When I did the seams I hot glued the tape.
No matter how clean the Ensolite is the tape does not stick very well.

[ScampBum]

Well,I found out just how sticky the Scamp seal tape is.When I checked later,most of it had come loose.So I guess I"ll get out the hot glue gun.But the new white tape sure looks better than the old yellowed stuff.
Thanks all for the help.

[Bill Compton]

Check out Roof Leak Repair Products & Sealing Tape | EternaBond®. I used this on an RV (fiberglass roof) and the metal roof on my home. I will use it again if needed. I really sticks well and you can get it wide enough to go over other seams.

[Kenny D]

Interesting. I was on the roof of my Travco thinking of how I was gonna clean up that ugly looking seam. I was gonna just scrape it down and flood it with Dicor self leveling caulk. I wonder if I have tape under the existing Caulk ?

[Kenny D]

Originally Posted by ScampBum

Well,I found out just how sticky the Scamp seal tape is.When I checked later,most of it had come loose.So I guess I"ll get out the hot glue gun.But the new white tape sure looks better than the old yellowed stuff.
Thanks all for the help.

Could you post some pics ? The Scamp looks very similar in design to my Travco and I can not get any parts for it so Scamp tape maybe what I need.

[RogerDat]

I just started my seam tape replacement today. Finished the dining end. I used 3M 77 spray glue as a "helper" on the long runs and where one seam crossed over another. Did not see anything coming unstuck. Time will tell.

I will say I spent a lot of time both scrubbing and rinsing my ensolite, scrubbing because it was filthy, rinsing because tape or glue won't stick well to soap and cleaners.

Too late tonight to get pictures but if nothing gets posted by Mon evening I'll post one.

[ScampBum]

I used hot glue and the seam tape is holding.

[RogerDat]

Originally Posted by Kenny D

Could you post some pics ? The Scamp looks very similar in design to my Travco and I can not get any parts for it so Scamp tape maybe what I need.

The 3M spray glue (77) seems to hold ok so far. Going to have temps near 100 this week so we shall see. The glue on that tape is really not that good. Maybe on a smooth surface but ensolite is textured.

Close up picture
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/m...icture2259.jpg

broader view of several seams
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/m...icture2260.jpg

Wrong links had to change.

[Dennis Clinton]

I've used the spray on upholstery glue(at most auto parts stores on my 'ratfur' seams and had not problems-really sticks.

[S Bradley]

I just got done taking all the old yellow tape off my 81 Scamp. I tried to put on new tape. Its was a mess. Got it to stick a little and came back in the morning and it was all over hanging and on the floor. I bought white caulk and did all the joints. It looks better than the tape and very easy to fill in the cracks, I used a caulk gun then smoothed it with a wet rag. Also tried 3M super 77 and really had a mess. .

[Tony O]

OK, so I want to cover seams on an older "elephant hide" Ensolite wall in a friend's older Scamp. Anyone discover any newer, more reliable solutions to this problem?

Some folks who responded to this issue previously may have since discovered that their initial attempts at effectively covering Scamp seams were not exactly, permanent?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Tony O

OK, so I want to cover seams on an older "elephant hide" Ensolite wall in a friend's older Scamp. Anyone discover any newer, more reliable solutions to this problem?

Some folks who responded to this issue previously may have since discovered that their initial attempts at effectively covering Scamp seams were not exactly, permanent?

siliconized paintable acrylic caulk.
fill the seams, let it sit until tacky, then tap it with a sponge to give it texture to match the ensolite, then, if you like, paint the interior with Zinser Perma-White paint tinted to the pastel color of your choice.

[Tony O]

Originally Posted by floyd

siliconized paintable acrylic caulk.
fill the seams, let it sit until tacky, then tap it with a sponge to give it texture to match the ensolite, then, if you like, paint the interior with Zinser Perma-White paint tinted to the pastel color of your choice.

Thanks, Floyd! Well OK then, I'll check on the local availability of the material parts of this solution and give it a whirl in a discrete place on the trailer. Sounds like a relatively easy, low cost, fix.

[FJ40Jim]

Earlier this summer I did the paintable calking in the seam gaps, after removing what tape remained, then thoroughly cleaning the ensolite walls. After the caulk cured for several days it was primed with oil base interior stain & mildew blocking primer and topcoated with beige oil base interior semi gloss.


Several months later, it's still looking good. The only (minor) problem I've noticed is a few places where the caulk gap was big, have shrunk enough to show hairline cracks in the caulk & paint. The lesson here is for really large gaps allow several days cure between layers of caulk, then plenty of cure before painting. I was trying to get it done ASAP, so only allowed 24hrs between layers, and paint.


Useless opinion: I definitely prefer the smooth interior vs the taped walls.

[Tony O]

Originally Posted by FJ40Jim

Earlier this summer I did the paintable calking in the seam gaps, after removing what tape remained, then thoroughly cleaning the ensolite walls. After the caulk cured for several days it was primed with oil base interior stain & mildew blocking primer and topcoated with beige oil base interior semi gloss.


Several months later, it's still looking good. The only (minor) problem I've noticed is a few places where the caulk gap was big, have shrunk enough to show hairline cracks in the caulk & paint. The lesson here is for really large gaps allow several days cure between layers of caulk, then plenty of cure before painting. I was trying to get it done ASAP, so only allowed 24hrs between layers, and paint.


Useless opinion: I definitely prefer the smooth interior vs the taped walls.

Ah, yes. This makes a lot of sense. I know that cailking does often shrink when fully cured. I wonder, though, does the paint-over respond by flexing (without cracking) with the Ensolite insulation when the insulation is pressed hard against the inside wall of the shell? Bumps are inevitable in a small space.