'Glued' seals

[popupJohn]

At last after many years makedo and mend the wife and I have graduated to a brand new popup caravan. To us the diffewrence is awesome. No longer are we restricted to warm dry camping but can just sit in the dry and warm comfort of a home away from home.

Snag tho--

The seal all round the lifting roof seems to 'glue' itself down onto the main body if storred in a down position for more than a week or so. No damage done apart from our OAP backs as we try and break the seal to lift the roof.

Anybody know of any solution that can be applied to seals to stop this happening please?

 

[vauxhall2]

hi try chalk powder,if this does not work try olive oil.i use olive oil on the toilet seals to stop the blade sticking

 

[popupJohn]

Many thanks. I thought that I had heard that advice years ago when I was neither interested or in need of it.

The dealers have phoned me this afternoon following an email I sent them.

Seems i`m not the 1st new rubis owner thats had this problem this year. The reason-- and cure are simple they say

1 the reason--

The rubber seals bed down onto a roof beading sealed with an overdose 'mastic'.

2 the cure--

Knife off allong the beading any surplous mastic and wash areas off with white spirit. A spray of (Halfords) 'Autoglym Tyre Dressing' on the rubber seal a couple of times a year should save any further bother

 

[BrianC_5111810]

A silicon based polish should prevent the problem.

Silcon based mastics will prevent paint from sticking when sprayed or resins from bonding.

Brian C

 

[popupJohn]

Just an update..

The seal round the 'lifting walls' hinge has had about a tennisball sized amount of surplus mastic removed and the roof rubber washed of of mastic that was stuck to it.

The roof now 'breaks away' from the storage position with about 1/10th of the effort that it used to so although it was a right messy job to do it all worked out fine.

I`m sure once the seals dried off from its white spirit wash off and sprayed with tyre dressing all will be even better.

 

[ThePlotter]

JohnM,sounds like you may have sorted the problem ,but to be honest if it is brand as you say I would not be doing it I would take it back and get them to do it.

Why? Simple if you now or in future get a leak from the seal guess who is going to get the blame and guarantee the dealer will say no longer covered by the warranty.

 

[popupJohn]

JohnM,sounds like you may have sorted the problem ,but to be honest if it is brand as you say I would not be doing it I would take it back and get them to do it.

Why? Simple if you now or in future get a leak from the seal guess who is going to get the blame and guarantee the dealer will say no longer covered by the warranty.

I quite understand what your saying plotter and would have taken it to the dealer if required.

The seal area itself was not an issue it was gross over application of mastic which in some places spread about 9/10mm from the seal.

Risk of causing problems by DIYing were discussed with the dealer and sorted out at the time.

Its also saved me to faily long arduous trips down to him also.

Points taken on board memmory for future use tho