Eternabond on Seams

ichn2go · 06-09-2008, 01:20 PM

I know that Eternabond is suposed to be the next best thing to Ivory Soap.

I wonder who has used it and how long its been on the coach. How is it holding up and what is the life expectancy when applied?

Thanks and safe miles.

ichn2go · 06-09-2008, 01:20 PM

I know that Eternabond is suposed to be the next best thing to Ivory Soap.

I wonder who has used it and how long its been on the coach. How is it holding up and what is the life expectancy when applied?

Thanks and safe miles.

rebelsbeach · 06-09-2008, 01:49 PM

Jimmy, click HERE to read some 27 pages of different threads regarding the use of Eternabond seam tape by iRV2 members.

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Bob

JC2 · 06-09-2008, 02:18 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ichn2go:
I know that Eternabond is suposed to be the next best thing to Ivory Soap.

I wonder who has used it and how long its been on the coach. How is it holding up and what is the life expectancy when applied?

Thanks and safe miles. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Highly recommend it. We used it on a 5ver that we owned in 01 and when traded last year for our MH, it was still going strong. If you use the tape, make sure the surface is clean and use a small roller to further help the tape seal to the surface. In case you do a OOPS, and need to remove, read this link.

http://www.eternabond.com/bulletin/e...ond_remove.htm

Lt46 · 06-09-2008, 04:27 PM

I've used eternabond tape on each RV that I've owned. Aluminum faced eternabond on my aluminum roofed 89 Jayco TT and white, vinyl faced tape on my Prowler TT and moho. The stuff is plain good! I no longer need to reseal the roof seams, it's done and will last longer than the life of the unit it's applied to. Got sick and tired of climbing the roof and fearing the dreaded roof leak. Each of my units have been bone dry.

Savannah · 06-09-2008, 05:02 PM

We put it on our 2004 Journey last year. It is still looking good and doing what it was designed to do. Kinda wonder why Winnebago doesn't use it from the beginning.

We wintered in Florida and are currently in the monsoon state of Indiana. NO leaks

Harry B · 06-09-2008, 06:32 PM

I am considering applying the eternabond to the side seam as well, as the caulking recommended by Winnie just does not hold up. I caulked the overlap of the caps and roof with 3M 5200 and painted it and it has been holding up great so far. I just think the eternabond is a better solution for the side seam.

Did you paint it to match the body paint and if you did paint it which type eternabond tape did you use?

How wide is the tape you applied?

I was thinking about applying the Eternabond about an inch wide, as you can't get more than about a 1/2" overlap on the metal gutter anyway. It makes no sense to put much more than that overlapping the fiberglass roof. I know eternabond recommends at least a 2 inch overlap, but that kind of overlap just isn't there.

vicsryd · 06-09-2008, 10:43 PM

Winnebago actually authorized Eternabond to fix my deteriorating nose cap seam on the roof. It's doing just fine.

ichn2go · 06-10-2008, 02:23 AM

Thanks for your replies.

Bob good to hear from you. We are doing well and hope you are too.

Now, that I know it has held up since 01, tell me how you applied it, from step ladder? from the top? walk board? What did you use to clean the seam? Did it take two people? Thanks again.

smlranger · 06-10-2008, 05:23 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ichn2go:
Thanks for your replies.

Bob good to hear from you. We are doing well and hope you are too.

Now, that I know it has held up since 01, tell me how you applied it, from step ladder? from the top? walk board? What did you use to clean the seam? Did it take two people? Thanks again. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jim, Joe K had an excellent thread about his install. I followed his suggestion...used a razor blade to cut the 4" tape into 2" (I think the 2" tape is now available). I cleaned the area with non chlorine brake cleaner in a spray can. Some folks used acetone.

I did it all from a ladder and was able to do it alone. I removed a short piece of the backing, applied that portion while holding the tape in a straight line. I kept removing short portions of the backing as I moved along. I had to move the ladder a lot, of course. I used a small wallpaper seam roller to help the tape stick.

Took me about 4 hours to do my rig.

Lt46 · 06-10-2008, 08:45 AM

I set up a couple of tall step ladders and put a plank between them and walked the side of the moho. Used acetone to clean and the 4" eternabond tape. Also had the small wallpaper roller to make the adhesive do its magic. All in all, a 3 hour job doing both side seams and front and rear cap seams.

traveler of california · 06-10-2008, 10:22 AM

I put Eternabond on my rig shortly after I bought it in '01. It has done its job and it shows no evidence of age. I put the tape on the sides and at the seams on the front and rear caps.

IMO it is good stuff and I don't worry about leaks.

Nick, Journey '01

KIX · 06-10-2008, 07:03 PM

I've been thinking about doing this for some time. Is it important to remove all the original caulking.

BZam · 06-10-2008, 08:26 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by KIX:
I've been thinking about doing this for some time. Is it important to remove all the original caulking. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When you say all, I have not. I try to smooth out the area and clean it with alcohol. When this etherbond goes down its ON! I have some that is three years and looks as good as new other than some discoloration from dirt.

Lt46 · 06-11-2008, 03:24 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Is it important to remove all the original caulking. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I didn't remove any old caulking prior to applying the tape. Did clean w/ acetone however.
Using the 4" wide tape allows for at least 1.5" of tape to lay flat on either side of the seam. Thereby encapsulating the entire seam.

Tenn.Vol. · 06-11-2008, 05:21 AM

Two yrs. ago I used Eternabond on a leak I had in the shower skylight. It was the 2" width eternabond
and did not come out to be my best looking job. But it is not seen from ground level.

I just checked the roof seams on my 02 winnie, and I have some seperation from the 3M/5200.
It does not stick to the aluminum rail at all, but does do a good job sticking to the fiberglass
roof. So I plan at this time to clean with acetone and add some more 5200 to the edge of the alum.
gutter rail. My thinkig at this time is to angle it up higher on the fiber roof and to get the
edge to roll over the aluminum gutter. Sort of a small slope into the gutter.

Back to the etrnabond, I picked up some at wally-world last wk. It was much thinner than the
eternabond I had purchased from Best Material a couple of yrs ago. And much more expensive also
as it cost $10 dollars for a 3" X 24" strip. But if its works out I will find it at another
source. As I am thinking the thinner will lay better and look better on the roof seam! !
I have seen eternabond on some roof seams, and it was not a pretty picture....Tenn

FrontRangeRVer · 06-11-2008, 06:26 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I have seen eternabond on some roof seams, and it was not a pretty picture. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

two2go · 06-11-2008, 06:55 AM

A National RV tech called me in response to an email request for help removing my TV just a couple of weeks before NRV went bankrupt. He added a couple of maintenance tips, one of which was to put Eternabond on the front and rear cap roof seams as a preventative measure. I have a roll of the stuff (must contain platinum $$) ready to install.

jdsr · 06-11-2008, 09:27 AM

Im getting ready to do my roof with externabond. I see some have cleaned with acetone. I guess its must be ok to clean these fiberglass roofs. Is there a certain strength or just pour right out of bottle and start cleaning?

Harry B · 06-11-2008, 04:05 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I have some seperation from the 3M/5200.
It does not stick to the aluminum rail at all, but does do a good job sticking to the fiberglass
roof. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was considering doing the seam with 3M 5200 as well. I contacted 3M to check what they thought of the application to the roof seam.

3M recommended against using it for two reasons,
- One which you already discovered is that 5200 does not adhere as well to metal as it does to fiberglass. - -- The other is that it will not stand up to UV exposure and they thought that painting it was not the answer
either as they expected the roof seam to flex causing the paint to come off.

For this particular application of the roof seam they suggested 3M 4200 which sticks better to metal than 5200 but now I was back to white caulking again in which case I might as well use Eternabond.