Remove the rain seal on the awning?

[Jason Foster]

Mine is on there.  It fills up with crap.  I clean it and I move on.  Don't give it much thought really.

[MAX Burner]

We removed ours a couple years back - mainly because it was badly oxidized and looked like crap.  We bought a replacement strip, but never saw the need to install it - Casablanca doesn't see the light of day unless behind the Tundra rolling to the next OTT adventure.

That said, anyone interested in a new awning strip can have ours for the cost of shipping...  Just say'n.

[Galileo]

20 hours ago, topgun2 said:

If/when you replace it, be sure to clean, clean, clean the surface of the Oliver before going any further.  Also, a nice low humidity, and warm to hot day when you can hold the new gasket in place for at least 24 hours would be advisable.

Always good advice and best practice!

One of my first jobs was programming binary load lifters, er, I mean installing body side molding at a car dealership. Cleaning was half the job. (Getting it on straight was the other - and more difficult task!) I made a bit of a science of it - using a heat gun or even a Rube Goldbergesque “oven” to warm the coiled self-adhesive molding to help straighten and soften it. 
 

I expect that a lot of cleaning will be required just to remove the old adhesive and stains that are sure to be there.

[Galileo]

15 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

I will interject that we love the awning seal. We have replaced it once..

I guess it depends in how  you store and canp  

Though I can see the argument for both “camps”, I like to keep things as stock as possible. 
 

I guess I’ll pull off the existing seal and see if it’s still in decent shape. If so, I’ll find a premium automotive trim adhesive tape and reinstall it. If it’s falling apart, then I’ll get that replacement from Amazon.

 

Or, if we like it without the seal - then job completed. (After the cleaning!)

Edited February 16 by Galileo
Autocorrect strikes again!

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

We bought a replacement strip, but never saw the need to install it...

Prior owner had removed the OEM seal and replaced it with a rain gutter below the awning. Normally, I would be in the same camp as Art, but...

Our Oliver has many rain stripes down the streetside body and windows that I do not see on the curbside. Since our Oliver has not had wax or anything since a ceramic job 3-4 years ago, these do not come off with a wash. I would say install none or on both sides.

[topgun2]

4 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

That said, anyone interested in a new awning strip can have ours for the cost of shipping.

Dibs!

At the Rally?

[Patriot]

On 2/15/2025 at 8:15 PM, Rolind said:

I think I remember that if the Truma is a retrofit install, the Truma doesn’t use the existing condensate drains.

We had the Truma retro fit install and it does use the OEM condensate drain line and works great. We have never had any ponding of water on the roof, but we always level during set up.
If your Truma ponds up you may have a kink in one of your condensate lines. I remember actually speaking with the Oliver tech “Tucker” about this prior to install and he assured me he would take extra care making sure this was a non issue and that the lines/drain tubes were not kinked during the retrofit.
Oh those little details. 

Edited May 12 by Patriot
content

[MAX Burner]

18 hours ago, topgun2 said:

Dibs!

At the Rally?

It's all yours, Bill -- I'll bring it to the rally.

[Geronimo John]

On 10/10/2024 at 2:05 PM, rich.dev said:

Yup unfortunately only available in 40’ from what I could find, so that’s what I ordered 40’! 

Actually that's great as you can do your windows, door, and still have enough for over the windows adjacent to the awning and still have a few feet left over.  

GJ

[rich.dev]

8 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

Actually that's great as you can do your windows, door, and still have enough for over the windows adjacent to the awning and still have a few feet left over

I already have the 1/2” trim lok drip rail above the windows and door! 😊

[John and Debbie]

On 2/15/2025 at 9:12 PM, Jason Foster said:

Mine is on there.  It fills up with crap.  I clean it and I move on.  Don't give it much thought really.

I have awnings on both sides and the seal does collect stuff, but I just take a brush to it and water pressure and clean the area.  I don't think much about it either.  

John

[Jason Foster]

On 2/15/2025 at 11:12 PM, Jason Foster said:

Mine is on there.  It fills up with crap.  I clean it and I move on.  Don't give it much thought really.

I gave it some more thought this weekend:

 

[Mike and Carol]

9 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

I gave it some more thought this weekend:

We’re 6 or 7 years without ours and don’t miss it a bit.

[Jason Foster]

53 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:

We’re 6 or 7 years without ours and don’t miss it a bit.

I think I will be thinking the same. It rained yesterday and the water coming down the side didn’t bother me. The junk that collected on top and was almost permanently imbedded into the seal, brackets and fiberglass concerned me more. 

[Galileo]

On 5/11/2025 at 9:55 PM, Jason Foster said:

I gave it some more thought this weekend:

 

Looks like what’s in my basket as of yesterday afternoon!

[Galileo]

Well Ollie folks, 

I got tired of the brown trickles that were coming down over the fridge vent panels and rearward edge of the door from where the rubber seal had detached from the camper body and leaked the brown water from behind the awning.

I purchased a new 20’ seal through Amazon - looks like the same exact thing. 

Pulled the old one off yesterday. Peeled and “rolled” off 99.5% of the old double-sided tape that held it on. (Got a blister on my fingertip from the technique I found to be effective. And then, took my soapy water and assorted brushes to clean the residue an dirt from the former dam created. It came cleaner than I expected. No staining from crud that had built up. All that remains are a few small traces of adhesive that I planned to attack with 79% isopropyl alcohol today.

”Today” decides it’s gonna be a rain day. Bummer.

Went outside to do some unrelated chores and was surprised/horrified by what I saw. Multicolor streaks down the side of the trailer! Really surprising as there was really nothing left to run down the side. That, and I had rinsed the whole area and whole side of the camper yesterday. 

This sucker was CLEAN yesterday and there was no crud left to drip down the side. There was a speck or two of leaf/tree litter, but no streaks of stains or anything. The masks don’t easily wipe or rub off. I am under some trees right now.  I’m probably gonna have to use something with a little polishing ability to get it off.

Anybody else seen this appear on an otherwise clean camper during/after a rain?

I typically use blue Coral cad wash to do regular washing. Though I haven’t used it on the rest of the trailer, I’m using a product on the bug-prone “nose” of the trailer (and front of my TV) that is recommended to make bugs less likely to stick. That stuff seems to work.

Im gonna try some StarBrite and Maguires wash and cleaner/wax products to attack these new stripes.

Any other suggestions?

BTW - I had decided to pass on installing the new rubber seal - but if this is what I have to look forward to - I’ll likely reverse that decision.

[Mike and Carol]

I’ve had mine off for years and the only time I get streaks after a rain is when the top of the trailer isn’t clean.  If addressed quickly the streaks come off fairly easily.  I still find it a better situation than the debris collected with the seal.

[Galileo]

24 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:

I’ve had mine off for years and the only time I get streaks after a rain is when the top of the trailer isn’t clean.  If addressed quickly the streaks come off fairly easily.  I still find it a better situation than the debris collected with the seal.

I cleaned the top of the trailer just this past weekend, so not sure what would be running down onto the side.

The street side of the trailer actually looks quite a bit better. Not pristine, but not as dramatic as this. 

The marks aren’t coming off with just “soap” so I guess I’m gonna have to use something with some polishing capabilities. 

It’s strange that it looks worse after it’s been cleaned. That makes zero sense.

[topgun2]

There are a number of products on the market that specifically deal with "black streak" removal.  Amazon has a bunch LIKE THESE.

I've used a couple of these products on both the Ollie and other campers with good results.

Bill

[John Dorrer]

18 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

There are a number of products on the market that specifically deal with "black streak" removal.  Amazon has a bunch LIKE THESE.

I've used a couple of these products on both the Ollie and other campers with good results.

Bill

I have used 303 products for years and have their streak remover. I have been washing on a regular basis after a trip and have not had the issue for a couple of years😊

[Patriot]

18 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

There are a number of products on the market that specifically deal with "black streak" removal.  Amazon has a bunch LIKE THESE.

I've used a couple of these products on both the Ollie and other campers with good results.

Bill

It’s also good to be aware these products will not play well with wax and especially ceramic coatings. 

[Galileo]

37 minutes ago, Patriot said:

It’s also good to be aware these products will not play well with wax and especially ceramic coatings. 

I’m guessing that a ceramic coating would have either prevented the streaks, or made them easy to wipe away. 

Guessing also that my waxing job or wax product isn’t cutting the mustard. 

[Mike and Carol]

37 minutes ago, Galileo said:

I’m guessing that a ceramic coating would have either prevented the streaks, or made them easy to wipe away. 

Ceramic coating won’t prevent streaking but it does make it easier to clean.

[John Dorrer]

1 hour ago, Patriot said:

It’s also good to be aware these products will not play well with wax and especially ceramic coatings. 

Definitely have to be careful, thoroughly wash with soap and water and then apply a spray of ceramic coating. Haven't had any that wouldn't come off with soap and water.

 

[Patriot]

2 hours ago, Galileo said:

I’m guessing that a ceramic coating would have either prevented the streaks, or made them easy to wipe away. 

Yes, it’s much easier to remove the streaks for sure. When not on the road, I park our Oliver in our “Ollie Hangar” here at home. It has really helped keep it clean and streak free and out of the UV.

Edited Thursday at 01:58 AM by Patriot