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Seeking repair advice for a small roof crack


Sak

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I just noticed a small crack at the roof behind the A/C. I don't think it's deep and I am not sure how it happened. Might have been this way from the factory or something fell from a tree and hit it? I park outside but I don't have any trees around my camper and I don't remember anything ever hitting the roof. Of course it could have happened when we camped out and not around the trailer. I submitted a ticket and waiting to hear back. In the mean time, what's the best way to repair? I thinking either silicon sealant or white Eternabond tape.

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2021 Oliver Legacy Elite II - Hull #854
2021 Ford Expedition Platinum

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Either of those products is temporary, a permanent gelcoat repair should be done by a skilled fiberglass specialist, for example a local marine/ boat repair shop. OTH a small rock chip (crater) can be patched with a white epoxy like Marine Tex, but your crack must be ground away to see if there is any damage underneath. Where do you live, if you are near Tennessee the factory would be the very best choice for this.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

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I wouldn't use eternabond, or caulk,  yet. If you can park under cover, leave it alone.  If you can't,  I'd use duct tape. Eternabond is difficult to remove.

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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Unlikely that there is any leak potential unless the shell is seriously damaged.  If there is just a gelcoat flaw, water will not penetrate further into the chopper gun layup.  If there is structural damage under the gelcoat you can often tell by taking a small brass hammer and lightly tapping the area surrounding the crack as well as the cracked area itself and listen for a change in tone.  Hard to explain the sound but fractured fibreglass has a distinct (hollow) sound as opposed to undamaged glass.  It is really not too hard to repair a damaged section of glass and there is a ton of how-to info available on the web.  It is very difficult to get that repair to exactly match the original color unless you can get Oliver to send you a bit of the gelcoat they use in manufacture.

My first step would be to talk to Oliver for their recommendation.  Your 2021 Oliver layup should still be under warrantee.

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Looking at this, and your other post, I'm wondering if you had a rock or other damage.

Best of luck. If the gelcoat crack is cosmetic,  it's not a huge repair , on the roof. It does look like impact damage, to me.

Open a service ticket, and see what Jason advises.

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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As others have mentioned, take it to Oliver and they will make it look like new, they do excellent work. I would not take it to any local Fiberglas or gelcoat shop. Oliver knows fiberglass, its what they do and do well. 😊 

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2020 OLEII - Hull #634 aka-  “XPLOR” 

2021 F350 6.7 liter Diesel Lariat Ultimate Tremor aka- Beast

 

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1 hour ago, Frank C said:

What I find odd though is that there are a lot of other flaws in the gel coat around that cracked area.  Little craters and ripples that look like manufacturing defects. 
 

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Those "ripples" show after an impact, in fiberglass. I'm truly guessing airborne rock or other hard object. I've seen similar where fiberglass boat hull meets piling, etc. Imo, a manufacturing defect would have raised its ugly head earlier. 

Btw, is this the same side as the cracked ac shroud ?

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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On 8/5/2022 at 12:14 PM, Frank C said:

What I find odd though is that there are a lot of other flaws in the gel coat around that cracked area.  Little craters and ripples that look like manufacturing defects. 

I agree with both Frank and SeaDawg  I think that the area highlighted with the red circle and arrow are flaws from MFG.  They and others not marked as mentioned by SeaDawg could result in a weak section of the top layers of the roof.  Then that area was subsequently impacted by a collapsing cover, rock or tree as suggested by SeaDawg.  I also definitely think that some form of blunt force was involved in this cosmetically unusual area.  But because this roof is very thick, it very likely is not structural damage.  

So, IMHP, the cosmetic flaws are of  factory origin.  But the impact force could have occurred at the factory (Falling chain ball or dropped A/C for example).  Or after it left the factory as stated above.

But then, there is always the remote possibility that a 350 pound gorilla was skipping rope up there.  🙂

Before calling Jason, I suggest doing the tap test suggested by Jim and Chris.

GJ

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On 8/6/2022 at 1:56 AM, Sak said:

This is the opposite side.

@Sak

Did you ever have it repaired? 

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2020 OLEII - Hull #634 aka-  “XPLOR” 

2021 F350 6.7 liter Diesel Lariat Ultimate Tremor aka- Beast

 

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It appears as though you have already decided on the direction you are taking in order to "fix" the issue.

However, after my first year of ownership I two noticed a reasonable heavy "scratch" on the roof of my Ollie.  I showed it to a couple of the Service guys while at the Owner's Rally and they instantly knew what had caused it - one of the solar panels had bee "dropped" on the roof during installation causing the scratch. 

No problem - about 6 months later when I was in Hohenwald for some other things they repaired it and now I can't even tell you where it was - those guys really are that good!

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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Well, since it's been a year, it's time to start watching some YouTubes on fiberglass gelcoat repair. 

If your trailer has been stored outside, it would be good to bring it under cover for awhile. If there is any moisture that has intruded,,you'll want to dry it out.

Not familiar with the product you posted. We're fans of marine tex.  Marinetex can be covered by saran wrap, to cure to a similar shape/form, and covered, gives a little glossm 

All that aside,did you ever do a "thump" test to see if there was a void, anywhere? A little piece of wood, or bony part of my thumb,  or a crab claw wood hammer, could probably do it. You'll hear the difference.  Kind of like looking for studs, behind drywall, before studfinders. But, fiberglass gives more "drum" sound, easily. 

Best of luck. It's probably not a big repair.

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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