Leaking roof bolt

[larrie-SMB]

I think that one of my roof bolts is leaking. Has anyone used butyl tape to completely cover the bolts in an attempt to stop the leak? Thinking of using 4” wide butyl tape from Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Kohree-Seala...a774&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m&th=1

 

[Twoxentrix]

Subscribed. That's an interesting solution, and worth following your progress in the event it's successful.

 

[doublevan2]

Although my used van was in covered storage most of its life (18 yrs) - at 22 years old - no real evidence of any roof leaking so far (that's visible !?). For the 2 years I've owned in - most under roof at UHaul when not on the road - I've installed new butyl around all the roof bolts and entry points (solar, etc.) every spring before it ramps up to 80 degrees or more here in GA. I've used the 1/2 in or (3/8ths ?) butyl so that there is at least a 1/4 inch new circle around the washer and a bit around each roof cap.

Good luck finding your leak Larrie and hopefully no serious interior damage !

 

[boywonder]

Why not just remove the bolt and washer, apply new butyl tape to the roof and re-squish with the washer?

That's a one banana job for one person and a stepladder, unless the bolt spins while trying to loosen the nut; then you'll need a helper.

 

[86Scotty]

I'm with @boywonder to do the job properly but I wouldn't be above trying a quick fix first, which would involve a can of Plasti-Dip or Flex seal and about 10 seconds.

 

[Larry Dog]

I used 3m marine grade 5200 caulk on all my bolts and they haven't even thought about leaking. The stuff works below water on my bolts and fittings on my boats.

 

[SierraHawk]

The boating world is using "Captain Tolley's creeping crack cure". It is thin enough that it uses capillary action to get the liquid into cracks. Butyl is a good choice but in the interim, you can use Captain Tolley's to locate a leak, seal a leak or all of the bolts on the roof. If the gap is more than 2mm try PARR. It is a sealant I've used for the past 20 years. It is the most effective and durable sealant on the market. Can be used with Butyl.

 

[larrie-SMB]

All good ideas, thanks.

 

[Larry Dog]

I bought some Captian Tolleys creeping crack cure today just because it sounds cool. Now I need to find a leak. Thanks Sierra Hawk!

 

[larrie-SMB]

Well this may be turning into more of a project than I expected.

I contacted CCV and they use Dicore Lap Sealant to caulk the bolts. Can one of you that has a CCV top look at your roof bolts and see if the caulk is covering the bolts or not?

The bolts on the CCV top are not as easy to remove and re caulk as the ones on the SMB top as the nuts are inside the metal channel frame that supports the roof. In addition the center nut is blocked by the screw jack that raises the roof. It looks like I will need to block the roof up with braces in order to remove the screw jack so I can get to the center nut.

While I was inspecting the bolt locations on the inside I noticed that one of the nuts at the end of the screw jacks had come loose. I was going to tighten it when I noticed that there appears to be a black plastic sleeve around the bolt. Can anyone familiar with CCV tops verify this?

 

[junkerz]

Can one of you that has a CCV top look at your roof bolts and see if the caulk is covering the bolts or not?

Here are some pics of the bolts on my CCV top (with Unistrut installed by CCV). The bolts are lap sealed on top. You can also see a bead of sealant squeeze out along the edge of the unistrut. On the interior, the bolt comes in through a tab that is welded on the interior unistrut/lift mechanism.

 

[larrie-SMB]

Thanks for the photos. I have the older style top so it looks like they up dated their attachment system.

 

[junkerz]

My top was installed in March 2022. I thought it might be different based on your issue.

 

[larrie-SMB]

I contacted CCV to see what they recommend to seal the roof bolts. They use a Dicor 501LSG Lap Sealant. It is a self leveling material that flows very slowly even on a slanted surface. The sealant is available on Amazon.

I would have preferred to seal between the bolts and the fiberglass roof but the lifting mechanism that CCV uses blocks access to the nuts. To get at them I would have needed to pull the entire mechanism apart. While I am not opposed to doing it I just wanted a simpler solution.

Now it is a matter of waiting for rain. :b1:

The sealant is available on Amazon.

I think they came out looking pretty good. Still need to paint them.