Satellite Dish attachment

[Clive Hiscock]

Can anyone give me some hints on mounting a Winegard Roadtrip Mission Satellirte dish to the Roof of a 2000 Beaver Moterey (30')?
Two main concerns is type of screws used and type of adhesive / sealant. This type of dish has four mounting tabs that each have 3 smaller screw holes and one large screw hole on each tab. I have not yet removed the existing Motosat dish but plan on doing that once I get an idea of how to attach the new one securely.

[Dick Simonis]

I'm curious, how come you don't want to use the Motosat??

[Clive Hiscock]

Well I am installing an in motion Dish, plus when I bought the RV, the controller for the Motosat was not there and it is non functional. So in short it is not really an upgrade just getting one in place that works.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

What model Motosat? I may be interested in it, if it only needs a controler to resurrect it. I don't need in motion and my Datron is outdated.
Thanks, Marty

[Edward Buker]

Clive,

I modified a carry out to be a roof mount along with an additional ground stand option. I had used three screws per mounting point and my choice were self drilling hex head screws. I made that choice because the tips are sized so that the tread gets a good bite out of the material being screwed into. The drilling tips are sized properly for the thread. My choice of sealant adhesive is 3M 5200 which you can get at Lowes. I put some under the metal mounts, some on the screw threads, and then when the screw mounting was finished I lapped over the "tabs" and screw heads. My only caution is that the roofs are thin and you need to tighten the fastener carefully the last several turns by hand so as to not strip the holes out. The sealant/adhesive does a lot of the mount securing. Photo of dish mounted with screws covered with sealant.

Later Ed

[Clive Hiscock]

Thanks Ed, So you just attached to the first layer of fiber glass and did not go further down into the wood below the insulation?

[Clive Hiscock]

To Marty>>>The Motosat installed currently is a 1999 vintage and is probably not worhty of the effort to restore to operation.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Thanks Clive. I thought it might be worth a shot.
Marty

[Edward Buker]

Clive,

That is true, if you hit some member below the fiberglass skin that is a lucky shot. I have been back and forth across the country with this install and no movement given there really is not any real lifting force. The screws with the adhesive in my case has proven to be enough. Your tabs have more surface area than my custom mounts so I would say you should be good to go. Just clean the surface with a mild solvent before applying the 5200. After you first several runs with the install verify that there is no evidence of movement with cracking of the lapped 5200. I have seen none of that. The only issue is not stripping the holes during the mount because the roof is thin. I used a Bosch driver that was clutched with a med low setting (4 out of 10 in my case) to keep from getting over zelous.

later Ed

[Keith Oliver]

I would use a "stud finder" or go up when there is some dew to see the outline of the Aluminum frames behind the fibreglass.  Mark and locate the assembly so the screws find the frames.  Use a soft bedding, like 3m 4200 or sikaflex 291.  Use 3M 5200 only if you will never be removing it.

[Edward Buker]

Keith and Clive,

I have used 5200 before and removed what I have attached on boats. It was not all that difficult. I would not use it as a normal sealant if I did not require the bonding. I would suggest that Clive take a piece of metal and bond it with 5200 to another substrate (wood) and let it cure. I have used a flat heavy duty stiff putty knife and tap it with a hammer into the 5200 interface at the surface for removal. It was not all that difficult to break the bond and pry what was mounted up. You can also use a heat gun to soften the 5200.

As Keith said if you can hit rafters then you may not need the 5200. I'm not sure but the roof may have laminated wood rafters. I'm not clear on what all the roof supporting structures that are used. I know that the fiberglass roof will depress as you move across the roof so it seemed unlikely that the support structures were in intimate contact with the fiberglass. I'm not sure you would want to try and draw the fiberglass down and change the slopes to tie in a cross member. Maybe they left the fiberglass floating for condensation and ventilation or expansion and contraction.

Maybe someone has more experience with this roof structure subject. I'm comfortable that 5200 and proper sized screws into the fiberglass will hold the dish in place over the road based on experience.

Later Ed

[Dave Blystone]

5200 can be removed if you go to a good marine store starbrite make a product called reliece and 3m also has a product i can remember the name of it but all good marine stores carry it

dave and edie
2001 beaver patriot
3126 cat

[Clive Hiscock]

Thanks for all the advice, I am familiar with 5200 and have used it on my boat for various things. So I wll go with the 5200, unless I can find a beam or wood. I will try a small pilot hole going down abot 3 " to see if I can get to the laminated wood under the insulation on the roof.