Clearance Lights

[Jerry Emert]

Greetings!  I need advice again.  Surprise!  I have a leak in the front of the coach that I have been chasing for a year.  The problem is that it only happens once in awhile.  I found the thread mentioned above where Gerald mentioned that the clearance lights are a problem sometimes only when it rains very hard or possibly when the rain is being pushed at just the right angle.  I just bought all new clearance lights from Ryder Fleet Supply following an old link from Karl Welhart on the same thread, thanks Karl! 

Years ago I had a problem in the rear clearance lights in a 5er.  When I found the leak and tried to replace the lights I found that the Styrofoam and wood behind was so deteriorated that I wound up making balls of that epoxy like "metal" putty.  I forced it behind the holes for the lights and stuck the screws in that.  Worked fine for a couple years until I gave the 5er away to a friend.  Anyway, before I take these lights out I was wondering if anyone knows of a product that you can inject through the holes after you take out the light.  Something that would get hard that you could sink a screw into?  I don't know that I'm going to have this problem but I want to be prepared.

2nd, other than the rubber gasket, what do you use to help the gasket make a seal?  I used plumber's putty on the 5er.  Remember I was an electronics guy in the Navy and a Cop for the last 22 years so I am not very mechanically inclined.  I will seal the outside using the blue tape and Lexal method.  Thanks and sorry for the long dissertation!
Jerry

[Mike Groves]

My front leak wound up being where the front cap met with the side wall above the window on the driver's side.  This created wet fabric from about the 3:00 position on the window down to 8:30 below the window down to the transmission console.  When I removed the trim covering the joint, I found it to have become un-caulked so water was simply pouring in when the coach was sloping down at the front, but didn't have a problem when tipped slightly backward.  Your joints may be in a different location so you might want to consider them as a possible source.

Mike

[William Jordan]

Bac replaced the lenses ( if there is water behind them then that's a source for the leak ) , they then siliconed ( lexol ?) the heck around the edges and screw heads. Also check the horn mounts if there are any  and examine the fiberglass roof in that area very carefully for micro cracks
 I also had water coming in from the aforementioned gutter but that was the side wall problem   .. They took it off and re screwed it on ..and sealing tape I was told  The screws under the trim cover were loose...

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Jerry is your awning recessed?

[Jerry Emert]

Jerry is your awning recessed?

Not sure what you mean but, taking your question literally, no.  The awning is a carefree that the Dealer put on it when the one that was on it when I bought it wouldn't work.

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Clearance lights
there are a couple LED stores on ebay where you can get whole new light fixtures.  After removing the old units I cleaned all the old residue off with Wax and Grease remover.  I wired ours in , snugged them down over the gaskets with the screws.  None of the screws had a problem.  I then used Lexal clear sealant to seal all around the fixture.
There has been no leaks so far nor was there on the old coach after the same process.

I asked about the awning because the recessed Girrard awning is a notorious leaker.  The other big leak is the gutter where it attaches to the end cap on all four corners as it was not attached well nor sealed well so the rivets leak.  This only affected the last 4 feet or so of each gutter and I dont know if yours falls into this group or is one year too new.

Keith