Kajun wrote:Ah ok yea a resealing will definitely help and hopefully fix ya prob.....I used Walmart fiberglass and fiberglass resin for my repairs.. my fridge has a vent on the side of the van..it’s above the fridge access panel
I've read having it on the side doesn't work very well but you can always add a fan or something later.
You can see from the photo that there are 2 rings around the chute, the outermost one for the hard cover and the inner one for a mesh screen with aluminum sidewalls. I think the water was coming through the sealant on the inner ring where water was pooling. They did not seal around the chute and as far as I can tell and they just cut a hole in the roof for it so the water was probably seeping through the cross-section part of the cut.
Refrigerator Roof Vent:
IMG_3042.jpg
Re-seal:
IMG_3046.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Ah ok ...hopefully that did the trick for ya! I installed my maxxair fan yesterday...I had to scrap off that new silicone roofing where the fan mounts too...the butyl and lap sealant will not stick to it, since it’s 100% silicone ...gonna have to do the same for my A/C.....while I think it’s an awesome roof coating ...have everything installed and properly sealed before putting it down...mistake on my part !
Kajun wrote:Ah ok ...hopefully that did the trick for ya! I installed my maxxair fan yesterday...I had to scrap off that new silicone roofing where the fan mounts too...the butyl and lap sealant will not stick to it, since it’s 100% silicone ...gonna have to do the same for my A/C.....while I think it’s an awesome roof coating ...have everything installed and properly sealed before putting it down...mistake on my part !
Yeah that's a bummer but at least you figured that out before you started sealing everything. I've been using the Loctite PL which I hope will last a while. I resealed the fan yesterday and it was super hard to get off whatever they used, it was a very hard material. When I removed the refrigerator vent it was much easier, it appeared to be a different sealant.
What glue do you use for the insulation and wood you are attaching to the fiberglass? (We have one that came completely gutted and I don't have the restoration skills you do )
Looks like yours is going to turn out good. Keep up the good work!
This is awesome.... thanks for taking us along your restoration ride. My son and I bought a 95 just 2 days ago and have already torn into the restoration (minor compared to yours), but dealing with water damage in the bunk area. It's great to see your complete teardown and so far I'm already learning a few things - thanks for taking the time to document it.
i'm curious what fabric (or carpet) you plan to use back on the bunk area? Are you using the "polypropylene blue board 1/2” insulation" any place you tore out the old pink insulation?
Hello Kajun, What you are doing is amazing! We just purchased our rig, and I remembered your work on the roof and the product you used to seal it, Gaco Roof. We have a small crack on the side of our top (photo attached). Was wondering if you have any recommendations for repairing that. We are nowhere near as skilled as you are, so we were thinking to take it in for repair, but if there is any chance of doing it ourselves, "gluing it back" and sealing it, we'd appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thanks for all the restoration information you are sharing!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
____________________
1998 Airstream B190 purchased in 2018
Jazzy wrote: Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:21 pm
Hello Kajun, What you are doing is amazing! We just purchased our rig, and I remembered your work on the roof and the product you used to seal it, Gaco Roof. We have a small crack on the side of our top (photo attached). Was wondering if you have any recommendations for repairing that. We are nowhere near as skilled as you are, so we were thinking to take it in for repair, but if there is any chance of doing it ourselves, "gluing it back" and sealing it, we'd appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thanks for all the restoration information you are sharing!
I'm no expert, but wouldn't you just use a standard fiberglass repair kit?
What is that small square box protrusion just in front of the A/C on the roof? Your early picture shows DC wires on/in it. Later pictures show it removed after the coating was applied. From the inside it looks to be located where the fluorescent tube light is installed.
baggydew wrote: Mon Feb 25, 2019 12:34 pm
What is that small square box protrusion just in front of the A/C on the roof? Your early picture shows DC wires on/in it. Later pictures show it removed after the coating was applied. From the inside it looks to be located where the fluorescent tube light is installed.
I'm beginning to wonder if the leak dripping (sometimes WAY more than dripping) from my a/c unit is the sill of the a/c now being sunk below the waterline of the pool that forms in the sag in the roof.
Did you eventually draw up schematics for this vehicle? I just bought a 1995 and there is a drain off the chassis battery that my local mechanic is going to hunt for but I told him I’d try to see if any wiring diagrams are available. Airstream Corporate doesn’t have anything that goes back that far. I’m assuming Airstream linked the Chassis battery into the Coach battery so a Ford dealer is probably not able to help.
Any thoughts on this? Willing to buy copies if anyone has factory info.
DROC wrote: Wed Jul 09, 2025 2:51 pm
Did you eventually draw up schematics for this vehicle? I just bought a 1995 and there is a drain off the chassis battery that my local mechanic is going to hunt for but I told him I’d try to see if any wiring diagrams are available. Airstream Corporate doesn’t have anything that goes back that far. I’m assuming Airstream linked the Chassis battery into the Coach battery so a Ford dealer is probably not able to help.
Any thoughts on this? Willing to buy copies if anyone has factory info.
I'd start by disconnecting the solenoid that lets the coach battery charge while the engine is running, then seeing if you still have the drain. If so, it's an issue with the chassis side, which is standard Ford. If not, it's on the coach side - and, if that solenoid is sticking (for example), it might just be that it's using power while you're camping without shore power.
It's even possible someone disconnected the solenoid and wired it permanently, unless this is a new problem (i.e. it was fine but is now draining).
Unfortunately I don't know where the solenoid is in a '95.
)
