Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Engineerlt on January 12, 2020, 04:56:20 pm
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Just wanted to send some pictures if you were wondering about roof coatings. I just picked up my 2552 from Elite RV where I had FlexArmor coating installed. All I can say is wow! IIt came out nice. I had them install my TOGO dish on studs so I can change it later, also installed aluminum uni-strut for 4ea 100W solar panels I will be adding soon, they sprayed over the skylight in the shower (which I wanted), had them make an arc on the front front cap above the clearance lights, covered over the edge and about 2 inches down the back cap, painted all the edges brown and skylight brown. I will never have to calk the roof again, everything is sealed up and should never have a roof leak. If you are not familiar with FlexArmor look them up on the internet, its pretty nice stuff. Here are the pictures......
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Wow, really nice! And I'm partial to those AC's :cool
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That is awesome! Can I be really rude and ask (approximately) what that cost to have done?
Dougn
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In 2018 the coast of FlexArmor was $170 a square foot. I'm sure the price has likely gone up.
It might be a good idea for RV owners with rubber roofs, but PC has a fiberglass roof and there have been complaints of long term adhesion issues and bubbling with some FlexArmor owners. I have a 2005 PC and the roof is in perfect condition even though it sat in the Texas sun for 13 years. Yes I have redone the joints and replaced the skylight but the fiberglass roof hardly even needed a cleaning. It was in perfect condition. The cost of redoing the joints is minuscule compared to having FlexArmor applied.
Maybe with your solar panels it might be an advisable improvement because of all the additional holes in the roof. However I would consider it an unnecessary expense for the normal PC owner.
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Hello the cost of the installation out the door came in at $4700.00 dollars that includes the studs for the TOGO dome, the uni-strut and studs, the new venturi vent caps and painting the edges plus tax. Expensive depends on how you look at it, I have always been proactive and ensured my equipment was maintained to the best of my ability. I didn't want to one day see delamination in the walls or water stains in the ceiling. If you take a close look and see how your fiberglass roof is actually attached to the coach you might rethink the idea. The aluminum strip that runs down the sides (along the roof} that actually has the screws that help shape the roof over the sides and attach the roof to the sides are just steel screws that are covered by a 1 inch piece of vinyl plastic. What happens over time is the plastic deteriorates and fails or water just finds it way behind the vinyl plastic strip and wicks its way into the structure around the screws. The screws rust and then fail, as one fails it starts to progress to the next screw and so on until you have a sizable leak, by then its probably already created damage. I know that PC's are not know for roof leaks, and in my opinion there are only to roofs to consider, aluminum or fiberglass. You mentioned that your roof has been exposed to the weather for sometime, I ask the question have you pulled the vinyl plastic strip back and checked the condition of the screws? if you take one out and see rust on the threads you have a problem. With FlexArmor they seal all of that so leakage cannot happen. As for adherence issues of the product you might be referring to an application error with poor prep work. You need to do your home work before picking who installs your FlexArmor,Elite RV in Palmetto Fl. is owned by 2 A&P mechanics, who have the best attention to detail you will find Planes don't get do overs). Also if you have an issue with the coating give them a call they will fix it free of charge.. While I was at the facility I saw everything from million plus coaches to inexpensive camper trailers, and a line out the door to get their roofs coated. So you may not consider it as a necessity but there are a lot of people that have did their research and also decided to be proactive and eliminate any chance of leaks from the roof, just saying..
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I had a tree fall on my PC a few weeks ago, I am still waiting for a determination from the insurance whether it is going to be repaired or totalled. If repaired I will need a new cap and roof, was thinking I could talk them into the Flex Armor. Would you do this or have the fiberglass roof replaced?
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some photos of the damage
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Hello
I can tell you that the FlexArmor coating is one of the best upgrades I have did on my PC. If your damage is not structural it can probably be coated with FlexArmor. The coating is around 1/8-1/4 inch thick. It goes on hot and dries in 6 seconds. You never need to caulk again and you get a lifetime warranty. The durability is great, it can take a branch strike or hail without any damage. It is expensive but for me, knowing that the roof is sealed up and I don't have to worry about leaks is one less thing to worry about...
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I can tell you that it is not always the roof that leaks. So, unless you FlexArmored over your marker lights, you need to check them annually and make sure they are sealed. Ask me how I know....
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A 2552 with 2 ac units. That should be the standard. I’ve seen several 28-30 foot class c that came with 2 so maybe this will become the new norm.
I will say that roof looks excellent!
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I got a quote for $170 per linear foot. We have a place in MA that does it.
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Make sure they only measure from the fiberglass cap back! :lol
Good luck Frank whatever you decide.
I was curious how you go about replacing items like vents fans etc? A trip back to Flex Armor?
I got a quote for $170 per linear foot. We have a place in MA that does it.
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The first question that comes to mind is... what was wrong that you needed to have the flex armor added? From what I have read its great stuff but what happened that you needed it.
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I installed it so I wouldn't have any issues. My roof was in excellent condition and had no leaks. If I change something on the roof , I just change it and then take it back to have the area touched up. I went as far as having the A/C covers coated as well. I did this to keep the covers from breaking down to the UV rays.
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Ok so you did it as a preventive maintenance. This I understand. I woudn't consider it using ours as much as we do. Im at 63,XXX miles now and I expect we will do another 12-16 thousand next year. If I only used it a few miles a year and intended to have it for 20 years I'd probably go your route as well. They really did a great job, it looks great.
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I can tell you that it is not always the roof that leaks. So, unless you FlexArmored over your marker lights, you need to check them annually and make sure they are sealed. Ask me how I know....
When we replaced the clearance lights on my Clarion with LED we sealed them with FlexSeal tape which holds and seals well and fills the gaps.
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Just wanted to send some pictures if you were wondering about roof coatings. I just picked up my 2552 from Elite RV where I had FlexArmor coating installed. All I can say is wow! IIt came out nice. I had them install my TOGO dish on studs so I can change it later, also installed aluminum uni-strut for 4ea 100W solar panels I will be adding soon, they sprayed over the skylight in the shower (which I wanted), had them make an arc on the front front cap above the clearance lights, covered over the edge and about 2 inches down the back cap, painted all the edges brown and skylight brown. I will never have to calk the roof again, everything is sealed up and should never have a roof leak. If you are not familiar with FlexArmor look them up on the internet, its pretty nice stuff. Here are the pictures......
Lance look very nice; does much of the white show from the side? Was the colored painting a standard option they were prepared for of a unusual request? About much cost did it add to the job? Besides the leak potential why do the skylight?
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Hello Greg
I've had this done for a couple years now and its been great!. The white color does not show from the sides of the coach. The color was painted on the edge, its something they will do. I think it was a $250 up charge. There are a couple advantages to covering the dome. First it protects it from UV rays and stops the deterioration it causes. Then there is the additional structural integrity it brings. The dome can take a branch strike, even if it cracks it wont leak. Then there is my favorite, it blocks out the light, keeps out the heat and makes it easy to take a nap. I went back and had them coat my Houghton A/C covers as well. Have you ever seen those RV's missing the A/C cover? Well it usually starts from the UV rays breaking down the plastic then maybe taking a strike from a branch or just falling apart from plastic breaking down. Once UV rays get the plastic to breakdown its life expectancy is gone. The Houghton A/C's were so new to the market I figured it would be difficult getting a replacement cover so I had them coated, cost a $150 for both.
I used the FlexArmor franchise out of Sarasota Fl. Man were they top notch, 2 A&P mechanics own the place. The attention to detail was great. They remove everything off the roof. Clean the roof, clean off all the sealant, tape it off and spray. So the Houghton A/C's mount way nicer then the Dometic's. There is a mounting collar that gets bolted down and then the A/C sits on top of it. That mounting collar is sealed to the roof and is raised a couple inches. They leave the collar in place and spray the coating around and up the sides. Its sealed and nothing is getting in. Did the same with the Maxxair Vents.
Sarasota city brought all the city buses to have the roofs coated, they were these new hybrid's. the roofs were leaking so bad, so they contracted them to apply the coating problem solved no leaks. I see they are using it now on some high rise buildings. I have ran into a number of people who have it done. I saw a Country Coach with it done. That's an older Class "A" and it looked good. Owner said they always had a leak they couldn't find and after coating it no issues. PC's are not know for roof leaks generally speaking. I did it because I didn't want any roof leaks and I liked the idea I didn't have to caulk anything on the roof ever....
Very Respectfully
Lance
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Great info Lance. The unit that we didn't get after driving 400 miles to pick up, had what appeared to be a sprayed on dimpled roof coating. Was that factory? I was expecting to see smooth fiberglass.
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Hello Greg
Yes that is what the factory uses. Its a thin sheet of fiberglass, I've been told its smooth on one side and textured on the other. They put the smooth side down and expose the textured side. Its pretty durable, I haven't heard many issues with it, its long lasting and is way better then a membrane roof.
Well sorry to hear you didn't get your PC. I am sure you will find what your looking for.
Very Respectfully
Lance
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The rippled fiberglass roof sheathing has been in-use going back at least as far as the 2007 model year. Here is our 2007 roof.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/6174/6173971120_990f0097fa_c.jpg)
I have read twice now of someone noticing fiberglass hairs or fibers on the material from long term exposure to the sun. Maybe someone will report with the details and pictures.
Our 2007 being stored indoors, has no such hairs or fibers.
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Ron , go to Any outdoor storage facility in a desert area and you won’t find one with fiberglass roof that doesn’t have it. The exception would be a garage queen but indoor storage runs 400-500 a month.
When we looked for homes here there were many with RV garages. Some big enough for 45’ etc. however the homes had absolutely no curb appeal. Comps were lower because of it but not worth it to us
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Question for Mr. Dittmer: In your photo, it appears a striped banding of some kind has been applied along the "roof/sidewall" joint. Can you explain how that was done? Thanks - and your rig is immaculate!
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Question for Mr. Dittmer: In your photo, it appears a striped banding of some kind has been applied along the "roof/sidewall" joint. Can you explain how that was done?
That is the full body paint job, done only to make sure you don't see the white roof when standing back.....nothing more.
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I just had my roof done With Dicor product for fiberglass roofs. Cost me $1,400.00 to have them put on three coats. Looks great. I did not have any leaks, but I was starting to see the fiberglass fibers. I live in Arizona where the sun take a toll on everything. I was going to do it myself, but then thought I better have it professionally done. I think for the price it was a good deal.
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Hello TDBELTZ
I believe an active prevention plan is worth a lot more than a reactive prevention plan. If you wait around until you see an issue its to late. I am not familiar with the Dicor roof coating but if your happy with it, that is what matters. $1400 is less than what I paid for Armor Flex so if it holds up your ahead of me. I still am very impressed with my Armor Flex coating. Its about 1/4 inch thick and it covers all the seems on the sides and the front and rear caps. Its guaranteed for life and I never have to caulk anything on the roof again. Also what's very interesting is this product is starting to be applied on commercial building flat roofs so its starting to become popular with a wider range of clientele, which says something about its durability,
Very Respectfully
Lance
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Hi Lance,
Any idea how much weight the Armor Flex adds to the coach.
As you know, I have to count every pound.
Kevin
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Hey Kevin
I heard that its around 150lbs, I believe that was from the company in Sarasota Fl. that sprayed mine.
Very Respectfully
Lance
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Wow! I did not realize a roof coating could weigh so much. An extra 150 pounds on the roof, is not ideal from a "handling" perspective.
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Ron sorry it really doesn't affect the handling, we aren't running NASCAR. The weight is low on the roof and dispersed evenly, if your theory holds weight then those with 2 AC units should be suffering from steering/handling issues as an A/C brings up the center of gravity as it sits higher on the roof. If you are familiar with stability and its basic application on vehicles and ships then you would understand this principle. (Stability is the ability to resist external forces, and this applies to your car too. It is at its most stable when travelling in a straight line at constant speed with the weight evenly distributed across all the wheels. round the curve at constant speed with the weight evenly distributed between front and rear.) Plus there are people that have improved there handling characteristics by installing stiffer suspension, better steering stabilizers, trac bars etc. I would much rather have a bullet proof roof, then deal with a leak that goes unnoticed until you have interior damage. You may not have these issues as you keep your PC inside and only take it out when wanting to travel. There are others who keep theirs outside or actually travel all year or most of the year and don't let the weather dictate when and where they go.
Very Respectfully
Lance
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150 pounds spread evenly over the roof would have no effect we could ever tell in its handling. On top of that everything I’ve read on the product is positive. Well except for it’s kinda pricey. But what isn’t?
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I "Get Your Point" Lance. :)
I didn't mean to imply the roof coating was a bad idea. As always EHIT in the RV industry, and in the case of 150 pounds worth of roof coating, the gains far outweighs the loss.
(EHIT = Everything Has It's Tradeoffs)
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I believe in preventive maintenance as well, rather then fixing after a leak is found and damage has occurred. If I was able to afford the FlexArmor Roof Coating, I probably would have done it, especially with a lifetime warranty. Unfortunately I had just spent $5,000.00 to have the front cap repainted and just started to notice some fibers showing on the roof. After doing some research I found the Dicor product for Fiberglass RV roofs and a place that could professionally put it on at a price I could afford. It looks good, but time will tell. It most likely is not as high quality as the Flexarmor Roof Coating, but so far has done the job. I have also upgraded to a covered storage unit at a greater expense, but well worth it. My Phoenix Cruiser is a 2009 and I have owned it since 2018. Not only have I had the roof re-coated, but I personally get on the roof and check seals often and add sealant as necessary. I am proud to be an owner of a Phoenix Cruiser and as my wife will agree, I probably spend too much time working on it to make improvements here and there, as I do believe in being proactive rather than reactive.
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TD, the product you used is no slouch. I’ve read a lot of great reviews on it and it’s not cheap by any means. A lot of great reviews by boaters who’s rigs are in the intense sun year round. In hind sight if a person owns the longer PC units with multiple slides your option is the better one. Some of the bigger rigs with 2-3 slides have very little room for any extra weight.