leaking enclosed trailer

woody · Aug 5, 2013

I have a 16ft enclosed trailer we use when we go camping, load up the motorcycle and the camping gear and we are gone for a few days. well this past weekend we went camping and I found the signs that the trailer was leaking in the right rear corner, not bad just a little water stain. so when I get home I climb up on my ladder and I don't see how the people that built this thing ever thought it would not leak. the outside edges are higher than the middle and then it rained the other day while I was at work and when I got a chance to look at it a day later it still had water sitting on it. so far I have painted the top with elastic sealer, I no longer park it level, but could use some feed back. maybe a way to build the middle up higher or put another top on it.

busy dad · Aug 5, 2013

Depending on what roof you have. I assume it is aluminum , you could try putting curved roof bows in , just like the highway trailers are built.. I have limited experience with the small ones. You might be able to make wooden spacers on top of your roof bows to create a raised center to shed water.. They would have to be smooth on top and not too tight . The roof will contract in the cold weather and could tear the rivets out if the roof is too tight. Or if you have a good trailer shop nearby , take it over and see what they say..I would compare a commercial shop and an Rv shop to see what they say.

woody · Aug 5, 2013

thanks busy dad, there is now some 1/2 inch strips inside to raise the center. I think my real problem is the raised edge, no where for the water to go so it just puddles up until the sun dries it. good idea the next time I am around the RV shop I will stop by. also I am going to look into a carport to park it under.

Diamondpilot · Aug 5, 2013

On flat top house boats we work on we cut 2x6's from 5.5" in the center to nothing on the ends. We then fasten them down to the flat roof 16" on center then deck it with 1/2 marine plywood then cover it with white rubber roofing.

Since your trailer is only 8' wide or so you could do the same but use 2x4's.

Chris

woody · Aug 6, 2013

Diamondpilot said:
On flat top house boats we work on we cut 2x6's from 5.5" in the center to nothing on the ends. We then fasten them down to the flat roof 16" on center then deck it with 1/2 marine plywood then cover it with white rubber roofing.

Since your trailer is only 8' wide or so you could do the same but use 2x4's.

Chris

I did something similar to this about 10 years ago to a 20ft camper, seen it last year still looks like it is working. thanks