Reddit mentions: The best rv cleaning & storage

For the exterior, here is a copy and paste of a previous post of mine. Everyone may give you slightly different advice as there are many valid ways to do this. This routine has worked very well for me for many years.

• Clean well with soap and water and a good microfiber cloth. (removes all dirt and oil build up.)
  
• Dry it with another cloth. I like a big cotton towel.
  
• Clean with a good oxalic acid based cleaner such as Star Bright hull cleaner, or The works tub and tile cleaner(NOT THE TOILET CLEANER) Applying with a one gallon pump up sprayer works great for me. Rinse well. This removes any rust stains.
  
• Dry again.
  
• Buff with an oxidation remover. I like this one. I apply with a 10 inch random orbital buffer and application bonnet, and remove while still slightly wet with the same buffer and a wool bonnet. In heavily oxidized areas you may need to do this more than once. If you do not have oxidation, feel free to skip this step.
  
• Next buff again with a cleaner wax. I like this one same process as above, but let it dry to a haze before removing.
  
• This will leave you with a clean hull and a nice shine, if you want an even deeper shine, make one more buffing pass with a nice marine wax. I like this one
  
  It sounds like a lot of work, but once I got the process down, I found I could do all of these steps on a entire 23' boat in less than 4 hours, and it leaves it looking like new.
  
  Edit: I forgot to mention, for the outside of the windows I like this stuff. It cleans as well as a normal glass cleaner, and causes any water that hits the windshield to bead up and run off. This is a nice bonus for many boats as they often do not have windshield wipers.

Do you have a picture (peferably inside and out), and have you been able to locate the specific location of the leaks? Is there rust on the metal side of the seam?

If no significant rust, this stuff is great for sealing leaks. You want the non-leveling type as the leveling kind is for use on a flat surface like a roof.

If the seam gap is big, first plug it with butyl tape then the non-sag sealant.

If the whole seam around the perimeter of the roof is leaking, I'd first clean it really well (one of the most critical parts of effectively applying sealant), then pack a thin line of butyl in there, then seal it off with the non-sag sealant. Treating only from the exterior should fix it, but if you have direct access to the seam from the inside, a bead of sealant there too won't hurt you.

I've done basically that process a couple times to seal rv leaks, and it works very well. Gotta have super clean surfaces, though. Worth buying a bottle of alcohol and going over it with that before applying butyl/sealant just to be sure, once you've cleaned/scraped any crud off.

Kudos for not using silicone; you'd be in a world of hurt if you'd done that.

Edit to add: I agree with u/crockett5 in the Q&A thread, we need photos and to know if there are any holes in the fiberglass and/or metal and what the seam looks like to find the best fix. Do NOT plug metal or fiberglass holes with butyl/sealant. They are for seams only, and while it might solve your problem in the short term, you'll probably be in a world of hurt a few months down the line

Also, post stalked you, and from the far away shots, it kinda looks like there might be a black rubber strip around the seam? Is that true?

Thanks. I really appreciate it.

For sealing the holes, This stuff is super useful. It's expensive, but it'll seal up a hole for sure. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GOM2I8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For sealing the pop-top to the van I used butyl tape between the van and the top, so far no leaks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FHHCU3Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's underbelly tape. Used to repair cuts made to the underbelly to access things that need repair. You can buy more on Amazon or any RV repair place will have it. It's like 8" wide and super sticky. Only take the backing off a few inches at a time if you replace it yourself. Also make sure the underbelly is really dry or it will start peeling like it is in your picture.

TL;DR It's basically duct tape for underbelly repairs.

Try this

It might be hard finding a regular visor style rain guard that a lot of cars have, but you can look into rain gutters meant for RVs. They are usually flexible plastic/rubber with adhesive on one side. This will save you from having to drill into your cap.

https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Products-BL01002-Black-Gutter/dp/B009IGEM06

Something similar to the item I linked above should be able to keep rain from running into your windows as easily.

There is a back-flushing attachment you can put on your drain pipe (where you would ordinarily attach your sewer hose). You attach the device to the sewer outlet, then attach your sewer hose. It has a place to attach a garden hose (not your white fresh-water hose, obviously). It's constructed with a valve on either end.

Something like this (but lots of companies make them):
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Holding-Rinser-Thoroughly-39062/dp/B000BUQOAE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1521057870&sr=8-4&keywords=rv+black+tank+flush

You basically close the valve that leads to the sewer and open the valve that leads back to your black tank. Close the gates on all your gray tanks!! Then you open the gate to the black tank and turn on the water (connected to the garden hose). Let the black tank fill to nearly full, turn off the water, then open the valve leading to the sewer.

The device is clear so you can see all the muck flowing through. Just repeat this process until the outflow is mostly clear.

Maybe a light to medium grit sandpaper (belt sander, lightly applied) and then some roof sealant, some kind of paint made for fibre?
Gutters can be cleaned out, scrubbed clean, and then filled with Dicor...?

Let me go looking for a Fibreglass version of roof sealant...

Update : looks like Dicor RPFRC1 Fiberglass RV Roof Coating - 1 Gallon would be a good choice at $70 for a gallon.

Dicor and eternabond tape are your best friends

Still researching that, but Heng's seems to be the best rated.

I've had good luck sealing sliced-open metal roofing with eternabond
tape. It copes with thermal movement of the panels and has stayed waterproof for years.

Dicor self leveling for roof. Proflex for everything else. Expensive, but both specifically designed for RV applications.

Many people say never use anything with silicone. It work well at first but fails after a while and nothing (even more silicone) will stick to it. Have to scape all the old off first. I don’t have first hand experience as I’ve avoided it due to those reports.

Dicor 501LSW-1 Self-Leveling Lap Sealant, 4 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G6KGPFM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pQeUCbFX9R1FT

Geocel 18-9803 GC28100 Pro Flex Rv Flexible Clear https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FC98X2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XLeUCb6GEJD6J

Do you see water or just #2 looking down the toilet hole?

Are you sure the dump valve is actually opening?

Do you have a black tank flush feature?

You might want to try something like this to fill the black tank from the outside to see if it loosens anything:
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-39062-Flush-Holding-Rinser/dp/B000BUQOAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396915174&sr=8-1&keywords=tank+flush

Could also try to blast it out from the top:
http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-0184VP-Master-Blaster-Tank/dp/B000BGHYDO/ref=pd_sim_auto_33?ie=UTF8&refRID=0VH1YZD0GHN2QGKEEADF

Yeah, that was our plan this weekend. I've been searching around and one of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K87FR5C looks like it might do the trick. I think it would be good piece-of-mind, since I'd hate to have to disconnect everything just to go and dump the tanks.
We just purchased this camper 2 weeks ago and space is limited at most places we're interested in. Next summer we hope to get in on full-service sites.

Do you have overlays? If you can remove them, it might be worth it to hit them with one of those plastic refresher products. I’m thinking something like this: BLAK • Permanent PROTECTANT - Restore Faded Black, Renew Plastic, Rubber, and Vinyl Color, Prevents Dry Rot on Tires - Weatherproof, UV Block, Dry-Seal - 8oz Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007MGIPTS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_s0qRDb98GRC3Z

Obviously you’d want to do this if they’re removed ideally, but I assume a solid masking job might make it possible if they’re still on the truck too.

I wouldn't rely on that tape for long. The correct installation would use butyl tape between the fan and the van, covered with lap sealant. Even the lap sealant will need attention every 5 years or so.

https://www.amazon.com/Butyl-Window-Flange-Camper-Sealant/dp/B0070O93HA

https://www.amazon.com/Dicor-551LSW1-White-Non-Sag-Sealant/dp/B003YJLIW8/ref=sr_1_7?crid=Z841JSP22XJJ&keywords=dicor+self+leveling+lap+sealant&qid=1570568299&sprefix=dicor%2Caps%2C234&sr=8-7

RV stores usually sell this for less $ than Amazon.

This might help you!

You need something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-39755-RhinoFLEX-Cleanout-Wrench/dp/B00BDEP9S0

Yikes. That seems like way more effort and time than necessary. These exist in various sizes:

Camco Rhino Heavy Duty 21 Gallon Portable RV Waste Holding Tank with Hose and Accessories - Durable Leak Free and Odorless RV Tote Tank (39002) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CQ1WC72/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aZ2WBb1NYTYBQ

Something like this maybe?

Camco Rhino Heavy Duty 36 Gallon Portable Waste Holding Hose and Accessories-Durable Leak Free and Odorless RV Tote Tank (39006) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K8NK525/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_J3lTDbBRVHTFT

>why not mask the full body and then use a hobby knife to cutout the shape

...or do that, but use knifeless tape.

Can you track down an owners manual? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is the stuff typically used: https://smile.amazon.com/Dicor-501LSW-1-Self-Leveling-Sealant-Pack/dp/B00G6KGPFM