Found our Auto trail leak! (1 Viewer)

[angiep]

2011 Auto trail Scout showing damp behind drivers seat. We took the dinette window out and could see evidence of water coming in all around where the decal was. Decal had been put on and window sealed over it. With time the decal had wrinkled a bit around the window and split in places. This allowed water to get in between decal and van. There was no sealant attached to the van where the decal was.
Have posted as might be worth checking if you have decals that are fitted under a window if they have split.

 

[nicholsong]

Not 'best practice'

 

[Northernraider]

Not 'best practice'

Yet its pretty common.. the huge big side panels have all the decals applied before they cut holes for windows, doors ,vents etc

 

[Jim]

Great advice and glad you got it sorted. We owned a Scout years ago when we had the kids. Loved that van

 

[nicholsong]

Yet its pretty common.. the huge big side panels have all the decals applied before they cut holes for windows, doors ,vents etc

But the person fitting the window should have trimmed off the decal underneath the window frame and applied sealant, which angiep reported had not been done, unless it had 'slipped away' because it could not bind onto the decal, which is why the decal should have been trimmed in the first place.

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[Two on Tour]

But the person fitting the window should have trimmed off the decal underneath the window frame and applied sealant, which angiep reported had not been done, unless it had 'slipped away' because it could not bind onto the decal, which is why the decal should have been trimmed in the first place.

Trimming the already applied decal top suit the exterior dimensions of the window frame would be a cack-handed way of going about it and would very likely damage the surface finish of the van side.
The decal should have been produce with an allowance to leave a gap around the window frame when the window frame has been fitted.

 

[nicholsong]

Trimming the already applied decal top suit the exterior dimensions of the window frame would be a cack-handed way of going about it and would very likely damage the surface finish of the van side.
The decal should have been produce with an allowance to leave a gap around the window frame when the window frame has been fitted.

Yes that would have been ideal, but that was not what the window fitter was presented with.
Slight damage to surface under window frame might have been preferable to a leak.

 

[Two on Tour]

Yes that would have been ideal, but that was not what the window fitter was presented with.
Slight damage to surface under window frame might have been preferable to a leak.

Do you really think that the fitter fitting the windows gives a care or even imagines if it would cause a problem in the future and would the manufacturer give the fitter the time to faff around trimming the decal back, ......... I think not.
Remember, we are talking about MH manufacturers here whose ethos is to get it made to a price and get it out of the door.