Having owned 8 stick rvs, the most prominent reason people seem to play up about molded fiberglass rvs is that they don't leak. That is a myth. Any RV with sealant on anything on the outside has potential for leaks unless the seal is maintained. Yes, a stick trailer has more to leak if not maintained, therefore, more maintenance to prevent leaks but molded fiberglass rvs can leak at the belly band, the windows, the vents, any area that has been sealed and not maintained.
There are many advantages of the fiberglass molded units: size, weight, and durability etc. but that they don't leak just isn't one of them but, as I said, with less seams, less maintenance would be required. I cannot think of any RV that is maintenance free and if I could, I'd try to find a way to get it and start today on that plan
Yes, the no-leak thing has always made me smile. However, there are major maintenance and expense advantages in the leak department going with a molded fiberglass trailer vs a traditional stickie trailer. A molded fiberglass trailer can simply and inexpensively be a no leak trailer for years with no real ongoing maintenance required. A sticky traditional trailer can be expensive to combat leaks, requires annual maintenance to try and remain leak free, and I don't know if one is ever truly leak free.
All trailers, homes, etc. will have leak points which is anywhere there is a penetration through the roof/shell area. Homes and sticky trailers go even further in that they have a roof covering i.e. shingle/rubber membrane which is subject to fail. Huge advantage to molded fiberglass that there is no rubber membrane or roof coating to have to replace and the fiberglass shell construction is virtually indestructible. That is a $7000 and up job to have a new rubber membrane roof installed on a leaking sticky trailer. On my 29 sticky, I put the expensive 20 year tape on all the roof seams so I wouldn't have to go up on the roof and dicor the seams every year. Even when I thought I had my 29 sticky trailer not leaking there was really no way to tell for sure. I didn't see leaks inside, but with the flat wall fiberglass laminate construction many times leaks are running down inside those framed walls undetected until the fiberglass delaminates which is a fortune to repair.
I only have three vent penetrations on my Escape trailer roof which indeed when I bought it the bathroom vent had a slight leak. 2 hours and $30 bucks I have a new bathroom vent installed properly and truly now have a "No leak" trailer for years to come. This was tested and verified in the tremendous overnight downpour at Scamp Camp SW. It is also very easy in a molded fiberglass travel trailer due to the egg shape and no framed interior walls to detect leaks if you do have them. My 13 Scamp which has a large amount of shell penetrations compared to the Escape, had loose rivets and no snap caps left. It was leaking in numerous places at the rivets. $50 and 4 hours all were replaced and it is now a "No-leak" trailer which has been tested thoroughly. Both of these will now be "No-leak" trailers for many years to come with minimal if any ongoing maintenance or expense required.
So yes, molded fiberglass travel trailers can leak, but it is very simple and inexpensive to pull and reset the few shell penetration points properly so they won't leak with no ongoing maintenance or large expense required. Also, the fiberglass shells can go on for many years with no degradation except chalky appearance. My first Scamp 13 was 30 years old and never leaked on us in the 5 years we had her. Sure can't make a statement like that about the 29 Sticky we had.
You do bring up a very good point for new buyers of used molded fiberglass trailers. When you get your trailer you should go top to bottom and replace/reset properly any hull penetration points (Vents, windows, snap caps, etc.) and verify that all are tight. If you do that initial step properly, you won't get caught in a donneybrook while camping with buckets and towels on the floor and will enjoy a leak free trailer for many years to come.
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2015 19 Escape
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Greg, i saw somewhere you recommended a epermabond (i am guessing) tape that would seal the roof vent? My plastic frame is cracked and want to try an alternative method to replacement (15x22 is $130 bucks). could you provide the link?
The seam tape is Eternabond
Great stuff, lasts about 18 years
Our Trailers:
2015 19 Escape
Buying or Selling Molded FG Trailers:
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Well stated, and, the belly band is fiberglassed inside so absolutely no leak around the belly band!
<p>Doug Allen 2016 Ford F-150 2018 Lance 1575</p>
I do not remember exactly but the way I remember it, Scamp did not always glass in the belly band. And, I don't know a lot about the process of "glassed in" but would the belly band area be a "flex" point on the Scamp? That would be another advantage of the molded fiberglass since the less pieces put together, the less flex points that might separate.
I have watched the Scamp video a few times, is that glassing in on the floor? I know that in years past, there were a few that the door leaked on (could just have been poor maintenance) and the floor rotted by the door. Would the glassing in curtail that?
One thing to look at is that over the years, changes are made, even with the Scamp. And, tow vehicles are another thing that you have to watch for the same reason because just because it towed 3500 lbs in 2008, in 2014 it could be able to tow 2,000 or 6500 lbs or not recommended for towing at all - I just went through vehicle selection and it is just all over the place.
Cathy
The Scamp video clearly shows both halves being fiberglassed from the inside. The Scamp is one of the Best built trailers out there, verified by many service centers and those in the know about trailers.
<p>Doug Allen 2016 Ford F-150 2018 Lance 1575</p>
I have been in another molded fiberglass trailer forum for 8 years so I don't always remember exactly what I have read or the photos I have looked at and we haven't owned a molded fiberglass, just the 8 stick RVs over the last 30 years while members of Good Sam/rv.net/Escapees and full-timed for 4 years. I worked in the office for 3 years at New Horizons, manufacturer of stick-built 5th wheels, one of the best on the market, a full-timer's choice for quite a few years. So, I'm feeling pretty confident about being "in the know".
The Scamp video is only about 2 years old. It does a good job of showing the construction methods and materials used.
Cathy
Good Question! Thinking back on my 81 13 Scamp, I can't say with absolute certainty, but it seems that I recall the belly band was glassed. However, they may have done something different early on to bond the halves. I'll check my 96 13 Scamp that I currently have next time I head over to storage.
In any case, belly band leaks are extremely rare, but have occasionally been reported over the years. Most of the time they discover it is leaking from somewhere else and just appears to be a belly band leak. The water will often give the appearance of a band leak from running horizontally when it hits that seam. I'd give long odds that if you did discover a leak in that area it is more than likely due to something done by an owner after the fact.
In my three egg trailers I've had to date, never had any issues with the belly band. Given the numbers of these molded fiberglass trailers running around since the 60's and the very few instances of anyone even reporting leaks of that nature, I wouldn't be overly concerned about leaks occuring in that area. Even in the rare event that one tracked a leak to the band it once again would be a very inexpensive and pretty simple repair.
Scamp trailer halves are horizontally seamed. What would really be no fun would be a band leak in the vertically seamed trailers like a Burro or a Uhaul.
Probably make one have to deal with the leak quicker.
Our Trailers:
2015 19 Escape
Buying or Selling Molded FG Trailers:
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My '84 scamp had a belly band leak. The table support board was completely saturated with water which I had assumed to be from a leaking window seal - until I was testing to see if replacing the window seal fixed the problem, and the window no longer leaked (the old seal had a 1/2" gap at the seam), but since I had removed the ensolite from that area entirely because of the soaked board, it was plainly obvious that there was a pinhole leak through the belly band afterwards. It was super easy to patch, but I might not have spotted it if I hadn't taken things apart.
That is the thing about leaks, a pinhole is probably the worst to track. I don't think leaking was a problem on a lot of the older stick trailers and it seems that both the vintage stick and molded fiberglass are probably well worth rehabing if you have the time/money/patience etc. over buying new.
I saw a "Shasta" retro that they have put in production on a video and while they may believe it is a lot like the older ones, I have seen the older ones and I think it looks cheap but isn't.
Manufacturers are always looking to save a dime where they can so that their product stays competitive and they don't end up out of business. Can't blame them for that but I miss the good old days when quality control and customer service kept them in business.
Cathy
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