# Rubber roof is not glued down ?



## Hitch Pin (Sep 23, 2011)

I noticed on my new Jayco Swift, the rubber roof is not glued down about 2” from the edge all the way around the outer edges. Is this normal ?


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

nope. What year is this trailer? This is not common and occurs on some brands and you can blame whoever put it together. This can also be caused by a low branch that caught the front of the roof as you or the prior owner was driving away.


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## Hitch Pin (Sep 23, 2011)

artmart said:


> nope. What year is this trailer? This is not common and occurs on some brands and you can blame whoever put it together. This can also be caused by a low branch that caught the front of the roof as you or the prior owner was driving away.


 

It’s a 2012 model, the roof does not have a tear in it, there is a air bubble under it all the way around the outer edge. It looks as if it was done on purpose.


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

It's not normal. This does sound like a manufacturing defect. The problem with bubbles is that it means it was not glued down or laid down incorrectly and therefore there is air or something underneath. Of course this is bad because air expands and contracts with the weather and this can weaken the roof over time.

Your warranty should take care of this. I wouldn't settle for anyone saying this is normal. If there is ANY give at that point, it's NOT right and needs to be fixed. The pushback will because this is very labor intensive, but contact the manufacturer if you have to. If the bubble is caused by something else under the roof membrane then that's worse because this will become a wear mark or a weak spot. It's hard enough to take care of a roof without any unnecessary "help" from the manufacturer.


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## bobrussell (Jul 13, 2009)

i figure the manufacturer will say it's normal (i *would* bring it to their attention), here's what some say about them: "EPDM rubber roofs are found on RVs of all price ranges, including lower-cost models. EPDM is durable, flexible, easy to work with and generally cost-effective. Contrary to common belief, EPDM will also produce dark streaks on an RV’s side walls — but to a far lesser degree than aluminum. Gluing EPDM to the substrate can be a challenge, _and it sometimes works loose and causes bubbles_ during travel due to the rig’s aerodynamics. The bubbles are generally deemed harmless by manufacturer."

i've seen bubbles before and figure they won't hurt much as long as they're not too large (don't flop in the wind). different materials expand/contract at different rates under different temperatures, so it's got to give and move so it has to have room but i don't know how much.

my "opinion" is that they will say it's normal but i would for sure let them no and keep some notes. FYI, my roof has a few bubbles and a couple of spots (not all the way) around the edge that are not glued down and it looks to be in good shape, 6+ years, looks like it'll go many more.:thumbup1:


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## Hitch Pin (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks for the replys


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