dormobile roofs

[baj]

hi there, i'm after abit of help/advice, i've always loved the dormie roof, best by far you can swing a cat round & jump up & down & im 6ft 2.
anyway i've now got a earlybay with a dormie roof on it
the bad bit, it leaks like a sive i mean really bad, i've got 2 tubs catching the water, it's leaking through the rubber on the roof windows.
i've taken it to my local vw garage & ive had 2 new rubber seals fitted, but still no different leakin really bad, the chap at the vw garage said it's a none problem on the dormie roofs, a design falt as the windows seat in the roof like a sink & the water's got to go somewhere.
does anyone else with a dormie roof have this problem & what have you done to solve it.
i'm just about to start making a camping interior to go in the back, but dont want it getting wet.
getting a bit jared off now.
thanks for your time,baj

 

[71Dormobile]

I'd phone Tim at Dormobile if i were you he can talk you through fitting the seal etc and then take it back to the garage and have them fit the seal again..... They shouldn't leak if fitted properly.

What interior are you going to be fitting

 

[baj]

71 dormobile, the rubbers that have been fitted look like they dont quite meet, there's a tiny gap about 1 mm. i take it the rubber comes in a long strip.

as for the interior i've got some r & r hinges to make a full size bed, then a couple of seats behind the bulkheads.

the van i've got it's not an original dormobile conversion, someones just fitted a dormobile roof on it.

thanks baj

 

[Tofufi]

My old Dormobile roof had leaked so badly, you could put your hands through the area above the window surrounds, into the box section where the roof joins on.

If I were you, I'd throughly rustproof all of the cavity sections round the roof...

You can see the water ingress... which was far far worse on the other side, but I have few pics.

You can see the problem here:

above the middle window ^^ the brown areas are where rust has just eaten entirely through the box sections.

A few weeks later...

Just keep an eye on any rusty bits on Dormobile roofs, when they go they go very badly indeed!

 

[71Dormobile]

Yeah tofufi mine Dormy had gone similalry in places had to patch it also, baj the fella is right get loads of waxoil in the box section and it should keep the nasty brown stuff at bay.....

Would have thought that the rubber window seal that sits on the pop top roof should be a perfect fit with no gaps, the strip does come in a length. Maybe jump inside the van and have someone poor a small amount of water onto the roof and see if you can establish where the water is coming in... When i visited dormobile they were refurbing a pop top and the fella in the workshop was spending time on the window apertures to ensure they were smooth and the seals fitted snuggly so look at this also....

Good luck....

 

[sparkywig]

My 1969 Dormobile is absolutely shot along the roof section above and behind the driver's door and rear cargo hatch. I've got too many pics to be able to post them all.
If you've a Dormobile I'd check all the box sections and behind the trim panels below the windows, as the roof tends to leak without any sign.
The design of the roof traps water along the hinge side and it just rots through.

 

[Sittingonthedockofthe BAY]

Hi my roof is bone dry no leaks anywhere,main reason for this reply is the roof....just painted 4 coats of white hammerite on the inside and looks the nuts just incase anyone was worried about doing this....remember though its like gloss so be pateint and not to thick with the layers....Rowan.

 

[Silver Camper]

That's interesting - I presume you sanded it down a bit first - did you use a primer or undercoat?

Baj - mine is dry too - the rubbers look good, so they must have been replaced sometime - I'll try and find out where they came from. Trouble is that the van sits with two pools of water about 1/2" deep in the roof until it evaporates....I do have to scrape the algae off now and again.

 

[71Dormobile]

The fella at Dormobile also mentionned that the rubber trim shouldn't be present on the hinge side as th ehinges themselves obviously hold the pop top roof off the van. The rubber trps the water and helps the brown stuff build up.....

Dormobiles no. 01794 830831

 

[Sittingonthedockofthe BAY]

Yeah very slight rub down first,then again after 2 coats no undercoat just 4 coats of hammerite,3 would of been ok but gave it another anyway,will pop some pics on here tommorow...Rowan.