Help! New to me 2014 FWC Fleet leaking

katherine_g

New Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2024
Messages
4
Location
Portland, OR
I know there are other threads on this topic but I was hoping to share some specifics and hear folks input. My partner and I recently purchased a 2014 Fleet shell from a nice couple in Bend, OR. It seemed to be in pretty good shape and they didn't say they had any issues with leaks, albeit it is much drier there than here in Portland. We have had the camper for just a few weeks and the rain recently started turning on here. Unfortunately we don't have a garage so the camper is just on my truck exposed to the elements. We went inside the other day to check things out and the mattress was pretty soaked and the carpeted perimeter by the bench seats was damp too. We also saw water pooling a bit in the window sill and some on the floor of the camper. Yikes! We haven't camped with it in the rain; it's mostly just been compressed on the back of my truck and I did drive it in the rain to the mechanic.

I did a ton of forum combing and it seems like a lot of people have removed all the screws attaching the roof to the frame, cleaned out the hole, replaced the washer and then dabbed with some kind of silicone before putting in new (size larger) screws. Trying to figure out if this is necessary?

After doing some inspection, we're thinking we need to start by resealing the seam around the roof just above the screws (See photo) and any other seams on the roof (vents, rack tracks etc.). Do any FWC enthusiasts here know if the seam featured in the photo is a likely culprit for water intrusion?

Thanks for any intel-- really don't want to end up with a wet, moldy camper!!

Screenshot 2024-11-02 at 2.43.14 PM.png
 
Last edited:
Yeah, you could reseal that... is your roof one piece or the corrugated kind? From the pic above I assume one piece.

You got water intrusion when it was just sitting, or while driving?
 
It’s possible the windows are the culprit. There have been several threads about sealing them. I believe @Vic Harder had leak issues with his camper. Rain and wind can drive the water along the folds in the fabric, then seep into the interior.

Good luck!
 
It's been raining so much in the Willamette Valley, and looking at my weather app it seems it will never stop! I think I will go check on my FWC which is on the street with the top up right now. I have not completed winterizing and should probably do that in the next few days (no freezes here yet).

PS I'm very sorry you have leaking!
 

Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days

  • New Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
  • Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
  • Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
  • and much more...
Try RV LIFE Pro Today
Back
Top Bottom