Totally new to Swifts and was quite alarmed when I didn't see an actual roof strap and just tape instead. This video makes it simple and easy to see how to get the job done. Many thanks 👍
@@lostweekendscaravan thanks for sharing, our roof strap is quite narrow but in good condition. Would you recommend putting a wider strap over the top of the existing one to help protect it further? Many thanks and best wishes for your advice
Hi Darren. You can go over the top. Make sure you clean the surface first. The RV tape is really good quality and has not peeled on moved since I installed it. Cheers Phil👍🙂
Very interesting Phil, my van as you know is 2009 model and it has an aluminium strap which is riveted to the roof and has a sealant seal between the rear panel and roof. Obviously as time has progressed so have construction methods. The sealant on my roof is a bit grubby so this tape would improve the appearance of the join. Thanks for sharing your repair.
Thanks Colin. I understand the sealant method on mine replaced yours in about 2015 on Swifts. I guess it was to save costs 😔. I also understand it can be used to seal round skylight frames. Thanks Phil 😊
Did this to my caravan, not that it had any leaks, just preventive maintenance. My 2006 Baily Senator has absolutely no damp anywhere, I have a non invasive damp meter ,brilliant bit of kit well worth the extra money over the invasive type.
Hi It is best to seal this section in case the sealant fails which it can do. The none invasive damp meters are a great product. I am pleased that your van is dry. Just goes to show look after it and it will look after you (well your wallet). Thanks Phil👍🙂
Great video once again Phil. We had a 2015 coachman an was amazing with no issues. We upgraded last month to a 2018 swift castle powis an already having issues with it an is goin back next Wednesday to get sorted. Started to think it was a bad move to get a swift with this amount of problems. Already thinking when I can change back to coachman 👍
Hi Carl. I valet caravans and the vans with the most issues I have come across have new or not so old coachman's. I think most caravans have issues no matter who makes them. The important thing is how quick they respond to issues and actually fix them. Swift seem to be quite quick. However it depends who deals with the complaint. I hope you get yours sorted very soon. Thanks Phil 😊
Good video phil but just for those among us that heard you say towards the end to use brake fluid for the stubborn sticky bits it’s actually brake cleaner spray do not use brake fluid as it’s a paint stripper
Hi micky your correct. I did correct it in the edit. But brake cleaner in the can is really good at removing sticky marks etc. It removed a large stick square mark which was in the video. I should have shown that as well. Thanks Phil 😊
To do the job I would advise against using lean to ladders. Even with towel or foam wrapped against the legs, you are still putting considerable force on the side of the caravan, risking cracking the shell. I did the same as you, to access the roof of my campervan and the result was small dents on the corner, which I had to pay money to a paintless dent repairer to remove. I now always use a free standing set of steps.
Hi Steve. Yes you have a good point. I now use a slip stop which attaches to the swing rail and free standing steps at the front and rear. I have never had any issues with this method. Many Thanks Phil.🙂👍
i did the same a couple of years ago , nice video, what did I learn ?, The trick with the pipe insulation on your ladders is a game changer, I'm having that one. Thanks
Nice 1 Phil. Ours is a new 2022 swift sprite major 4 EB vogue from Spinney so hopefully won't be doing anything like that for a while but very interesting how it's done and looks a good job you have done to. Didn't realise that they say it's for decorative purposes looks very important to me on my roof. Going to buy some of that tape anyway just to keep it in. Cheers 👍
Hi Phil. They say the the seal is all that's required. I however I'm not a believer in this hence in my opinion a repair has now been done. I have clean a few modern swift roofs and have seen the shrinkage first hand. Worth having in. Thanks Phil 😊 👍
Excellent job there Phil, I'm the same as you: it may be allegedly just cosmetic but why risk it for a tiny bit of effort and a few £! That tape looks like a good find - I'll get my order in! Really interesting to note the very slight colour difference between the normally exposed roof and the bit under the old tape despite the vastly super care yours will have received; same UVs effects on your now very brown arms (I'm just jealous I instantly turn from super pale pasty white to beetroot!) hope that's a sign that the caravan care business is going very well ;-)
Hi Becky. Yes it is worth the time and money. Ah yes brown arms that is down to working and Juliet finding me jobs to do at home. Replacing the garden fence, painting and a new deck to name few. Hope all is well with you and the family. Thanks Phil 😊
Hi phil great job there mate.think i will have a go at mine.i have the exact caravan.but looking at it i can see a little bubbling on the edges in couple of places but looks ok.i see you used ladders at the rear of the caravan but how did you get to the front one? Did you remove the sky light and work from there? Cheers steve..
Hi Steve. Thanks. Re the front strip I fitted it halfway along and switched side. As the tape is wide, I cut out slots for skylight hinges. Hope this helps. Phil🙂👍
Brilliant video Phil. I am going to do the same to our Bailey Phoenix. No leaks yet but I believe it only a matter of time being a Bailey. How long do you reckon the tape would last before needing to be replaced?
Hello MrG. Thanks so much. The Tape has been on my van for 20 months and so far they are wearing very well. This tape is thicker than the cheap stuff the Manufacturers use. The sun has not damaged it either. I would say at least 5 years if put on correctly. Many thanks Phil👍🙂
I did this last year using the same product, rolled over it the same way. However I did not remove all the old tape but only where it had torn. This year I have noticed.a damp floor in each corner underneath the van. Also I was able to squeeze water out from under the new sealant RV tape. What did I do wrong, would not removing the old tape really have caused my issues
HI. Sorry to read about your issue. It could be that you didn't remove the old tape. I removed it at before ends and completely dried it out before applying the RV Tape. I would suggest removing, drying & checking the sealant underneath before reapplying. I am unsure about the underneath but I would check the side lower rain skirts. Hope this helps. Thanks Phil. 👍🙂
Many thanks for the reply. I have noted the floor at the rear has dried since putting a roof cover on, so I’ll redo the tape again in the new year and check the sealant correctly this time. I’m not sure what water skirts are to be honest
Hi GR. With yours I would recommend removing the strip and cleaning. Then reseal with Sikaflex 522 and then refitting the strip. You could use the rv tape . Also check there are no cracks in the front and rear panels close to the joint. Hope this helps. Phil🙂👍
Hi Phil, my screwed on Aluminium roof strap is looking worse for wear now and suspect to a bit of damp showing on the meter in one of the corners of my 2007 Elddis. Do I remove the old aluminium roof strap before applying the tape or could I clean the aluminium roof strap/sealant etc and apply the tape over the top of aluminium strap? What do suggest please?
Hi Mark. You have 2 options really remove the strapping strip clean & reseal with the tape. or do the same but replace the strip over the tape. The key to either option is clean throughly and removed the lumps of sealant. If it was me I would remove the strip clean and make sure the rear panel was not cracked and just use the tape. PS Make sure the sealant under the aluminium strip is ok as well this may need resealing with sikaflex. Hope this helps. Phil🙂👍
Mark, what did you do in the end? I'm in the same boat with a 2008 compass (same manufacturer as elddis so probably exactly the same as yours). Would be interested to know how you got on.
@@chriswc Hi Chris, now that the weather has got much better here and the forcast is looking good I'm going to follow the suggested instructions above. Good luck with doing your Compass.
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Totally new to Swifts and was quite alarmed when I didn't see an actual roof strap and just tape instead. This video makes it simple and easy to see how to get the job done. Many thanks 👍
Hi Darren Swift would say its weight saving. We call it cost cutting😂. Thanks for watching Phil👍🙂
@@lostweekendscaravan thanks for sharing, our roof strap is quite narrow but in good condition. Would you recommend putting a wider strap over the top of the existing one to help protect it further? Many thanks and best wishes for your advice
Hi Darren. You can go over the top. Make sure you clean the surface first. The RV tape is really good quality and has not peeled on moved since I installed it. Cheers Phil👍🙂
@@lostweekendscaravan Thanks Phil, very much appreciated for your reply and advice. Best wishes Darren
Very interesting Phil, my van as you know is 2009 model and it has an aluminium strap which is riveted to the roof and has a sealant seal between the rear panel and roof. Obviously as time has progressed so have construction methods. The sealant on my roof is a bit grubby so this tape would improve the appearance of the join. Thanks for sharing your repair.
Thanks Colin. I understand the sealant method on mine replaced yours in about 2015 on Swifts. I guess it was to save costs 😔. I also understand it can be used to seal round skylight frames. Thanks Phil 😊
Yet another great video Phil.
Glad you showed me this as my edging on my Stirling is lifting.
Thanks again 👍
Hi Bill. Thanks for watching. The strapping I got is very good. Its worth a go. Thanks again Phil 🙂
Did this to my caravan, not that it had any leaks, just preventive maintenance. My 2006 Baily Senator has absolutely no damp anywhere, I have a non invasive damp meter ,brilliant bit of kit well worth the extra money over the invasive type.
Hi It is best to seal this section in case the sealant fails which it can do. The none invasive damp meters are a great product. I am pleased that your van is dry. Just goes to show look after it and it will look after you (well your wallet). Thanks Phil👍🙂
Did you put the tape in place of the metal strap??? I
Thanks for that - so glad I bought a Knaus caravan [proper roof joints]
Thanks. Knaus are lovely and well built caravans. A bit too pricey for me. Thanks Phil.🙂👍
Great video once again Phil. We had a 2015 coachman an was amazing with no issues. We upgraded last month to a 2018 swift castle powis an already having issues with it an is goin back next Wednesday to get sorted. Started to think it was a bad move to get a swift with this amount of problems. Already thinking when I can change back to coachman 👍
Hi Carl. I valet caravans and the vans with the most issues I have come across have new or not so old coachman's. I think most caravans have issues no matter who makes them. The important thing is how quick they respond to issues and actually fix them. Swift seem to be quite quick. However it depends who deals with the complaint. I hope you get yours sorted very soon. Thanks Phil 😊
Good video phil but just for those among us that heard you say towards the end to use brake fluid for the stubborn sticky bits it’s actually brake cleaner spray do not use brake fluid as it’s a paint stripper
Hi micky your correct. I did correct it in the edit. But brake cleaner in the can is really good at removing sticky marks etc. It removed a large stick square mark which was in the video. I should have shown that as well. Thanks Phil 😊
To do the job I would advise against using lean to ladders. Even with towel or foam wrapped against the legs, you are still putting considerable force on the side of the caravan, risking cracking the shell. I did the same as you, to access the roof of my campervan and the result was small dents on the corner, which I had to pay money to a paintless dent repairer to remove. I now always use a free standing set of steps.
Hi Steve. Yes you have a good point. I now use a slip stop which attaches to the swing rail and free standing steps at the front and rear. I have never had any issues with this method. Many Thanks Phil.🙂👍
On our 2018 4SB bought early 2019 we had dealer replace under warranty in February 2021 as saw lifting in a couple of places. All remains good so far.
Hi Gary. I am glad you spotted it. I would check it once in a while as the thinner tape does lift. Thanks for watching. Phil 🙂
Hi Phil. Great video mate. Ours is a ali stip with sealant under it. I'll have a look at ours. Thanks for sharing. Paul
Hi Paul. I think you are correct the tape method came in in around 2015 to save costs I have no doubt. Thanks for watching. Phil 🙂 👍
i did the same a couple of years ago , nice video, what did I learn ?, The trick with the pipe insulation on your ladders is a game changer, I'm having that one. Thanks
Hi I am glad you found something of use. I try my best to keep up with the latest ideas. Cheers Phil. 👍🙂
Nice 1 Phil. Ours is a new 2022 swift sprite major 4 EB vogue from Spinney so hopefully won't be doing anything like that for a while but very interesting how it's done and looks a good job you have done to. Didn't realise that they say it's for decorative purposes looks very important to me on my roof. Going to buy some of that tape anyway just to keep it in.
Cheers 👍
Hi Phil. They say the the seal is all that's required. I however I'm not a believer in this hence in my opinion a repair has now been done. I have clean a few modern swift roofs and have seen the shrinkage first hand. Worth having in. Thanks Phil 😊 👍
Brilliant video really interesting.
Hi Mick Thanks for watching. I am glad it was of some use. Phil👍🙂
I’ve been waiting for a video like this for ages. Thank you.
Hi David. I hope it is of use to you. Thanks for watching. Phil 🙂
Excellent job there Phil, I'm the same as you: it may be allegedly just cosmetic but why risk it for a tiny bit of effort and a few £! That tape looks like a good find - I'll get my order in! Really interesting to note the very slight colour difference between the normally exposed roof and the bit under the old tape despite the vastly super care yours will have received; same UVs effects on your now very brown arms (I'm just jealous I instantly turn from super pale pasty white to beetroot!) hope that's a sign that the caravan care business is going very well ;-)
Hi Becky. Yes it is worth the time and money. Ah yes brown arms that is down to working and Juliet finding me jobs to do at home. Replacing the garden fence, painting and a new deck to name few. Hope all is well with you and the family. Thanks Phil 😊
Hi phil great job there mate.think i will have a go at mine.i have the exact caravan.but looking at it i can see a little bubbling on the edges in couple of places but looks ok.i see you used ladders at the rear of the caravan but how did you get to the front one? Did you remove the sky light and work from there? Cheers steve..
Hi Steve. Thanks. Re the front strip I fitted it halfway along and switched side. As the tape is wide, I cut out slots for skylight hinges. Hope this helps. Phil🙂👍
Very helpful.
Glad it was helpful! thanks Phil🙂👍
Should do the trick for another few years 👍
Thanks. Yes it will be great for few years now. Its better than the dealers tape Its 3 x thicker. Thanks Phil 😊
Brilliant video Phil. I am going to do the same to our Bailey Phoenix. No leaks yet but I believe it only a matter of time being a Bailey. How long do you reckon the tape would last before needing to be replaced?
Hello MrG. Thanks so much. The Tape has been on my van for 20 months and so far they are wearing very well. This tape is thicker than the cheap stuff the Manufacturers use. The sun has not damaged it either. I would say at least 5 years if put on correctly. Many thanks Phil👍🙂
I did this last year using the same product, rolled over it the same way.
However I did not remove all the old tape but only where it had torn.
This year I have noticed.a damp floor in each corner underneath the van.
Also I was able to squeeze water out from under the new sealant RV tape.
What did I do wrong, would not removing the old tape really have caused my issues
HI. Sorry to read about your issue. It could be that you didn't remove the old tape. I removed it at before ends and completely dried it out before applying the RV Tape. I would suggest removing, drying & checking the sealant underneath before reapplying. I am unsure about the underneath but I would check the side lower rain skirts. Hope this helps. Thanks Phil. 👍🙂
Many thanks for the reply. I have noted the floor at the rear has dried since putting a roof cover on, so I’ll redo the tape again in the new year and check the sealant correctly this time.
I’m not sure what water skirts are to be honest
My 2009 Bailey Caroline series 6 roof strap (metal type) been leaking considering doing what u have done.
Hi GR. With yours I would recommend removing the strip and cleaning. Then reseal with Sikaflex 522 and then refitting the strip. You could use the rv tape . Also check there are no cracks in the front and rear panels close to the joint. Hope this helps. Phil🙂👍
@@lostweekendscaravan cheers Phil
Hiya, i notice you didn`t use the Isopropyl alcohol what was that for.
Hi no I didn’t it wasn’t as effective. Actually brake cleaner was a better option and worked much better. Sorry for the confusion. Phil🙂👍
Hi Phil, my screwed on Aluminium roof strap is looking worse for wear now and suspect to a bit of damp showing on the meter in one of the corners of my 2007 Elddis.
Do I remove the old aluminium roof strap before applying the tape or could I clean the aluminium roof strap/sealant etc and apply the tape over the top of aluminium strap?
What do suggest please?
Hi Mark. You have 2 options really remove the strapping strip clean & reseal with the tape. or do the same but replace the strip over the tape. The key to either option is clean throughly and removed the lumps of sealant. If it was me I would remove the strip clean and make sure the rear panel was not cracked and just use the tape. PS Make sure the sealant under the aluminium strip is ok as well this may need resealing with sikaflex. Hope this helps. Phil🙂👍
Mark, what did you do in the end? I'm in the same boat with a 2008 compass (same manufacturer as elddis so probably exactly the same as yours). Would be interested to know how you got on.
@@chriswc Hi Chris, now that the weather has got much better here and the forcast is looking good I'm going to follow the suggested instructions above. Good luck with doing your Compass.
Hi, would this work to stop water ingress on a Bailey unicorn?
Hi Rachael it would depend on were you are fitting it. You can use to cover defects on flat surfaces. hope this helps. Phil 👍🙂
be glad you have tape - mine has about 15 screws - so you know what that means - 15 HOLES to deal with
Hi Adz. Thanks the comment check out Mark Weatherall's comment and my reply it may help as he has the same issue. Cheers Phil🙂👍
As the long term owner of a 20 y.o., 2 berth Elddis thats a caravan design I would avoid.
Hi Bruce Elddis or Swift? Modern models of both makes have their issues. Thanks Phil.👍🙂