Slide side walls (Metal) corroding with pinholes: Help!

[cliffcostello]

We recently acquired our 2011 Montana Big Sky 3455SA, with the factory paint package. After picking up our unit, we discovered on the slide side walls (metal) of several slides, are some corrosion areas, where pinholes have opened up and are leaking water into the slide and beginning to rot the slide floors. Luckily we found this early, and are looking for recommendations on how to best repair these pinholes and reseal the slide side walls. I was surprised that these slide walls were made of a thin metal "tin" like sheet. All other Montana's and our previous Keystone Cougar travel trailer, has fiberglass slide side walls. I've never seen ones with this metal material. I need to get these pinholes sealed up, so that no further water damage occurs. I've attached a picture which shows what the corrosion looks like. At first, I thought is was just paint flaking off, but later discovered that in fact, the metal is corroding and holes are opening up. HELP!!!

Thanks for any ideas and particularly if you've experienced this same issue, how did you resolve it. I am not anxious to have to replace all of these 4 slides exterior side walls.

 

[Carl n Susan]

Apparently, metal instead of fiberglass was one of those undocumented upgrades on the Big Sky? Mine has the same metal walls. I haven't had any issues with mine other than the seals tend to wear the paint off.

I am not a body shop guy. I think you can wire brush off the paint around the corroded areas, apply something to stop the rust (assuming that is what it is), then seal up the area with some kind of epoxy (sandable - Bondo?), and then smooth it out and paint.

 

[cliffcostello]

Apparently, metal instead of fiberglass was one of those undocumented upgrades on the Big Sky? Mine has the same metal walls. I haven't had any issues with mine other than the seals tend to wear the paint off.

I am not a body shop guy. I think you can wire brush off the paint around the corroded areas, apply something to stop the rust (assuming that is what it is), then seal up the area with some kind of epoxy (sandable - Bondo?), and then smooth it out and paint.

Thanks ... that is what I have been thinking as well ... using a Bondo or other type of epoxy type product ... I just bought some CA Adhesive as well .. which a friend suggested would fill in the pinholes and dry hard .... then sand off. I was thinking of then painting it all with a "rustoleum" type paint .. black ... to seal it up .. as well as some silicone sealant around the edges to prevent any water from getting in there also. I see you are in Carmichael, CA ... I lived in the Sacramento area in the early 90's ... in Auburn area. Now back on the East coast in upstate NY ... Brrrr .. miss the beautiful CA climate. But it's here in NY where most of my family and wife are from .. so I am back here enduring Winters again!! LOL. Thanks for the input and ideas.
Cliff

 

[cliffcostello]

Well, I did spend over a month repairing all of the pinholes in several of my metal slide side walls, and then painted them with Rustoleum paint. On the main slide, I got more corrosion popping out again during this Summer. I am now looking up on top of the slide to see where water may be leaking in. I did put Eternabond tape along the top edge (above the metal slide wall), and also discovered the top outer seal is now totally rotten and falling apart. I bought some new rubber seals and will be replacing those, and am going to run Eternabond tape all along the top of the slide where it attaches to the main exterior wall. I am using 4 inch wide tape and will cover the edge of the roof and then up the side. Next Spring, I plan to also seal the slide roof with Henry's Tropicool Silcone roofing sealer (which I did to the main roof of our Montana this past Summer). I am hoping this will finally stop where the water seems to be seeping in. I can also tell you, countless other repairs were done to this 5th wheel this past Summer, but we did have a successful cross country trip from upstate NY to Colorado and back. I keep trying to decide when is enough enough .. and dump this camper, or keep fixing it. In retrospect, we were in too much of a rush when we bought this one ... and I should have spent more time looking (also during warmer weather .. we looked at it in the middle of Winter). Oh well .. hard lessons learned. The toughest part is, we love the layout, features, colors, and overall comfort of this 5th wheel. Not sure what's next.

 

[twindman]

I have used Eternabond on the top front edge of a slide. It doesn't work so well, as when the slide goes in and out it kind of wears the tape and it starts to 'bunch up'. Not sure what else to do.

 

[cliffcostello]

I have used Eternabond on the top front edge of a slide. It doesn't work so well, as when the slide goes in and out it kind of wears the tape and it starts to 'bunch up'. Not sure what else to do.

I was wondering about that ... I do plan to seal over it with the Henry's Tropicool silicone sealant ... which may help bond the edges to the actual roof. Other than that, I too just don't know what else to do other than completely put a new roof on the slide (ugh) .. in which case, I'd just rather dump this rig.