Has anyone changed the gaskets on the original roof mount A/C units in the 1997 U270? Just as soon as I deployed to Afghanistan they both started leaking here in Huntsville Alabama so am looking for either a short term fix or gasket replacement as the seem to be leaking enough to stain the carpet around the ducting and are dripping on the floor during heavy rains. Think I will have to hire someone to do the work as I am 5 months from returning and my wife can't do them by herself...Any idea of who might do call out work in the Huntsville/Athens area and how much work is involved?
My son and I replaced the gaskets in my '81 Fortravel but it was not ducted but very easy to change. Undid bolts from the inside while he lifted it change gasket and set back down. That stopped the leak. If the bolts are accessible then it would take going on the roof to complete the gasket change. Bought the gaskets at CW.
Carl, have the bolts accessible inside ever been snugged down? Not sure how to access your bolts, but usually there are four bolts holding the AC down, and they do compress the gasket between the roof & the AC.
Hopefully someone will chime in that has the same year coach as yours and tell SWMBO how to check the bolts.
I know ours leaked until I checked and I found the bolt heads were about 3/4" away from holding/compressing. Snugged them up & no more
There have been some storms in that area with some heavy rain. If nothing else
a tarp from Target and many bungie straps would keep it safe until you can
find a better repair. Thank you four service to our Country and hopefully some-
one that is close will come to your aid, wish I were closer.
Be safe and hope you are home soon.
Carter Langford
Nacogdoches, Texas
Carl, it would be unusual for the both of them to leak at the same time, more likely that there are cracks in the AC covers, see if she can find someone to get on the roof and check them, maybe we have a forum member in the area.
Thanks for your service.
Job is not difficult, basically throw a sheet of plywood on the roof so you have a place to set the roof-top A/C unit while cleaning off the old gasket material.
Remove the 4 bolts (from inside the coach) that secure the two sections of the A/C.
With two even small people, lifting the roof-top unit is easy. It is NOT heavy, just bulky.
I am sure you can find some U tubes on doing it.
Carl, have the DW ask a friendly neighbour who is a bit handy with tools to take off the vents on inside the coach (ceiling panel) and under that are the bolts that need tighening down a bit but not too much. I am sure that will be all you need to do and at the worst they will learn what bolts need to be removed so the unit can be removed on roof if a new gasket is needed.
JohnH
AC unit weighs about 75-80 lbs and there are usually two foam gaskets. One gasket goes around the 14" opening and the other straight foam gasket supports the rear end of the AC.
At least this is the way it is on a Coleman AC.
It happens. Both were leaking in heavy rain on my 270. I can't believe I don't have any photos to share but as Haygarth said, your wife and her helper will see them when they take off the inside cover.
jor