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Topic: Stain on door (Read 471 times) previous topic - next topic

Stain on door

This one is driving me a bit nuts.  This staining keeps coming back - I can remove it but it takes a bit of work.  It's not greasy, seems to drip both straight down and driven back by the wind while in motion.  I get some of the same staining on the front driver rim as well.

I haven't put together whether it comes with rain.  Our front AC drain is stopped and water will pool on the roof in the front driver corner and come down right about here, so it's probably related to that - however, fixing that issue likely only slows this down and doesn't eliminate it?  It's interesting that it only seems to start at the door hinge and go down from there - so if it's from the roof, why wouldn't I see starting from up high? 

Has anyone else seen something similar? 
Steve and Cassi
2007 Foretravel Nimbus 42'

Re: Stain on door

Reply #1 –
It looks like it is rusting the hinge rod creating the stain.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Stain on door

Reply #2 –
Looks like rust.

Pull out a magnet and check both screws and hinge.  May even be able to eyeball the source.

Hopefully the screws-- easy to replace with stainless steel.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Stain on door

Reply #3 –
When I talked to Xtreme about a rust stain like that, only much smaller, they said ti was not the hinge.  The hinge is SS. 

On mine, I had a small delamitation along the edge of the slideout opening.  When I fixed it, the rust disappeared.

I think you have a leak behind the vertical trim strip that is letting water get to the interior steel framing.  You will need to pull the strip off, fix the seal in the joint and reinstall the trim strip.  You may find that the sidewall is delaminating behind the trim strip.  It could be as high as the top of the strip near the roof and running all the way down behind the strip before showing itself.

Let us know what you eventually find,

Rich
Rich and Peggy Bowman
2002 U270 3610 WTFS, build #5939--"Freedom"
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe
SMI AirForceOne brake system
PakCanoe 15

Re: Stain on door

Reply #5 –
Is the center piece flexible? Could be where you remove the center piece and screws are holding the channel.  I would wait until someone that knows forsure  chimes in.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Stain on door

Reply #6 –
Look inside compartment. Could it be steering gear leak or from something inside compartment. . . Also thought about front wheel bearing leak. . .

Re: Stain on door

Reply #7 –
Not coming from inside the compartment - I think Rich has the right idea with it behind a leak under the strip.
Steve and Cassi
2007 Foretravel Nimbus 42'

Re: Stain on door

Reply #8 –
I had similar on one of my hatches a few years back. The area above the door seal is Carbon steel that goes up then makes a 90° bend. All of my hatches those areas were starting to rust do to OE inferior paint work. I took the time to wire brush all of them one weekend, then painted with a rust encapsulating paint (Eastwood) POR15 is another that would do nicely.
Mike in AL
2001 U295
8.3 ISC 350
Build 5918

Re: Stain on door

Reply #9 –
Quote from: stevej –
Not coming from inside the compartment - I think Rich has the right idea with it behind a leak under the strip.

Could also be a leak around one of the clearance lights and the water tracking towards that strip area and down..  I'm not familiar with how the ones on a newer coach were done, but if they have gaskets or screws that are sealed with caulk, you might investigate that area as well.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Stain on door

Reply #10 –
First thing to do is put a level on trim strip and see if the coach is lower at front as any moisture in trim will be heading that way.
Take trim strip AND the vertical one off and see if there is any indication of water entry. Clean it up, replace strip then use a clear caulk to put a very small bead on both sides of vertical one and only on upper edge of horizontal trim.
This should fix it or give you some insight into another issue when trims are off. When replacing screws put a dab of caulk in hole to seal underside of screw head.
Johnh
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Stain on door

Reply #11 –
Another thought is to look closely at the joint/moulding where the front cap, roof, and sidewall meet.  Looking at photos of a 2007 Nimbus, it looks like there's a seam/moulding that runs across the roof where the front cap joins the sidewalls, as well as an upper moulding that joins the roof to the sidewalls.

Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320