# Rain gutter for bike door?



## DANJOGAVINMO (Apr 17, 2004)

I spend a lot of time on rv.net and have recently been reading posts on this forum. The folks here seem very helpful, it is great to read the posts, and I absolutely love the fact that no one seems to trash other posters.

I have had my 25RS-S for almost 2 years now and this last weekend had a water leak on my bike door. It was raining pretty heavy, but I have had the camper in heavier rain without issue. Best I can tell the water was pooling in the bottom of the door and just saturating the gasket and coming in, I can't be 100% sure this is what was happening (water was not coming in so fast such that I could watch it).

I had a couple of ideas, maybe the gasketing is just old, it seemed to actually absorb and hold a heck of a lot of water. I have read about water weeps in the door, I have none, but I also struggle to think that there is actually water inside the door that needs to drain???

I noticed just this evening a pic on this forum of a 25rs-s with a rain gutter over top of the bike door. My camper has no such rain gutter, I am wondering whether mine is just missing the gutter or whether someone added it aftermarket?? So, 25rs-s owners, do you have a gutter over the bike door?

I read about NDJollyMon's news that he will get a 2004 door. Too late for me as I have been out of warranty for almost a year now.

Any other bike door leak advice??

Thx much,
Danny


----------



## JimMcCombe (Apr 3, 2004)

Hi Danny,

I have an early season '04 25RS-S, before they started putting in the "normal" door, like NDJOLLYMON is getting. Mine has a rain gutter over the top, which does a good job of keeping the rain out.

Even though you're out of warranty, I would start with your local dealer and see if they can at least cut you a deal on the part. If you don't get anywhere, write a letter to Randy Graber at LiteWay. I did this early on when I had 5 different water leaks, and Mr. Graber called me himself to apologize and make sure the problems were corrected. He may be able to offer some assistance. You can get his contact information from the outback website.

Hope that helps,

Jim


----------



## jgerni (Nov 10, 2003)

I got the dealer to add the rain gutter over the door and on the other exterior compartments. I had some leaking issues but was actually able to fix them by adjusting the latches to close tighter, cleaning and putting vasoline around the seal.

Putting the gutter over the door just gave me a little extra insurance.


----------



## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Danny,
My 2003 25 RSS didn't have the rain gutter either. The problem I have is, no matter what they do to the seal of the bike door, water still finds it's way through the gasket. They tightened the locks, and replaced the entire gasket, but water still comes through.

I think a rain gutter directly above the door would cure most of the problem. The roof gutter dumps water directly down the door/seal. This causes most of my leakage. I can lessen the water two ways...one is buy extending the roof gutter with an add on extension, a clothespin, or small clamp. (I use a clamp, the water drips further away from the trailer) This works, but wind drives some rain in still. Secondly, I merely level the trailer, and add a couple cranks to the tongue jack. This makes the water run out the aft side of the gutter, and saves on water getting inside the bike door too. Either way...they are just temporary fixes.

My trailer has been in the service dept. over 4 times with different leaks. They have a log of each one they attempted to fix, and this is what they showed KEYSTONE to get authorization to fix my problem with the 2004 style door. (my trailer is OUT OF WARRANTY as well, but they are fixing it) I had to go to the GENERAL MANAGER to get this all worked out, however.

In other words, since your bike door did not leak before, they may not be so accomodating to you. (just guessing)

If you choose to remedy the situation yourself, I would:
1. Start by fixing the upper gutter with a small extension. (some have done this mod already)
2. Install an aftermarket gutter above the door itself.
3. Position trailer slightly high at the tongue jack.
4. Replace gasket material if need be. 
5. Check the door for drainage holes on the bottom edge. I had to drill my own on several compartment doors to keep water draining out of the doors themselves.

Good luck...and welcome to OUTBACKERS!


----------



## DANJOGAVINMO (Apr 17, 2004)

Thanks to all for your inputs, they are kind of what I anticipated I would hear, but always good to confirm.

I think I will attempt the aftermarket gutter, tighten up the latches a bit and maybe consider re-gasketing with a more classic type of rubber rather than the absorbent neoprene type stuff already on there. I will let folks know how it turns out. I live in Oregon and camp at the coast a lot, so stopping leaks is a must for me!

I had never complained about leaks to dealer so I will likely not be able to swing a new door









Do you guys really think the door weeps help? I wouldn't have imagined water actually getting in the door. Probably wouldn't hurt to pop a couple of holes in each one.

Thx again.
Danny


----------



## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Danny
Check the bottom of the outside edge of the door. Mine had two holes drilled in it. I think it may have been done by my service dept. during one of the fix attempts. None of the other compartments had weep holes. (I drilled all the others myself)
That pretty much fixed my compartment leakage.

Those gaskets are like sponges! They hold water. When the service dept. replaced mine...they put on the same type!


----------



## ctsoderq (Dec 14, 2003)

We also live in Oregon (on the coast) and had major bike door leak problems. I found out that when the trailer was tilted to the right, it leaked like crazy. NDJOLLYMON and the rest had excellent advise. I put on 3" clear tygon tubing rain gutter extensions and tried to get the dealer to install a gutter over the door. They wouldn't, but they looked at the door gasket and showed me the problem. The bike door has a metal frame with a small ridge or bead formed into the frame. This ridge is supposed to sink into the gasket when the door is closed. You can see the indentation the bead makes around the entire gasket. Across the top of the door the gasket was installed too low and the bead was above the gasket. You could see the indentation from the bead go off the gasket and wasn't there at all across the top. Water would come right in the door. The dealer replaced the gasket, installed in the correct postion, and tightened the door latches. Haven't had any leaks since, even in January/February Oregon coastal rains. With the gutter extension, I don't plan to install a gutter over the door, but it's still a great idea. Good luck!


----------

