Antenna Holes

[peterbylt]

I knew there were at least two broken off antenna bases, but when I got up there while I was replacing the Marker lights I counted nine places where antenna had been mounted at one time or another. When they needed a new antenna rather than remove the old base they just drilled another hole and mounted a new Antenna.

All in the area around the driver's seat.

I want to remove all these potential leaks and repair the holes. My first thought is to remove all the old bases bring it down to bare metal and weld in the holes, second choice remove all the old bases and fiberglass glass them.

Any suggestions?

I suppose I could just use them to mount solar panels.



Peter

[Iceni John]

I suppose I could just use them to mount solar panels.



Peter

No!   PV panels need very sturdy mounts to withstand their windload driving down the road at 70 MPH.   You should attach them to or through the roof ribs, not just to the skin.

John

[lostagain]

Clean up around the hole. Then rivet a piece of aluminum sheet, after caulking real good with Sikaflex or similar. Then a dab of caulk on top of the rivets too.

JC

[gg04]

When we first got ours home we soda blasted to clean aluminum and welded every hole and crack... caulk on a roof will finally always leak..rdw

[PP]

Clean up around the hole. Then rivet a piece of aluminum sheet, after caulking real good with Sikaflex or similar. Then a dab of caulk on top of the rivets too.

JC

This is also what we did when we first got our bus almost ten years ago and still no leaks. Just don't use any cheap latex caulking that you find at the hardware store. One of our holes was 4" diameter, so this method does work.

[buswarrior]

As you clean each one, a simple bolt and washer might do the job with little muss or fuss?

Use good quality caulk... do NOT use a silicone product... nothing else will stick, it won't take paint, and it will leak again...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Oonrahnjay]

... do NOT use a silicone product... nothing else will stick, it won't take paint, and it will leak again...

buswarrior 

     Yes.  do NOT.

[eagle19952]

     Yes.  do NOT.

it is only good for ill fitted Formica kitchen counter tops..oh wait...not even for that...it mildews

[PP]

I forgot to add that we also put snow white roof coating on every 2-3 years after giving it a good cleaning. That keeps direct sun and the elements off the seal jobs.
HTH

[peterbylt]

Thank you for all the great ideas.

First I am going to try and weld them up with some round pieces and the Tig Welder.
If that proves to be beyond my welding abilities I will sikaflex 252 and rivet patches.

I need to get these holes repaired before the Spray foam insulation gets applied in the near future.

I would like the repairs to be as permanent as possible.

The Sikaflex 252 worked really good attaching the panels over where the windows were removed.

A good cleaning and a white roof coating, most likely Kool Seal are in my future.

Peter