"In fact, many NEW campers and trailers leak right from the factory. Combine the water with wooden construction and your high dollar trailer is already rotting before you take possession."
This is what I was told years ago before I bought my first camper, so I decided is was important to have a trailer made from aluminum. I bought a used featherlite toyhauler which never leaked according to the owner, probably because he stored it inside..
I took possession of my used featherlite and on the way home it rains, and water dumps past the AC roof seal and soaks the entire trailer floor! This was a easy fix tightening the mounting screws, but was a precursor for what was to come and a hell of a way to start out the first day!
Sound familiar? The next day I encountered a leak from the front door which I fought for a long time. Turns out a small ding on the door was preventing it from closing tightly. And the bathroom roof vent, which leaked onto the WOOD nailer under the aluminum which rotted away also damaging the WOOD paneling covered with delaminating wall paper. Jeeze.. Now I'm tearing out rotten wood from a aluminum trailer. To make a long story shorter, pretty much every window and caulked exterior fitting leaked! It took many man hours to trace the leak and strip all the sealer off the roof and thank god they didn't used silicone. But the windows and smaller penetrations were all sealed with the dreaded silicone which most of us know cant be sealed again with new silicone over the old.. ALL the silicone had to be removed before resealing..
So where is my rant going? I sold my 24' featherlite toyhauler because I was overwhelmed with all the leaking. But I miss traveling in my toyhauler and want another shorter one for better maneuverability but I don't want to chase leaks forever again. I guess I just answered my own question. They all eventually leak and I don't want to chase leaks forever, so I guess I will rent a room next time I go "camping". Unless I can get my hands on a trailer which doesnt leak and made from materials which dont rot or fall apart when wet. I don't think this trailer exists unless I build it?
Rant over..