Let the rant begin- I have a 6X12 2003 Haulmark enclosed trailer. Not used a whole lot. Sits along the house and in the shade 50% of the day. About 4 months ago the front cap got two cracks in it. Another one showed up in the last week. So far I've just covered it up with black electrical tape. Looks good for now, but we all know it's not a permanent fix. So I email Haulmark Industries to try to get some help. I told them my story, Here is the response-"The roof caps are being covered by warranty for three (3) years from the date of purchase to the original purchaser. Please call your local servicing Haulmark dealer with your vin number & model number to schedule an appointment for repair. The servicing dealer may want to call the warranty representative for verification".

So I call this person and tell her that my trailer is 4 years old. "OH" she says. Goes on to tell me they had problems with the material used in the caps back then. That's when they decided to extend the warranty from 1 to 3 years. That does me no good. Here's the last email-"Joe,



The original warranty for the caps was only (1) year. Haulmark Industries extended that warranty to (3) years. If you go through a local dealer to purchase the cap and the cap can be sent to the dealer with the next load of trailers it would save you on freight.



Sincerely,

Jana Middlehurst

Warranty Assistant/

Customer Service

Haulmark Industries


I called the dealer- 4 hours of labor(60 dollars an hour) plus the new cap and supplies to seal up new cap. Not cheap. Needless to say Haulmark sells crap and doesn't back it up. I bet they knew the warranty would still run out and they would be in the clear. I will never be buying one of their trailers again.

Anyone have an idea on how to fix? My neighbor is a bodyman suggests backing the inside of the cap with some fiberglass tape and using a plastic glue to fill in the cracks. The two big ones you could probably slide a pocket knife blade into sideways. So there is a little gap. I think the trailer is flexing a little bit in the front. Maybe some expansion and contraction with the temps.

Just an FYI to people looking for trailers, something to think about.

Rant over

I'm not sure about plastic, but to stop metal from cracking, you drill a hole at either end, then fill it in with weld. So as "Thinking" with plastic, drill either end to stop the crack, and fill in with a "good quality" silicone adhesive sealant. One that will remain flexible and waterproof.

Good idea! Keep them ideas coming. I want a cheap fix.

I not going to wake up to a drip drip drip on my forehead this july aam I?

Here at the Lumberyard I work at we sell a lot of a product from Sascho called Through The Roof. This is meant as a patch around things like roof vents and such. Stays flexible and is clear. Comes in tubes or quart containers that can be brushed on or use a putty knife. I know I have sold a lot of this for guys to patch the roof seams on their camper.

How about doing a plastic weld?

For what its worth catagory----years ago I had a aluminum 18' gooseneck livestock trailer that I pulled for a couple of years behind a Ford Diesel. I upgraded to a Dodge Cummins, and right away started cracking the roof supports at the rear. After repairing the cracks acouple of times I determined that it wasn't the supports, but that the roof was moving, and breaking the tacks to the supports, and really didn't make any difference to the structure strength, so I quit messing with it, and lived with the cracks. The use of the trailer was the same, very rough mountain roads, heavy loads, and quite a bit of highway speeds/heavy loads--etc. The only variable in the whole deal, was the changing of the prime mover-the Cummins. I deduced that I was pulling the trailer at a higher rate of speed then the Ford could, exposing the trailer to higher shock circumstances(bumps etc)that somehow made the roof scoot around breaking the welds. I just lived with it, and continued to pull the rig many thousands of miles with no other problems.

Another very good ahesive I may recomend is stuff called "Duramix" Its a two part epoxy/glue that you buy at Napa. This stuff is good, I've seen it drilled and tapped before. Its over 10 bucks a tube though, but well worth it. It's actually holding a piece of plastic together on my old blazer in the spider web of the intake manifold where the gas lines attached, been in there for 9 months and a pile of miles without a problem.

Thanks for all the info guys!

Our local NAPA dealer sells this stuff called 'angel hair'. It is meant to patch gas tanks and the like. It is a 2 part mix, one is an epoxy with fiberglass strands in it, and a hardening agent. It sticks to almost anything, is flexible, strong, and only $20 for a pint can. Works well for filling gaps. I once fixed a water pipe cracked by the water freezing inside of it in my hog barn, and 5 years later it still doesn't leak. The only weakness of it is that it isn't UV stabilized, so it will weather if left outside unpainted. Paing sticks to it pretty well, though. It also can be sanded smooth. I would call it something like body filler with fiberglass strands in it.

I'll keep that in mind. It still sitting next to the house with electrical tape covering the gaps. Will get to it some day. Thanks!