Walking on roof

[o2silverado]

Originally Posted by djs1970

Always worried about the weight and flexing while up there...until I was at the dealer watching 4 guys walking on 1 roof, pressure washing and brushing

Difference is they don't care because it's not theres. When I hear plywood crack under my feet I get concerned!

[djs1970]

Agreed

[GL243]

Jayco has a video on the website about how much stronger their roof construction is than a competitor's. I too thought the roof flexes quite a bit on our 2018 SIX 267 BHSW, but the technicians at the dealership walk on it without hesitation to do warranty stuff. The rubber membranes are actually quite tough in my experience, having repaired one on an older trailer a few years back. You should be fine.

[2OLDMONKEYS]

We tread carefully, no acrobatics or jumping around but it seems ok. We have to get up there with a broom to sweep off the slides before closing them down. (we’re clean freaks)

[Amarmstr]

My husband said to make your lighter kids do it and if the kids are grown grab some neighbor kids😂

[snoopdog]

Word of caution, if you have a mounted ladder then it’s safe, however, no ladder, stay off

[loki805]

Originally Posted by snoopdog

Word of caution, if you have a mounted ladder then it’s safe, however, no ladder, stay off

So I guess you hang from your garage roof rafters Mission Impossibe style to do maintenance on your roof. Lol

[Woodworker]

I don't have a mounted ladder. I use my extendable ladder and run ratchet straps from each side of it to the bumper brackest so it can't slide left or right. Snug it up just enough it's snug against camper and have had no issues. Bonus of that is I don't have another set if holes in my roof from a mounted ladder

[mtkeg15]

I am 220- I don’t wear any type of shoe - I go up bare foot. Never an issue, very little flexing. I guess it depends on the make of TT and if you walk like you are on something fragile or just with out regard like you are On solid ground. My Starcraft is solid but I am careful. I go up 2x a year and have so since 2010.

[krbjmpr]

From a stealership perspective...

No factory ladder, additional measures are taken. Walk on joists. Strongest areas are those around the roof air vents, skylights, etc. The additional 'cripple joists help spread the load, even if marginally. All techs become accustomed to walking in supported areas, very easy to see with most membrane roofs. And it's even easier if you have the nice (ugly) black lines going across from 1 side to the other (it's from plywood underneath, btw).

I have several half inch (15/32 actually) plywood boards (furniture grade) wrapped in berber upgrade carpet to help spread the weight if I had a large lunch of cold hot dogs or if I am carrying an air conditioner. Yeah, plywood and carpet were leftovers from a job. Boss was pissed, but got idea of my needs when loud complaints met my fingers.

If you don't have a factory ladder, be extremely careful...especially on an ultra light. Cardboard practically! If you happen to have a model where roof has nice dome but flattens out near front cap, beware of little support in that area. You know, just in front of the a.c.. Oh yeah. Roof ladders are great for carrying all sorts of s....tuff. and that's about it. Think long and hard at just where the weight is born as someone goes up. I bet your ladder isn't attached to the bumper.

If you are lucky enough to have a unit with luggage rack on top (stupid stupid stupid idea for trailer) be doubly careful! 30 years ago it was rock solid. Overtime, water had 99% likely entered around the standoff and weakened that area. Oh yeah, reinforcement ends at forward-most standoff.
Congratulations on spending all this time with that albatross!

If you happen to have one of those single axle "off road (hah!)" Trailers where the roof and ceiling are both rounded (radius roof), just stay on the ladder, no support at all under the ply. Besides, those are usually narrow enough to reach more than halfway across-even with the slide fully extended the 10.4 inches.

One more thing... #*\NEVER/*# coat with that kool seal / liquid roof / polymeric coating even if stealership endorses it. Screws up seal for a.c. (if even removed), and makes a helluva mess ehen water collects underneath. It's a really good money maker for us. Labor to scrape it off. Repair water damage. Replace entire decking down to joists. Put on new membrane.

Have a great night/day, and don't tell the boss I said anything. Sorry this was so long, it's a pet leave of mine.

[spark of insanity]

I must have been bored one day because I found a video that said who's roof is safer. They tested a few others and Jayco. They said Jayco can withstand 4000 lbs on the roof. I was like ok so who is going to get a 4000 lbs sumo up there? My husband gets up there not me. I can get up there? But it will take the fire dept to get me down. O yeah. So if you have nothing better to do? Go check out roof weight. Great video.

[GL243]

That's the video I referred to also. I think it's actually 4500 lbs, not that that's a significant difference. What I've found kind of strange, however, is that my Jayco roof feels noticeably softer and flexes a lot more than the roof on the old 2000 Terry TT I used to have. Makes me wonder if it's actually 3/8 inch plywood or wafer board decking or only 1/4 inch with the Jayco.

[skids]

This is a bit off topic, but if I has a foot of wet snow on the roof, I would drag it off with a shop broom. It has a plastic cover, so it should be slippery enough to do that.

[GL243]

The Jayco customer service rep I'm dealing with said owners must routinely remove snow, i.e., don't just let it melt off.* I have used a push broom for this myself.

[jloco]

Originally Posted by GL243

The Jayco customer service rep I'm dealing with said owners must routinely remove snow, i.e., don't just let it melt off.* I have used a push broom for this myself.

Nice idea, but that ain't happening with my trailer. It's 130 miles from home. Thankfully it's located a 1/4 mile from the MA coast (Cape Cod) and heavy snows are rare in the area.

[wags999]

Originally Posted by GL243

That's the video I referred to also. I think it's actually 4500 lbs, not that that's a significant difference. What I've found kind of strange, however, is that my Jayco roof feels noticeably softer and flexes a lot more than the roof on the old 2000 Terry TT I used to have. Makes me wonder if it's actually 3/8 inch plywood or wafer board decking or only 1/4 inch with the Jayco.

Jayco uses only domestic plywood, no OSB. While at the factory we toured the TT and 5er plant and saw ZERO OSB or PB. Also ladders are optional on many units, but they don't make two roofs, one with ladders and one without. All roofs are the same. No issue walking on them.

[GL243]

Thanks, good to know. Do you know what thickness dimension the plywood is?

[jpgale]

I know I am reviving an old thread, but in the past 2 weekends I have been on to my roof a couple of times, other than having some interesting moments getting on and off, I have found the roof when on my hands and knees hardly flexes at all, given my 340 pound butt I was actually quite impressed. I found the trailer wobble more concerning than the flex. I would not walk on it personally but I felt quite safe up there. So the take away is if you are on your hands and knees and weight less than a commerical airliner (unlike me lol) then you should be fine.

[ifallsguy]

Just remember, no golf shoes, baseball spike or using tap dancing shoes when on the roof.

[EvilDoer]

Originally Posted by ifallsguy

Just remember, no golf shoes, baseball spike or using tap dancing shoes when on the roof.

I don't know about that, it can get pretty slippery up there when you're washing it.