Eyebrow or Drip Cap mod

scrubjaysnest · 11-19-2011, 11:56 AM

Thought it best to move this to the mod area and start a new thread.
Because most of the windows on the TM are not an awning type/style we added eyebrows or drip caps as they are known to some of our windows.

These are light weight aluminum and to my knowledge are not available in colors. For a light rain no wind blowing they will let you keep windows open.

You need to watch very carefully how you position the drip cap over the back shell side windows because of the front shell bag seals when closed.
A little bending may be required so the cap doesn't cut or chafe the bag seal.

Since the outside skin is very thin I used pop rivets to attach the drip caps or eyebrows. I used 1/8 by 1/8 rivets. Use masking tape on your drill bit as a depth gauge. After all the holes were drilled, use the drip cap as a templet, I put a bead of clear silicon on the drip cap mounting lip and starting at one installed the pop rivets. I used clear silicon as I felt it would be less noticeable than white. Any rv dealer should be able order the drip caps. Allow 1 to 2 inch over hang past the window edge. For the small windows my drip caps are 22 inch.

11-20-2011, 07:29 AM

Last year Trailmanor sent me some self-adhesive plastic trim for putting above a window I was having leakage problems with. They also suggested putting it above the Frig vents.

It doesn't extend out as far as the Al stuff you use, but fixed my problem and was easy to put on. Not sure where you can get the stuff other than the factory ...

**Bill** · 11-20-2011, 12:36 PM

Several years ago, a couple people reported water coming in at the top of the entry door. It turned out that the water was coming off the roof, flowing down the sidewall behind the awning, and then down the outside wall to the top of the door. On earlier TMs there was an eyebrow above the door, but TM was experimenting with not installing it, relying instead on the caulking behind the awning. Perhaps because there is a little more flexing in that area, the caulking behind the awning failed in those two cases. Learning from its customers, TM went back to the eyebrow. And as I recall, the eyebrow was white, not bare aluminum. So they are available.

Bill

scrubjaysnest · 11-20-2011, 02:18 PM

Our TM has the gutter over the door, those are also available and in colors. I went with the drip cap because they stick out about 2 inches and can be placed over the window where as the gutter is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch and mounts strictly above the window. The gutter does have a big plus...no holes to drill.

11-20-2011, 05:25 PM

I am a huge FAN of Velcro thin white strips when I do things on the outside of the TM. I HATE drilling into the sides it makes me nervous. Clean the area that you want to place something and it will stay. A little caulk on top would work just fine. The best place to buy white Velcro is your nearest sewing/quilting shop in your area they have so many other neat things.

I had a plastic piece break off on the side of my TM and I did the Velcro and it will be there for ever, it is just like duck tape and vice grips

I carry it with me all the time I gave up on glue and drilling.

Dave

**Bill** · 11-20-2011, 07:16 PM

Check out posts #9 and #26 in this thread. I had forgotten that this may be called a "valance".

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=3627

Bill

11-26-2011, 09:18 AM

I find that the rain almost always blows into one side of the TM. If I'm in the trailer, I usually open the front and back louvers and then selectively open windows on the side where the rain isn't coming in. That said, windows in general need some design help. Not just trailer windows but also the ones I have in my house. I've seen far superior designs in Europe than even our high end window folks here have (Like Anderson and Pella).

My issue with the TM windows is that you can't pull the screens out to clean them. That goes double for the ridiculous windows they put in the overhead caps in the roof. The one with the motorized fan I replaced the screen with one of those removable round ones but it's really hard to clean the fan blades. It would be nice if they could have made it to come apart.

If you get crud between the screen and the window, like I have, you can get at it with a really thin plastic comb. If you pull the debris up with the comb and then blow it outside, you can get them pretty clean but what a hassle.

The solution to the rain problem (to a degree) is to put a couple of windows in that push out from the bottom instead of sliding in the vertical plane. I'm not sure anyone makes something like that though that's flush enough for the shells to slide together.

The TM is an interesting beast for sure. I'm very happy that TM is back in business. By and large, I'm impressed with the TM design. I've been living in mine for over two months now and, besides the door which I think everyone knows is a kind of design issue for something like this, the TM design is pretty tight.

Phil