Hello. New here and I'm having a problem to which I'm having a hard time finding an answer and solution. We have a 2009 Starcraft Travel Star Sport 191CK that we purchased from my aunt and uncle 3 years ago. They purchased it new in 09 or 10 and had rarely used it, so it is like brand new, except there is a leak at the bottom of the front bunk door when closed. I noticed a little water staining when we purchased it and I would like to find a way to fix this before we incur any major damage. I have replaced the seal around the door but I feel like this issue is related to the gasket or seal at the bottom of the door and I don't know what to replace it with. Photos below. Could anyone provide any advice or assistance?
Not a direct Starcraft issue, but it is a design issue. The bunk door assembly on that year was made by Kinro, later they were acquired by Lippert. This type of bunk door (kinro/Lippert) is used by all hybrid manufacturers except Forest River Rockwood/Flagstaff and Palomino. It has evolved over the years. Sometime around 2010 they changed the hinge from the piano hinge as shown in your picture, to a continuous hinge. By design the whole hinge assembly is designed to be self draining. They expect water to get inside that hinge, and its supposed to then drain from the ends.
I believe what you have happening is a compromised caulk joint at the black arrow. Its a known and common issue. It may look fine but trust me its probably leaking. Clean and recaulk that joint. You have to do it yearly because over time from opening and closing the door it will eventually split. They do not have enough of a lip on that extrusion to caulk it properly and there is no backup seal, such as butyl tape inside that aluminum extrusion.
Water gets in that joint, then it's inside the door itself, it then drains out the bottom screws that go from the hinge up into the door panel. Pull those screws and check for rust. I would bet the inner and outer plywood is now soft and compromised on the door panel itself. Also the seal where I put the yellow arrow should have been extended down so it ended below the hinge pin. That's so that any water the runs down the outer edge of that seal drips off and goes down the front of the trailer and not back into the hinge assembly. I had two other hybrids with these doors, one a 2011 and the other a 2013. Its still a much better design that the Forest River design on our 2017 Rockwood Roo. Ours have not leaked on the 2017 but the hinge assembly is pop riveted together and they are all starting to pull through on both doors.
In the pic below (if you save it and zoom in) you can see how the hinge itself was changed to eliminate the holes at the hinge pin, you can also see the new caulk in that joint which bacame a yearly maintenance item. Thats a 2011 which was manufactured in April of 2010.
You may as well forget about Starcraft being of any help, just like any other manufacturer. Its hard if not impossible to get any help or service even if its just technical advice, even when a unit is in warranty let alone out of it.
I believe what you have happening is a compromised caulk joint at the black arrow. Its a known and common issue. It may look fine but trust me its probably leaking. Clean and recaulk that joint. You have to do it yearly because over time from opening and closing the door it will eventually split. They do not have enough of a lip on that extrusion to caulk it properly and there is no backup seal, such as butyl tape inside that aluminum extrusion.
Water gets in that joint, then it's inside the door itself, it then drains out the bottom screws that go from the hinge up into the door panel. Pull those screws and check for rust. I would bet the inner and outer plywood is now soft and compromised on the door panel itself. Also the seal where I put the yellow arrow should have been extended down so it ended below the hinge pin. That's so that any water the runs down the outer edge of that seal drips off and goes down the front of the trailer and not back into the hinge assembly. I had two other hybrids with these doors, one a 2011 and the other a 2013. Its still a much better design that the Forest River design on our 2017 Rockwood Roo. Ours have not leaked on the 2017 but the hinge assembly is pop riveted together and they are all starting to pull through on both doors.
In the pic below (if you save it and zoom in) you can see how the hinge itself was changed to eliminate the holes at the hinge pin, you can also see the new caulk in that joint which bacame a yearly maintenance item. Thats a 2011 which was manufactured in April of 2010.
You may as well forget about Starcraft being of any help, just like any other manufacturer. Its hard if not impossible to get any help or service even if its just technical advice, even when a unit is in warranty let alone out of it.
Also just found ALL of these brand new screws laying in the track behind the seal that were never installed from when it was built. There are only 2 screws installed, one on each end. The entire door at the bottom is in place with only 2 screws. How does that happen?
