Water intrusion and fixes for other brands

[rdickinson]

I didn't want to hijack the topic posted earlier about how water intrusion has or will impact most of us owning most RV's.  Mine is no exception.  Perhaps certain makes and models may be prone to issues in the same locations.

Using my Travel Supreme as an example, I'd like to see others benefit from my experience in where the problem areas were and what fixes I did or plan to do.  I'm not interested in keyboard warriors second guessing my repairs and saying I should have done this or that.  The work was done after much  research and with the best materials available and to the best of my skills and I'm a journeyman Joiner so am able to find my way around most things to do with wood or Corian.

Some of these fixes are pretty easy to do, others require a lot of research and work.  Some work not easy to do when you are on your back with your neck craned at an odd angle.

Sometimes when the rig is opened up, it presents opportunities to upgrade, modify or prep for other planned improvements down the road.  Or in my case replace a water vent hose black with mould that would otherwise never been found or seen.  Gross pics available.

Some fixes or variations of may lend themselves to other situations on other brands.

Example, my split  watertank had to be replaced last Fall.  This was an enormous job, pics were taken, repairs were uber done.  It did open up other areas that needed repairs. 

Pics showing where water did get in and what to look for perhaps saving others from the same grief. 

Another is TS slideout motors.  I've had my BR slide motor out several times.  The dealers would like to sell me another $500 motor when all it took was a 25 cent Woodruff key.  The key acts as a sacrificial link and shears if too much torque is applied.  An easy 1 hr fix.  I have all the pics and instructions on file.

Due to poor responses to topics posted in the past, I decided not to upload  pics or what and how repairs were done.

On a separate note, water intrusion, damage and rot, IMO would be a worthy topic at any Rally.  Some minor issues not involving a tablesaw, chopsaw, router or other noisy tools could be undertaken and completed by those with the necessary skills in a few days or less.  Something I'd find more rewarding than sitting around nursing a stale beer.

At the vey least people would leave informed.

 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Roger,

The biggest issue I found on our 2017 DRV Mobile Suite this past November was that the wood floor was attached to the bottom of the slide out framing.  There was a really skinny bead of adhesive and lag bolts that were run up into the bottom aluminum plate of the slide-out wall assembly.  The lower metal - fender skirt was then attached with brads, and then the beltline molding was attached with screws to the end grain of the wood floor.  There is a thin foam strip on the back of the belt line molding that tears after the screw is pushed thru it.  The top of the molding is caulked with a cheap caulk that breaks down in 2-3 months.  This allows water to seep under the molding, follow the screw threads into an unprotected wood substrate.  

[rdickinson]

There was a 2 hr gap from the original shortened post to the one that is up now.

I have been thru this same issue and so has someone else who had really good wood skills, he documented and posted the process. My situation was similar to yours, rotten floor  which the RV repair people ignored and carpeted  over.  The slidout wall almost fell off.

With much difficulty I undercut the floor back 6" more than the rot, cut out and sistered in parts of studs and wall plate then replaced the OSB flooring with doubled up  pressue treated plywood which was a little thicker than 1/2" as opposed to the OSB being a heavy 7/16".  Removing the whole slide would have been the best issue but at the time, not an option.

Sikaflex, putty butyl tape with the paper back and both types of Dicor compounds seem to be the major players in the RV industry.  Add to that my trusty PL Premium and Rot It rot killer.

I hear you loud and clear re screws in edgegrain OSB.  They are not going to hold.  In my case on the last refit, the water tank replacement,  I cut the OSB back and replaced it with solid wood..I'll post a pic

Rotted floor edge with as you call it beltline exposed with butyl tape still on.

Pic of passengers side floor aft of triple axle.  Techs call this rounded transition "J panel"

I used a Multitool plus chisels to cut back the rotted 1/2' plywood floor as close to 7/8" as I could, cleaned the 'beltline' of glue etc.  The white piece is a 2x3 dadoed or plowed out to allow a 1-1/2" x 3/4" solid material facing your beltline area.  The remaining over 1" was glued with Rhino glue and screwed to the underside of the plywood. 

Butyl tape was put on the solid wood facing the inside of the beltline  before fastening to the underside of the plywood.  The screws thru the beltline trim into the solid wood got a really good bite.  Couldn't ask for better.  None of them spin.  Which is what others could do to see if there could be an issue with their respective trailers.

If your rig was at the backend of the park at a Rally, ther's no doubt in my mind with some of this bunch and adequate tools, pics in advance to scope out the work, it could be fixed in short order.  And it would be Uber built.

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Problem posting pics again... 

We had cosmetic hail damage being repaired actually replacing the lower panel when they found this.  It was 1" interior grade fir plywood, 10-12 layer.  But no sealants on the edges, tape nothing.  The shop had enough plywood that I made a long piece- 23 foot long, with a little West System and a 2ft scarf joint- tapered joint... Put the joint over a floor support roller.  We sealed the edges, and reinstalled with caulking oozing out.  

[rdickinson]

http://photoposting.is-great.net/

Jim, can you copy this link to your Favourites tool bar at the top of your screen.  Just below top line which has the BLUE circle with the white left pointing arrow inside it.

Highlite it by   left clicking  at one end or the other then move mouse to the other end.  Release left button.  The whole line should be dark blue in my case.  Keep cursor on it then rt click to copy it.

Release rt button

Move curser down drop down menu to copy

Go to top of page and left click on Favourites, it will turn dark blue.

Release left button

With left button released , move cursor down to 'Add to favourites bar'.  It will be a lighter shade of blue

Left click on favourites bar

You now have the photo posting site on your toolbar. 

Get that done and I'll walk you thru getting pics on  the forum.

 

 

R

 

 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

A few pics for ya/

 

[rdickinson]

OK, looks like you salvaged the plywood by injecting epoxy between layers and clamping it together somehow.  Just because wood or plywood is discolored doesn't mean it's rotten.  So you may be OK.  Normally plywood I've worked with will warp when it gets wet but not delaminate..Ie Kitchen toekicks.

Your screws are still going into the edge of the plywood tho.  I Used stainless #8 screws and predrilled the holes.  Tighten by hand so as not to overtighten and strip.  Like a drill would or could.

Maybe do a 180 with the trim so the screws don't go in the same holes.

In the case of my bedroom slideout, I cut the rotten material plus 6" back and replaced it. 

I put a pce of 3/8" thick by 6" wide plastic from the outer edge of the slide running inwards to disperse  the slideout weight.

I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

21 minutes ago, rdickinson said:

OK, looks like you salvaged the plywood by injecting epoxy between layers and clamping it together somehow.  Just because wood or plywood is discolored doesn't mean it's rotten.  So you may be OK.  Normally plywood I've worked with will warp when it gets wet but not delaminate..Ie Kitchen toekicks.

Your screws are still going into the edge of the plywood tho.  I Used stainless #8 screws and predrilled the holes.  Tighten by hand so as not to overtighten and strip.  Like a drill would or could.

Maybe do a 180 with the trim so the screws don't go in the same holes.

In the case of my bedroom slideout, I cut the rotten material plus 6" back and replaced it. 

I put a pce of 3/8" thick by 6" wide plastic from the outer edge of the slide running inwards to disperse  the slideout weight.

I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it.

We removed the entire floor and replaced it as both ends and the majority of the side was delamed and dripping when we exposed it.  The bottom pic was at the end of the slide.  We wrapped the edge of the plywood with an Eternabond type tape that would help seal any holes going into it. Installed floor from the bottom side, wrapped another layer of the tape from the side, down under the flooring lapping the edge wrap.  Side metal was hung and the molding was caulked underneath after holes had been predrilled.  Bottom side exterior inside corner was caulked and taped as well.  

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Roger- Sent ya a PM with a link of a bunch of pics.  We removed the floor and replaced as there was too much damage to do an epoxy repair.

[rdickinson]

I'd like to see what can be taken away from this so others who have not had to deal with it could do  a pre emptive strike to prevent this grief.

There needs to be a refit shop which identifies the known problems and repairs them at a reasonable cost.  If something else crops up later, the owner is advised of it and given options.

If known issues were identified and costed out then future buyers could be made aware so they could offer X amount less for the trailer to allow for mods.

After market modifications.