Wavy exterior wall - Page 2

Rt.239Design · 05-03-2018, 04:12 PM

Well, I see we did have a bandaid on the front corner. I got digging around where I seen some ants coming out of a small hole and thought I better take a closer look. Well this is what I found. So, I cleaned it up the best i could, put some new brutal tape strips under the molding, installed some longer screws (that really didn't catch much) and ran a strip of white 3" wide rubber tape the over the top seam that local camper place placed recommended. I will post some pics of my finished project. I would love to have dug deeper, but I was afraid I would not get to use it this year!

**JohnB** · 05-08-2018, 09:18 PM

Oh boy... A somewhat textbook case of the prior owner not doing the required frequent roof maintenance and caulking check.

Your patch sounds good to help get you through for a while. You can plan in a repair project at a time in the future. Stopping new water from getting in is a hugh help. Good job!

Ants... I helped a friend last year that had a boat load of them in the rear wall. The big black ants type. Be prepared with several cans of ant spray. I'll take wood rot any day over an ants infection.... At least rotten wood does not crawl in every direction at once.

Happy camping and let us know how it goes.

Rt.239Design · 05-09-2018, 06:40 AM

OH BOY.. is what I keep saying the more I look.. I think I'm going to patch and seal what the roof and walls the best I can, and try to enjoy it a little this season. Then figure out if its worth fixing the correct way or what to do.. I have found some other issues on the back wall also. where the wood seams to be dry, but the outer coating is delaminated and lose. Im trying to "pack" the corners around the moldings with burial tape to seal and tighten the wall coating up. I really wanted to drill a small hole in the skin and squeeze in a bottle of Grillia glue.. Thank God my wife said quit poking around!!!!!

**JohnB** · 05-09-2018, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rt.239Design

I really wanted to drill a small hole in the skin and squeeze in a bottle of Grillia glue.. Thank God my wife said quit poking around!!!!!

Yes, listen to your wife....

Do not think Gorilla glue as it expands as it cures. They do make delam repair kits. It is an epoxy you mix and then pour it down the walls and then put on a monster clamp to hold the fiberglass to the wall board. And you never have to take the panel off the camper. You get creative with the clamp as each are different depending on what part you are bonding back together.

The only issue is, you have to dry out the substrate first. Bonding to wet wood is not a lasting fix. That is the real issue and something that is not a fast process.

Here is a site I found last year on one way they do it. RV Camper Motorhome Delamination Repair

There is a lot more out there on the topic and what type of epoxy to use.

The only thing I could not yet find on the delam repair site was how they dried out the wall before they applied the epoxy?? I have a neighbor friend with a wet filon camper, he is trying to figure out if he really wants to fix it or not. I sealed it to stop any more leaking water, but the front and rear wall panels need to come off which is not very hard to do. They are wet too but a easier fix then the side walls. Then then sides that are delaminated could be dried out when it is opened up and we can epoxy them back together. I sense this might be another winter project if he decides he wants to fix it.

Point being, your on the right track. Stop the leak from getting more water in now, then later come back when you have the right length of time to deal with it. As a weekend warrior fix it kind of person this will take a good amount of elapsed time. Even working full time on it, it takes a good amount of time just start to end is less time.

Go have fun camping!

Rt.239Design · 05-11-2018, 08:12 PM

Got the over/under kit on! It comes in the drive with out dragging butt! now we need some dry weather to do a maiden voyage..

**Sunline Fan** · 05-11-2018, 08:54 PM

Looks good! I hear ya about the rain. I leave have a roof wash and sidewall wash waiting on it to stop raining!

**JohnB** · 05-11-2018, 10:30 PM

Your lift looks good! Yeh, rain is supposed to start Saturday and be hear the entire week.

Rt.239Design · 05-12-2018, 06:18 AM

Thanks JohnB, I have to get some of my roof repair pics for review from you guys.. I think I might of went a little excessive but I'm worried but it haunting me. I hope to finish up everything this weekend. I found some more wet areas in the back toy hauler area, and I can see where the floor has been replaced before, so I guess a lot of these leaks will be a mystery until i get it all dryer out and finish my hood caulking and repairs. I sooooo wish I would have found this site before I bought it.

**Sunline Fan** · 05-14-2018, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rt.239Design

I sooooo wish I would have found this site before I bought it.

Don't kick yourself too hard, there are a TON of RVs out there with water damage yet to be seen. With rubber roofs these days that have small beads of Dicor sealant, a leak spot can open up in as soon as a year from manufacture. Since most RV dealers never emphasize to new owners to check for these, these gaps go unnoticed and open up more. As JohnB has found, it takes a long time for a leak to be visible inside, and when it does, the damage is really bad where you can't see.

So unless you were to find a unicorn, you'll have to deal with some level of water damage. At least you'll know you can repair this one and make it good, better than another used trailer you might have found.

Rt.239Design · 05-14-2018, 08:31 AM

Thanks for encouraging words. I get a panicited with the unknown, and really the inside has no funky smells or water stains on the ceiling or walls. At some point the plywood in the garage section was replaced, because they used torx head deck screws, unless they used them at the factory. The sad thing is thats the last place I found water was wicking in the OSB they used.. I will get some pics, and give up on the videos.. Thanks again for all the support from this forum.

**Sunline Fan** · 05-14-2018, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rt.239Design

Thanks for encouraging words. I get a panicited with the unknown, and really the inside has no funky smells or water stains on the ceiling or walls. At some point the plywood in the garage section was replaced, because they used torx head deck screws, unless they used them at the factory. The sad thing is thats the last place I found water was wicking in the OSB they used.. I will get some pics, and give up on the videos.. Thanks again for all the support from this forum.

That's good news. Sounds like my '97- yes, it has some water damage, but it isn't really seen yet and there are no odd smells.

Did they replace the floor or ceiling in the garage area? I know the original floor was covered in rubber, did they not put that back down?

**JohnB** · 05-14-2018, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rt.239Design

Thanks for encouraging words. I get a panicited with the unknown, and really the inside has no funky smells or water stains on the ceiling or walls. At some point the plywood in the garage section was replaced, because they used torx head deck screws, unless they used them at the factory. The sad thing is thats the last place I found water was wicking in the OSB they used.. I will get some pics, and give up on the videos.. Thanks again for all the support from this forum.

As Sunline Fan stated, what you have is a very repairable camper. The fiberglass siding will make it a little different in repair than the aluminum but it still can be done with common knowledge of wood working tools and, "time".

Don't know if you followed this link yet. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...avy-16834.html

That will show you on an aluminum sided camper the process. Yours will be a little different due to the siding "IF" you have to go this far but this camper was all repaired for not an mega parts cost, but we did have a "lot of love" time we put into it. The cost and work hours are listed in the post. This will give you a "look" at to what it may take. You can then decide if this for you to do or not.

The outcome is a totally dry camper that is now totally sealed with Eternabond tape after the orignal fix along with Dicor'ed sealed edges and it is better than new. Taken care of that camper can last a real long time, close to as long as you want it too.

I put in a note to our Admin on the video. We need to get that to work regardless. Yes, take still pic's too. If using the phone try not to rotate the phone so the pics will post right side up.

And if your timing waits long enough.... I will have 2 more rebuilds done and posted. Yes, I have 2 project campers on top of the big T310SR we use all the time. They will get the same restorting treatment. The Sunline brand is a good one to restore and what you end up with is a really nice camper, still better then many new ones. Your does not yet have inside water damage which make the repair a "lot" easier.