Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Ripsnort on December 21, 2009, 10:47:12 AM
-
Can't remember if I did or not....anyway...
We purchased ($9,000) a used 19 year old motorhome last year, with 42,000 orginal miles. Prestine condition, except I noticed it had leaked near the large front window, a typical problem for these type of Class C's. It wasn't until this fall that I decided to pry into the problem.
My intentions were to to do this in 3 stages:
--upper rebuild of cabover tieing into solid upper wood and cover window.
--frontal rebuild and flooring
--Sealing it up, final paint.
As I began to explore, it didn't look pretty... musty smell starting filling my nostrils as I exlored deeper. Final verdict: partial Cabover rebuild with intentions to remove the window.
I spent about 6 hours tearing it apart, keeping the old wood in tack to the best of my ability, for later measurements. I have about 80 hours and $1100 invested so far. What were the quotes to have an RV place repair this? $3000-$5,000 dollars, depending on the RV place.
Here are some before, during and current "in progress" pics. I'm trying to get it ready for hunting season and ski season, which we used it for last season.
Wood rot looking up the rail near window:
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/374822475.jpg)
Floor boards of the cab over section (where the kids slept) showing the dry rot problem after tear off
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/374822472.jpg)
Tear off complete up to the "good wood" where the rot stopped..
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/374822470.jpg)
Old and new leading edge
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/374822477.jpg)
Framing (looks distorted due to wide angle lens) shows the big window GONE! Cya!
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/374822483.jpg)
Framing covered and West Epoxy system coated wood (no rotting in the future!)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/374959428.jpg)
-
I then added some insulation to the leading edge nose (pic 1) and then attached the outter skin panel (The entire front has West Epoxy coating, no future water damage here!).
Then I added 1.5" insulfoam type 2 in the interior of the cabover, (pic 2) and then sealed it up with the interior panel (pic 3).
This creates a very strong "sandwich", two pieces of 1/4" plywood (total 1/2" thick) and foam core (Pic 4). The kids should be nice and toasty on those cold winter nights at ski camp.
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/375310784.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/375468008.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/375468009.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/375468005.jpg)
A good friend who works at an RV manufacturer in Riverside, CA went out of his way during a busy time of year to fabricate two pieces that I needed to continue on the project. He'll be getting a good bottle of scotch in the mail soon.
The first piece of filon was cemented in place on the first bedboard, then installed. Both 1st and 2nd 'extention' piece of filon-backed 3/4" was then attached with self-tapping Machine screws into the metal frame on the sidewalls. I have it propped up in place to prevent the slight sag between the two pieces of 3/4". I will fiberglass tape these two sections from the inside.
The next step is attaching the outter piece of filon that wraps around the nose, which will cover the 2nd piece of 3/4" plywood.
(Wide angle lens distorts some views)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376166325.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376166330.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376166327.jpg)
As mentioned before, the MH has a huge front window, and it leaked during its life somewhere along the line. There was only 1 previous owner, and I think he tried to seal it up, but of course the water damage was sealed up with it, thus dry rot. I removed this window permanantly and framed in the hole left by the window. No more leaks there!
I finished the interior Oct 18th (minus the molding) with a white oak finish panel and all I have left now is to put the final piece of fiberglass around the cabover, plan on doing it this Sunday. I have about 55 hours into this project so far. (Sure beats paying the price for a new Motor home!)
Interior complete except for molding, trim on the edges of the paneling:
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376344586.jpg)
Top portion of fiberglass filon was salvaged, sanded, primered and painted with Interlux exterior boat paint. Final new piece of fiberglass filon yet to be added.
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376344585.jpg)[/QUOTE]
-
Then we made the final bend around the leading edge .
First picture shows the propane heater at the far end and ceramic heater nearest, that warmed up the .06 filon to make it easier to conform and reduce chances of cracking.
Second picture shows the 2X4’s that held it underneath after sealing and screwing the edges (Stainless steel countersunk screws)
Third picture shows how we kept pressure on the leading edge. This was my dad’s idea and it worked great!
Just alittle sealing of the edges with 3M 5200 caulk and apply the eternabond tape to the edges, seams and we’re finished!
Hope to have a final picture this week-end. Depends how fast my double back eternabond tape ships.
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376889835.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376889837.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376733809.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/376889839.jpg)
-
The final product, complete with a picture I took this past fall of a trout spitting out a hook while my son was fishing. I had it blown up with photex exterior product called Wallhogs.
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/379419000.jpg)
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/379419011.jpg)
Interior pic, completed
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22555210/377317215.jpg)
-
:eek: Wow! That is great!
-
And a HUGE thanks to MT aka Midnight Tahgut, his business provided me with the new pieces of filon (that fiberglass covering) at cost! It would not have turned out nearly as neat and tidy without his help! :rock
-
Looks Good Rip, Enjoy it :)
-
Holy crap Rip!!! That's AWESOME!
Great work :cheers:
-
Thanks Heater and Dynamite! You'd be surprised (well, maybe not...) what materials and methods the manufacturers use to build motor homes and coaches. I was surprised as hell to see STAPLES and glue that held this together. I probably applied overkill when rebuilding it (hey,I'm a Boeing guy, we always overbuild!), but I'll sleep well at night knowing it's not going to leak. I'm certainly glad Fleetwood used a metal frame for the walls, otherwise this rebuild may have been much more extensive.
-
Nice work.
I have garage envy.
-
Very nice. Love finishing touch with the trout picture.
-
Very nice. Love finishing touch with the trout picture.
Thanks! Sure beats that huge leaking, useless window that used to be up there!
>>
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/21767624/359077741.jpg
-
Nice job Rip. :cheers: :aok
But that fishing story. Come now, tell the truth, it was your fish not your son's. :devil
-
Way cool. :aok
-
Very cool. Nice freaking job Rip. :salute
-
WOW. Wtfg Rip! That thing looks better than new!
-
Nice job Rip. :cheers: :aok
But that fishing story. Come now, tell the truth, it was your fish not your son's. :devil
Thanks all.
Milo Morai....its sort of hard to hold a camera and catch (er...lose) a fish at the same time. :D Seriously though, I was teaching them to "lip catch" the trout, otherwise the dam trout would swallow the hook, and we already had our limit! So, the trick is, as soon as they hit it, you set the hook so they don't swallow it. This means you'll lose a couple of fish naturally as was in this case, but it teaches the kids to catch only what you're going to eat!
(http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/22567437/379946916.jpg)
-
great job on the rv and the pic :aok
-
Rip! That looks incredible. MT kudos for giving Rip the hook-up on the product! :rock
-
Nice job man...that took some work and patience. :salute
-
Nice job man...that took some work and patience. :salute
Very nice work.
-
VERY nice! :aok
-
Tidy work Rip, very nice indeed!
Steely
-
Nicely done! :aok
Whenever I see one of those, or hear y'alls stories I think of that series "Promised Land."
-
Very nice Rip, is this something you were sure you could tackle when you first started or was it a learn-by-doing type thing?....(I work on my own things too if I have the chance...boy is it treacherous waters telling the g/f you took apart her console to get a few more watts out of her stereo system and thus she can take your car to go shopping :bolt:) but overall it looks pretty good...
-
Nice job Rip, but that's exactly why I chose a Holiday Rambler when I bought my used RV. Solid aluminum framework and skin.
-
Very very nice Ripsnort!
-
Very nice Rip, is this something you were sure you could tackle when you first started or was it a learn-by-doing type thing?....(I work on my own things too if I have the chance...boy is it treacherous waters telling the g/f you took apart her console to get a few more watts out of her stereo system and thus she can take your car to go shopping :bolt:) but overall it looks pretty good...
I knew it had some previous leak issues, but I did not think they were extensive as dry rot. I was scared ship-less once I started tearing it apart. To prevent the wave of panic setting in, I sat down and drew up a project plan, in 3 phases. That calmed my nerves, and I began a parts list, then the confidence kicked in. It was nice talking to someone who has done it before too!
RPM, Holiday Ramblers are the best on the market IMO, used or new. My 1973 11.5 Truck Camper was the last truck camper HR made, and we were still using it up until last year! Built like a bull, you'll get many years out of it.
Now, did you specifically go out and shop only HR or did you stumble upon it and now your a fan boi of HR? ;)
One other thing, aluminum frame and skin does not make you exempt from leak issues. If you have windows, or seams, that's where your troubles will be. Fiberglass over steel frames don't leak either, except around windows or seams, as was in this case (the large front window up front which is now bye bye)