Quote:
Hi Mike,
I have a 17ft burro that has begun to leak from the right wheel well like you suggest here. I finally figured out why the floor was wet when I sealed up the wheel well with a plastic bag and tyvek tape during a rain storm which kept the area bone dry.
My question is soon it will be rainy season again and I want to fix the situation for good and don't know what to use to seal the leak and where to actually seal it. Ive been under the trailer and it seems like the culprit is actually the fiberglass in the wheel well which looks like some kind of substance was once applied to it probably to rectify the same situation.
I don't know if this is the proper forum to post this so admin feel free to move it if necessary.
I just really would like some expertise in fixing it so I don't hurt my burro.
With much appreciation,
Laurie
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Laurie, I'm the first to say that I'm NO expert...I bought a 13' Burro that was in much worse shape than was obvious, forcing me to remove the trailer from the frame and replace the flooring. Along the way, I found lots of areas that had allowed water to reach the rotted floor...most of which were flaws from the factory. From here forward I'll assume your 17' Burro is constructed like my 13', only larger. Remove a wheel, get a
light, and look the cavity over closely. At frame level you should see the edge of the structural plywood floor. Any time you drive in the rain, the plywood gets doused! Another joint is where the inner and outer fiberglass shells join to form the wheel well, best viewed by lying on your back, and with a flashlight, look upward just inside the lip of the "fender". I sealed both of these areas with fiberglass tape and epoxy resin....bear in mind here, that my frame was completely removed at this time. I "painted" the edge of the plywood with epoxy resin a couple coats and then wet out the fiberglass tape and bedded it into the wet resin completely sealing the edge of any exposed wood. Did this twice (two coats). Where the two fiberglass shells join forming the wheel well....same thing. The factory had sealed some areas in random fashion with a ceramic-putty of some sort. VERY hard and brittle. This ceramic had separated in about half the applications and was serving as a funnel. Hammer-and-chiseled the loose off and resealed with epoxy resin. The areas I mention probably would NOT have leaked unless the trailer was being towed on wet roads/in the rain. Your description and solution sound like your trailer was leaking while stationary....since you used a plastic bag and tape to stop the water. Your leak source may be from somewhere other than those I describe.
I also found
every external
light leaking....from the taillights to the high-mounted clearance
lights....all were leaking around both the mounting screws and the access holes for wiring.
Lights leaking lets water go between the shells straight to the plywood structural floor. Also, make sure the drain holes or grooves in the window frames are clean and not plugged with dirt. I drilled several more in each window. My goal was to be as light and dry as possible, so I also removed the 'fridge and range, covering the outside vents with aluminum checkerplate. Both these vents were leaking big time! I had a sieve. Now, with the new floor, all the sealing efforts and new door gasket, resealed
windows, (original window pane seals) some elbow grease and colorful (at times) language, the Burro is 100% dry in the hardest rains.....worth the effort. I use a Coleman camp stove and an effecient cooler...more versatile, since we cook outside mostly. A 5 gallon Igloo water cooler from a flea market is our potable water supply. Thinking about taking the sink out as well. Hope this helps...
Mike in WV