Burro floor wet under the linoleum: is this a condensation problem?

[Mike Magee]

On the Burro it's for looks, not to hold the halves together. Don't worry, you won't split your egg.

[rabbit]

Good to know, Mike. Suspected as much but better safe than clueless, flangeless, eggless and itching all over. The center seam flanges might also make a good attachment point for that flexible hose with the controllable lights inside. Strictly for those who have done all they can do with illuminated chili peppers!

jack

[jen b]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

On the Burro it's for looks, not to hold the halves together. Don't worry, you won't split your egg.

Another thanks for the confirmation! A Burro Over Easy would be a real bummer!

[jen b]

Backing up for a second, how ARE the two halves held together if not at that flange? I woke up in the middle of the night trying to picture how and where they are otherwise stuck to each other.

[cpaharley2008]

My thoughts exactly, but I was bowing out to other opinions.

[Mike Magee]

I've read many comments in the past about the two halves being joined with more fiberglass across the joint. Same prinicple as a seamless hull repair on a boat.

Let me ask you a question: does the flange look like it has the structural strength to actually hold the two halves together? It would have to be really thick and strong for that job.

[Lizbeth]

Originally Posted by jen b

Backing up for a second, how ARE the two halves held together if not at that flange? I woke up in the middle of the night trying to picture how and where they are otherwise stuck to each other.

See my post above. You have the thing torn apart, take a look at the seams. I'm sure you can see fiberglass at the seam at the top and bottom of the window openings. You need to check that anyway if you are suspect of leaking windows.

[ThomasE]

In my 2000 17ft Burro, the Trimlock is a decorative cover. The left and right halves of a Burro are fiberglassed together, with an added fiberglass strip bridging the two halves, on the inside. You can see this if you remove the interior center trim. I had a small leak along that center seam, I removed all the silicon that was previously there and put on a narrow strip of Eternabond, then put the Trimlock back on top of that. Zero leaks since that permanent fix. But if I were to ever paint the Burro in the future, I would grind away that center seam completely and glass/fill it in before hand, I like that all smooth look.

[jen b]

I will have to take a much closer look the next time I am at the winter makeover HQ in another 2 weeks. I have a 1980, which may have some structural variations from the more recent 1990s models. But I do feel like the two halves definitely are fused in the interior below the windows....I have not paid a lot of close attention to what it looks like inside, at the ceiling.

[cpaharley2008]

When you go, take a bunch of these in case you need them-

[jen b]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

When you go, take a bunch of these in case you need them-

I thought I might prophylactically wrap a roll of duct tape all the way around!

[Mike Magee]

Now that is an interesting idea, an egg refinished with duct tape! No worries about a dull gelcoat. They even have different colors of duct tape now, so you'd have great flexibility in decorating style. Maybe a combination of Red and Green?

[EddyEd]

I considered this too after watching the YouTube video of the kid and dad who made and entire camper out of duct tape. It even goes into detail about how to layer it just right to eliminate leaking. Of course I am a bit of a geek.

[Donna D.]

I KNOW you are all just pulling someone's leg talking about duct tape on a trailer. The glue turns to concrete and is nearly impossible to get off. Ask me how I know! Okay, lessons learned and if I use duct tape... it won't be on the trailer for more than a day or two at most and most definitely NOT when the ambient temperature is hot. I consider duct tape to be as nasty as silicone on my trailer... run Will Robinson, run!

[rabbit]

I don't play an engineer on TV but my best wag is that two flanges roughly 3/4" in height bonded together with resin would have about the same resistance to separation as the same flanges held together with Jim's paper clips. I hate climbing out on that roof (usually use a duck board extending off a section of scaffold) despite the beam section created by the longitudinal "clerestory" that assures proper headroom for the "vertically challenged" (anyone over 5' 11"). Most likely the halves are both bonded at the flanges AND strapped across the seam on the interior. Home Makeover, Trailer Edition will certainly reveal the truth in the case of Jen's 13. Let us know, Jen.

jack

[Raz]

Three thoughts---

--It occurs to me that the vertical flange is structural in that much like a piece of angle iron it will provide rigidity to the roof. I would be reluctant to "flatten" it.

--While trying to find a leak we had duct tape on the belly band and the back windows of our Trillium for about a month which included a couple of weeks in the outer banks of North Carolina in June and did not experience the issues Donna refers to. The stuff came right off with minimal residue that was easily removed with Go Gone. Same story this fall when the closet door hinges let loose. I did a temporary fix on the hinges and added duct tape to hold it together. Perhaps it's a brand issue. In the past I've used either 3m or Duck brand. Just bought some from Ace. We'll see how that behaves.

-- Finally I would definitely seal the flange on top to keep water from working its way in and then in the winter freezing, expanding, and creating a leak. I realize where you are you don't get the winter we do here in VT, still it's a consideration. Raz

[jen b]

This is a great debate on the value of the flange. I'll be heading over to winter makeover HQ this weekend and we'll eye the thing up and go from there. I'll report back! Thanks all for the input!

[Donna D.]

Raz, your point about "brand" of duct tape may be spot on. I think I bought the cheap stuff... thought I'd have to chisel the glue off...

Jen, we'll wait for your follow up!

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Raz, your point about "brand" of duct tape may be spot on. I think I bought the cheap stuff... thought I'd have to chisel the glue off...

Jen, we'll wait for your follow up!

Yet another victim of Dollar store duct tape. I saw some stuff called Gorilla tape the other day. I don't think I would use that either.

[honda03842]

We borrowed our son's casita last year. The previous owner had duct taped a forsale sign to the door leaving residual sticky stuff behind.

I used WD40 on a micro cloth to remove it. Not easy but it worked.