Sag in the Top of a Burro

[Kevin A]

Our Burro is performing wonderfully for us since we got it in late May, but I have a question about the roof. It seems there is a dip in the middle of the roof where water will sit and turn scummy when parked (both sides of the central seam which runs front to back). When I jack up the trailer, the water all runs down the back side. Is this dip normal or just a product of old age (1978 Burro)? Can anything be done to bring it back up to level to avoid the water puddling up? If this is normal, I won't worry about it. (I realize this post will probably open up all the comments about other things sagging with age, too!)

[Christi V.]

I dont know to much about how level a trailer has to sit but maybe leave it up enough in front so the water will just run off? other than that I dont have a clue......

[gillian s]

i would doubt that the trailer had this sag on construction; but it is pretty easy to fix if there is some flex on the roof when you lift from the inside. i had the same problem once in a small fg daysailor and repaired it in an hour or two. by mounting battons, (for lack of a better word), athwartship as supports on the inside, old clearance can be reestablished. the 'battons' can be made of almost anything..pvc pipe would work, i used cardboard tubing. a brace is set up to lift the ceiling, like a post of wood or a pipe with a scrap piece of wood wedged in at the top, to hold the ceiling at the desired height. then the battons are glassed to the ceiling, (epoxy would be best, but you could use bondo with cloth). waxed paper or even better, plastic sheet like a piece of a garbage bag should go underneath the brace so it does not stick to the wet glass. the fg cloth is laid over the battons. once cured, the roof will remain whereever the battons were holding it. this could be sanded and painted. if using pvc then it should probably be screwed or glued onto the ceiling to hold it up while the fg kicks.

[MyronL]

Can you show a picture of the sag?

[pjanits]

My 81' has the same sag.
I always thought that snow load may have done it. It was there when I bought it 4 years ago.
I have thought about how to fix it and some ideas here sound pretty good. Maybe I will give it a shot.

[Frederick L. Simson]

It seems there is a dip in the middle of the roof where water will sit...
When I jack up the trailer, the water all runs down the back side.

Is this dip normal or just a product of old age (1978 Burro)?
Can anything be done to bring it back up to level to avoid the water puddling up?

If this is normal, I won't worry about it.

My 1st question to you is, "How much water are we talking about here?"
My 2nd question is, "How much effort are you willing to expend to fix it?"

My grandfather once told me that... "Age is just mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

My 1978 Fiber Stream also has a very slight depression in the roof, where water collects.
One medium size sponge will soak it all up in one pass. I don't mind...

[Loren G. Hedahl]

Here's an idea I saw done by a greenhouse operator to protect his hoop houses in case of a snow:

He cut a 2x4 long enough to support the arch for each house. These were inserted in the evenings before going home, and removed in the morning to give better access during the day.

A similar set-up could be used for your Boler.

[Kevin A]

Here's an idea I saw done by a greenhouse operator to protect his hoop houses in case of a snow:

He cut a 2x4 long enough to support the arch for each house. These were inserted in the evenings before going home, and removed in the morning to give better access during the day.

A similar set-up could be used for your Boler.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I don't think this is a structural problem and I don't want to make things worse by messing around too much, so I think I'll just check it every now and then to make sure cracks aren't developing in the sag. It doesn't sag inside, so it must be the outer shell that is compressing against the inner shell.

Kevin

[Lizbeth]

Kevin, there is no inner shell right in the center. There is just something to cover it, originally carpeting but that may have been replaced with wood or some kind of sheeting material.

My Boler puddles a little on the top too, I'm not worried about it.

[pjanits]

My center carpet is really getting cruddy so I MAY try to fix the sag if and when I pull the carpet.
I am afraid it will like pulling a loose tile in the bathroom ( DON'T DO IT) and it's been too hot to mess with it anyway.

Now if someone where to come over and demonstrate how to do it properly.............