Maintenance & Restoration

Gumpit · 11-13-2010, 03:48 PM

1978 Trillium 4500.....I started the Belly Band project today. The wood around the window frame looked good but you could tell the wood under the belly band in the rear was rotted. As you can see, once the window is out it is easy to get down to where the rotted wood is and remove it. Then some epoxy, new wood and fill the belly band gap... Not all the rivets were rotted but a lot were. Mostly in the back. The ones in front looked pretty good. Water was definitely getting in the back. The first picture is after I dug out the rotted wood.The pictures are out of order but you can see the outlet and the rotted wood looking down in the second picture. I replaced the rotted wood and have the back all clamped up so the fiberglass where the band was in the back is even so when I remove the clamps I can fill the gap and put on the auto trim. The second to last picture is what it looked like under the small piece of belly band that was mounted to the door. I think I am going to put a wooden name sign there instead of a piece of trim. Randy

Gumpit · 11-14-2010, 03:16 PM

Day 2 of the Belly Band job. You can see the new wood in the epoxy in the first and second pic. Now the seem isnt bulging and it is flush. The third shows the band filled,ground down and skimmed. I need to sand down very little and install the auto trim. Although I may get a price on the spray in bedliner stuff to do a colored stripe where the belly band was.As well as the front lower section where rocks would kick up from the highway. The wooden window frame is back in and is clamped to dry. Randy

Joe MacDonald · 11-14-2010, 06:17 PM

Looks really good, that's a lot of work to go through

Gumpit · 11-14-2010, 07:20 PM

It wouldn't be as bad if the garage it is in currently was heated. It is taking a while for the resin to set up. The work is pretty easy. Once the window is out it is easy to get to the bad wood. I would buy another one with the same problem in a heartbeat. It is a great little project and will be done in time for spring. Cushions are getting new fabric and new curtains. A good cleaning and then a laminate flooring. I am up in the air about the bathroom. Someone had taken out the original toilet and put in one that sat on top of a holding tank. I took that out. For space sake I would put in a porta potty. But I think I would rather have a couch in the front. So I may need to remove the sink and shelving up front next and have a couch with a space enough for the prta potty underneath to slide out.

Gumpit · 11-14-2010, 09:22 PM

Just a note: After I removed the belly band and I had to remove the caulking and glue and whatever else they had trying to seal it. I bought GOO GONE from Home Depot.... It did NOTHING.... Useless... I then tried GOOF-OFF and it took it off VERY quickly.... Randy

Donna D. · 11-15-2010, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumpit

Someone had taken out the original toilet and put in one that sat on top of a holding tank. I took that out.

BTW: It's VERY common for fiberglass trailers to have toilets sitting on the blackwater tank (inside the trailer).... don't know if it is common for the Trillum however.

Gumpit · 11-15-2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

BTW: It's VERY common for fiberglass trailers to have toilets sitting on the blackwater tank (inside the trailer).... don't know if it is common for the Trillum however.

I just didn't like the look of the 6" step up platform. The original owner said they didnt like the smell from the original chemical toilet so they added the holding tank.They had to remove the cabinet door so it would open and it was awkward for the bifold door to operate. I havent figured out what I am going to put up front but I am glad I removed it. Randy

Rarebird · 11-16-2010, 07:21 AM

Randy,
Amazing, it looks EXACTLY like our trailer, rotten wood, belly band off, etc!

We removed all those little (rusted) connecters for the belly band, and filled in the space with fiberglass. We don't however, have a garage, so the rest of the project will have to wait until spring. Not sure what to do with that space where the band was...tape? spray? another band? What exactly is bedliner paint?
Keep me informed on what ideas you come up with, as they may inspire me come spring.
Thanks, Marjie

Gumpit · 11-16-2010, 10:13 PM

I reinstalled the back window tonight and was taking off the blue stripe. What a pain that is. I still have about a 5 foot section to take off. I have until the weekend to use the garage at work.Then they start remodeling so I will have to bring it back home. I filled the seem with fiberglass and ground it down fairly smooth. I am going to put on the 2" auto trim and if it doesn't look right I will get the price on the "spray on bedliner" . What the bedliner spray looks like is about 1/4" rubber type spray. Much like car undercoat but it is extremely durable. Waterproof and will not come off. If that costs too much I was talking to a guy today that said there was a kit you could buy to do it yourself. I may go that route.Hopefully it comes in colors like the professional spray liners do. I am going to try and finish removing the blue stripe tomorrow and put on a new one. It needs to be cleaned and then I need to put on the REDMAX finish. Then it can come home for the rest of the work. Randy

Gumpit · 11-17-2010, 09:12 PM

O.K. The blue stripes are off. I took some before pics for reference for when I put on the REDMAX. The other pics are of it after I washed it and it is still wet. I want to see the difference between the wet look and REDMAX. Hopefully I can get the REDMAX on this weekend. As well as the trim and new blue stripes. Randy

Gumpit · 11-18-2010, 10:00 PM

The new stripes are on. But as I sand more of the belly band I realize that it is coming out smoother than I thought it would. I was going to put the 2" wide auto trim on it. Then I was thinking I could use spray on bed liner if it wasn't going to be wide enough to cover all the imperfections that sanding was going to leave. Now I am thinking that it will be smooth enough to paint a trim stripe to either match the blue stripes below or another color that would go with them. I have also seen some of the other posts where people are using stencils to make their camper unique. I like the checker board one personally. The good thing is I can start with the auto trim and if I don't like it I can peel it off and go with the paint. Then if I want to customize the Belly Stripe after I can.... Now the question is what is the most durable paint to use? .... Randy

Phil 4500 · 11-19-2010, 06:51 AM

Awlgrip is used to paint fibreglass boats

Donna D. · 11-19-2010, 08:39 AM

How about using a blue reflective tape around the belly band? It would stand out!
Amazon.com: 1" by 37.5' Blue reflective pin stripping tape: Automotive I have a picture somewhere of a Casita at night in the campground. Looks great!

Gumpit · 11-19-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

How about using a blue reflective tape around the belly band? It would stand out!
Amazon.com: 1" by 37.5' Blue reflective pin stripping tape: Automotive I have a picture somewhere of a Casita at night in the campground. Looks great!

I was just thinking paint would work because I could paint it to the right width after I finish sanding. I am probably going to end up where the band starts to " bend " back to the rest of the body. I will go and measure the width I need in case I go the tape route. I wouldn't mind reflective tape though. Randy

Donna D. · 11-20-2010, 07:07 AM

I found one daylight picture, it's alot more dramatic at night when the light hits it... like going down the highway!

Gumpit · 11-20-2010, 07:41 AM

That would be perfect. I think the width I am looking for is 2 1/2" which seems to be a little hard to find. 2" doesn't cover up some of the flaws and 3 is a little over the bend. But I will get some 3" painters tape to check and see. Thanks Randy

Gumpit · 11-20-2010, 12:10 PM

I actually found a place that I am having my coupler replaced at that does spray on bedliners. He said he could do the belly band as well as the lower front where rock chips occur. I will let you know which route I go. Even if I do the belly band with the bed liner I think I will get some of the reflective tape for parts of the side for safety.It looks like that stuff really sticks out when the light hits it. Thanks Randy

nick c · 11-22-2010, 04:14 PM

[QUOTE=Gumpit;229614]The new stripes are

Where did you find stripes so close to the original??? I need to do belly band on my 4500, wet sand and polish finish with new stripes would be ideal.

Gumpit · 11-22-2010, 06:15 PM

DecalZone, Solid Vinyl Roll Striping I got the Olympic Blue. It is a little lighter but looks close enough for me. You can probably get them to send a sample of that or another shade.