Need to repair '78 Trillium upper bunk

[Jane in California]

Ha! The more I deal with this little trailer, the more I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew!

The other day while hitching up to move to a better spot in the driveway, I set the ball by pulling forward and then braking rather rapidly. That went well, but in the meantime the bunk (which I had set up for measuring) came completely off the wall!

I want to put it back, but I think I'll just strip the fabric off, use the fixtures, and use it for a storage area. No one should sleep there except a small child!
Any suggestions for re-attatching the bunk to the wall? It looks like the screws should be longer. Do I just plug all the holes and start over with new drilling, etc? Ah, for a fabricator!!!!

Thanks for all suggestions.

[Larry C Hanson]

Hello,
The screws that hold the bunk hinge to the front of the trailer screw into
the same piece of plywood backing around the window that the window
screws go into. If the wood has been wet much it might need to be replaced.
Barring that you can use the old carpenter trick of using a kitchen and white glue to fill the hole and then reinsert the screws after the glue has set up.
I think I would try that before tearing into to wood window hole backing.
Good Luck, Larry H

[David B.]

Originally Posted by Larry C Hanson

Hello,
The screws that hold the bunk hinge to the front of the trailer screw into
the same piece of plywood backing around the window that the window
screws go into. If the wood has been wet much it might need to be replaced.
Barring that you can use the old carpenter trick of using a kitchen and white glue to fill the hole and then reinsert the screws after the glue has set up.
I think I would try that before tearing into to wood window hole backing.
Good Luck, Larry H

I believe Larry meant to say "trick of using wooden kitchen matches inserted into the glue filled holes with the wooden end in first, then break off flush with the wall, then reinsert the screws after the glue has set up."
Dave & Paula

[Raz]

Examine the screws. Are they rusty? I suspect the plywood spacers around the windows are rotten. The bunk should not pull out that easy. Here is a thread you might find helpful.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ant-64049.html

Be aware, the wall covering is ensolite and is hard to find. If it is in good shape be gentle. Raz

[David Tilston]

Jane, Breath deeply. What you have is a trailer that under all circumstances is repairable:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...now-61473.html
There are two layers of wood that the upper bunk screws into. The frame around the window, and another piece that is screwed into that. They are both 3/4" plywood. The screws that hold the bunk on are about 1-1/4" long. If the plywood that makes up the inside window frame are rotten, which is not uncommon, then they will have to be replaced. I did this on a Trillium this summer:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ead-65342.html

It was removing the inside frames that was the most time consuming. I used a sharpened putty knife to separate the Ensolite, (insulation) from the plywood. This is mostly a slow process, not too difficult. Be careful not to rip the Ensolite, like I did. The corners are kinda difficult to get into. I am thinking that a U shaped chisel would work. Attached is a picture of a spindle gouge, that I think would be perfect for the job. It is normally used on a wood lathe.

I separated the flat surface first. Then I pushed the putty knife down the beveled surface. This left the corner of the beveled surface still attached. This is where the spindle gouge would help. Push it down the outside corner of the beveled section to separate the Ensolite. Not having this tool caused me to rip the Ensolite. This turned out to be no problem, because the rips were on the front upper corner of both the side windows. This is where the shelves attach to the window frame, so you can't see the rips.

[trilliumdan]

Dont give up , as you see there is all kind of info on here. take the time to learn from the experts ,( owners ) have a beautiful day

[Larry Tenhage]

Hi Jane: I had a similar thing happen to our Trillium. The bolts had rusted & broke. I ended up getting 5/16" stainless steel bolts (about 3" long, if memory serves) with large washers. Nuts with big washers on the inside. I drilled holes all the way through to the outside. So now theres three bolts showing their heads on the outside - but they're shiny, so it doesn't bother me. And now the upper bunk is secure!

[Jane in California]

All you folks are so helpful and knowledgeable! I am sure that the plywood is the problem. But since I'm not going to try to restore this to perfect condition, I think I will try Larry's method of using the big bolts. My ensolite is in fairly good shape, and since I will be tackling most smaller repairs myself, I think I'll skip trying to replace the wood frames for now. Maybe I'll win the lottery and then have a reputable trailer repair place do this for me! "The Egg Plant" 's restoration photos are amazing. It would be a dream of mine to have my Trillium look this beautiful! Thank you all for your continued help and opinions. I have more questions that I will ask in another thread.

[Spanke]

The fewer holes you drill in the exterior skin, the better. I would not put in through bolts .

Just my 2¢ worth

Spanke

[Raz]

The problem with the bolt idea is that the fiberglass alone may not be strong enough to handle the load. In the original design the bunk fastens to the plywood. The plywood is held in place by the window hardware. The plywood and the window frame distribute the weight. Bolts alone, even with big fender washer, will torque the fiberglass. How much depends on the force applied. At best it will leak. At worst, it will crack the fiberglass. And as Spanke suggests, the fewer holes the better.

Find someone with a table saw. Buy a sheet of plywood. Fix the problem right. Fortune favors the bold. Raz

[David Tilston]

Jane, If the plywood is rotten, then leaks from the window are not far behind. You will not regret replacing the plywood. Just take your time.
The costs are minimal:
1 full sheet of 3/4" plywood
1 roll of butyl tape.
100 #8 3/4" stainless steel, pan head screws.

You will need someone with a table saw, to cut the plywood sheet. one sheet is way more then you need, but a 1/2 sheet is too short for the longest pieces.

[Larry Tenhage]

Both Spanke & Raz are right- the fewer holes the better. However, I work in an industrial factory & that's a repair method commonly used. I felt that the plywood wasn't in bad shape. The bolts I used go through the plywood and the fibreglass, obviously. That's about an inch of support right there. I also filled the holes with a polyurethane sealant (better than silicone) It's been 12 years since I did this repair & NO leaks! I feel that the factory method of fastening the upper bunk to the window frame isn't very sturdy ( just a few screws )
I've actually slept on the upper bunk ( I'm 200 lbs ) to test my repair. No, I didn't sleep overly well - that's a narrow bed! But I wanted to make sure it was OK for my 90 lb daughter. I "hid" the bolts in the black strip below the window. Tried to make it look like it came that way from the factory.

[Borrego Dave]

Nice repair job Larry and hiding the bolts in plain sight.....perfect

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Larry Tenhage

Hi Jane: I had a similar thing happen to our Trillium. The bolts had rusted & broke. I ended up getting 5/16" stainless steel bolts (about 3" long, if memory serves) with large washers. Nuts with big washers on the inside. I drilled holes all the way through to the outside. So now theres three bolts showing their heads on the outside

Originally Posted by Larry Tenhage

Both Spanke & Raz are right- the fewer holes the better. However, I work in an industrial factory & that's a repair method commonly used. I felt that the plywood wasn't in bad shape. The bolts I used go through the plywood and the fibreglass, obviously. That's about an inch of support right there. I also filled the holes with a polyurethane sealant (better than silicone)

The polyurethane sold in tubes is not what I would consider a sealant but rather an adhesive. It is sold in smaller containers under the brand name Gorilla Glue. I can not argue your fix won't work, obviously it has for 12 years. But when the next owner wants to remove the 3" bolts protruding into the interior of their trailer and replace the plywood, they are in for a bit of a challenge. The thread should make interesting reading. Raz

[Larry Tenhage]

There are over 30 common types of polyurethane sold in tubes, Sealants AND adhesives. I used a product from 3M. Product # 540. This is a Sealant, not an adhesive. I.E, this product does not harden like an adhesive. Gorilla glue is a great product, but you'd need a chisel to remove it after it sets. I just checked & I can still remove the bolts (although it wasn't easy ). I re-sealed the bolts. I'm not saying this is the best option (but it's stronger!). Replacing bad plywood is better (although mine is good yet) Better yet to simply use more & bigger screws. As for selling the Trillium - I'll be sleeping in the shed if that ever happens ! Our 17 year old daughter wants it when we're done with it. She'll be waiting a long time!

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Larry Tenhage

There are over 30 common types of polyurethane sold in tubes, Sealants AND adhesives. I used a product from 3M. Product # 540. This is a Sealant, not an adhesive. I.E, this product does not harden like an adhesive.

Sounds like you used the right stuff after all. I was really looking forward to the thread. Never say never on selling. You live in the land of Trilliums and a 4500 may pop up that you just can't pass up. Those extra inches on the bed you know. Take care, Raz

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Sounds like you used the right stuff after all. I was really looking forward to the thread. Never say never on selling. You live in the land of Trilliums and a 4500 may pop up that you just can't pass up. Those extra inches on the bed you know. Take care, Raz

If he got a 4500, I suspect that his daughter would be kinda mad if he sold his 1300.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

If he got a 4500, I suspect that his daughter would be kinda mad if he sold his 1300.

Speaking from experience, no doubt.

[David Tilston]

Yes, I know my daughters would be mad.

[Jane in California]

Good news for me personally....I carefully peeled back the ensolite under the window, and the wood is fine...looks old, as it is, but NO ROT! It does look like there are a couple of extra screw holes that probably should be plugged...looks to me like the bunk might have been a problem with previous owners. Whew!