Maintenance & Restoration

**RogerDat** · 08-17-2014, 03:32 PM

Was planning to just insert small patches into floor to repair some water damage but once I removed the couch (what a pain!) and went at the wood with a wire brush to see how far the damage extended I find I'm in for some real work. Front riser floor needs to be totally replaced

I do have some questions from those that have been down this road before.

What is the best approach people have found for removing the screws going into the frame through the floor? Pretty darn sure they won't turn. Have been thinking of just grinding them off with a 4 inch grinder. If someone has a better approach would love to hear it.

How have people supported the shell when replacing this portion of the floor? Especially when tabbing it in to keep it at the right height. Was thinking of using boards as posts to prop the roof up, or maybe jack stands and boards under the shell.

What made this job a pain. Even using a hand impact driver I ended up snapping a screw head off, having to drill one head off, and cut another off with a dremal. But the real pain was the 6 rivets that come through from inside the kitchen cabinet on the couch street side. Hard enough to drill out a rivet from the blind side since the drill wants to slide off of the center shaft but doing it by reaching through the couch storage made it really hard to get in a good position and control the tools. Back of my arm is covered in gouges from the edges of the access to that storage area. Getting my head in so I could see and my arm so I could work.... PITA!

Street side. If you look along the side of the cabinet on the left you can see where the rivets were. Also note the wood "shelf" that should be there to support the couch along wall is missing (rotted and removed I guess)

On the curb side the wood did not look bad but was soft (just covered in paint) Little digging and it turned out to be no better than the other spot. One odd thing about the shelf lip that the couch screws into on this side were it still has one. It's 3 ply for part of it near the door, 5 ply for part of it toward the front.

Thought it worth pointing out that the vertical surfaces that form this riser are steel, part of the frame. And you can see the shelf to support couch just ends about where the water leak tracks are going down the wall, was removed by previous owner (probably with a shop vac it was so rotted). Also the tracks from the water leak are easily seen. I suspect it was stored leaning toward the door and what did not go out the propane line hole travelled around to the far side next to the door.

**RogerDat** · 08-18-2014, 06:06 PM

I found this thread and gleaned using an oscillating tool to cut the fiberglass tabbing would work well. Can prop the shell up using the tongue and belly band, little skeptical but am thinking about that approach. And the way this person "removed" the screws was by getting underneath and prying the wood up. Cut and/or grind the screws off once the wood is out.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post363267

Wondering what type of blade they used with the oscillating tool to cut the fiberglass. With blades around $10 each would like to purchase the right one for fiberglass the first trip to the store.

Also see that I messed up the picture attachments in the first post, will have to fix that. Want folks to be able to admire my really ugly floor. Heck of a cautionary tale on don't let it sit with leaks or when buying used check that floor!

Donna D. · 08-18-2014, 06:10 PM

Can't see your images Roger...

**RogerDat** · 08-18-2014, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Can't see your images Roger...

Yep I could see them on the computer I loaded them from but not from anywhere else. I normally put them in album and insert link, this time I did "Manage Attachments" and screwed it up.

Will fix when I'm at the computer with the picture files. It was a shock to see how much damage had been done that was under the PO's paint. And how lite weight the couch fiberglass really is. It has 1x1 pieces of wood glassed in underneath to keep it from bending.

With your new Escape it's OK if you feel a little smug about not having to stuff yourself into the under couch storage to do repairs.

Donna D. · 08-18-2014, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerDat

With your new Escape it's OK if you feel a little smug about not having to stuff yourself into the under couch storage to do repairs.

Never smug Roger

I think I still have bruises from changing the faucet in the Scamp. Lesson Learned... remove the sink! It's FAR easier than trying to jam both shoulders through a 10.5" opening. But hey... I made a memory!

Jared J · 08-18-2014, 07:50 PM

I used the metal blades. I ended having to cut the bottom fiberglass lip off also, as the original floor wasn't flat, and my new one was. It took every bit of two of the blades to do it. The fiberglass is hard on them. I would get a respirator, also.

I finally permanently installed the floor on page 19.

Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

**RogerDat** · 08-18-2014, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Never smug Roger

I think I still have bruises from changing the faucet in the Scamp. Lesson Learned... remove the sink! It's FAR easier than trying to jam both shoulders through a 10.5" opening. But hey... I made a memory!

I meant smug in the nicest possible way!

As in that lucky RogerDat having the same sort of character building experience I have enjoyed in the past.

Making memories good. Finding out you are still flexible enough to stuff yourself into a cupboard and do some work..... priceless.

**RogerDat** · 08-18-2014, 09:12 PM

Think the pictures should show up now.

Jared what type of blades did you use? Bewildering assortment of gizmos for those oscillating tools.

Respirator is a must, fiberglass dust on skin is irritating can't figure it's very good to breathe.

Jared J · 08-18-2014, 11:21 PM

I uses the 1" wide metal cutting ones. You will probably need two.

Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

**RogerDat** · 08-22-2014, 09:34 PM

Well some PM's have provided me with ideas of how to proceed. I'll post some of that in a bit. For now I have discovered why my door seemed to hang a little crooked.

There is a small piece of plywood that attaches the bottom forward corner of the door to the frame, the tabbing to that piece from the shell has broken loose and the piece of wood is no longer screwed to the frame either. The gap between where the wood should be and the tabbing is equal to the extra width of the bottom door opening when compared to the top of door opening width.

Move the bottom of the door out on the hinge side and the door tilts down a bit toward the rear. Noticeable where the door latch meets the strike plate on the door frame and the gap around the door showing along the top and latch side.

Made my cardboard template before I figured out that I was in effect making a template of the shell that had shifted at the door. Will have to figure out how to pull the shell back toward the frame at the bottom of the door and adjust my template.

Thinking I may be able to use a clamp against the remaining tabbing to pull back in position, pulling against the frame. Or maybe I will use fiberglass to attach some wood blocks to the shell below the door that I can pull against the frame or against other wood blocks screwed to the floor. But I'm just winging it so any ideas are welcome.

**RogerDat** · 08-23-2014, 08:53 PM

This is the lower front corner of door after I cleared the rotted wood.
On the left side you can see the frame which the wood piece should be attached to. Above the wood in the picture you can see the fiberglass tabbing which has pulled loose. That tabbing should be in line with the frame which shows how much the door frame has drifted. And how far I have to pull it back.

**RogerDat** · 08-23-2014, 09:03 PM

Last year I discovered a leak at the belly band, I removed the metal trim and caulked with marine caulk. With the couch out I had access to lift the ensolite and examine the belly band area from the inside for the purpose of confirming the leak and doing a fiberglass repair.

You can clearly see the light tan discoloration from water, the dark spot looks like a blister in the fiberglass used to join the top and bottom shell. I was unable to observe any leak from putting water on the outside but the dark spot did get damp.

The bunk support ledge is in the bottom of the picture well rotted from the leak.

**RogerDat** · 08-24-2014, 12:33 PM

Can really see the "bubbles" in the FG where the water was coming in once I started sanding. Used oscillating tool with sander pad, but found dremel and small wire brush was better for getting the old adhesive off. Otherwise it just clogged up the sander.

**RogerDat** · 08-24-2014, 12:42 PM

Sanded down and ready to wipe down and patch. Am planning to use mineral spirits for the wipe down and FG resin jelly unless someone has a better suggestion or technique.

mszabo · 08-24-2014, 02:39 PM

Roger, use Acetone to clean the fiberglass!

**RogerDat** · 08-24-2014, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mszabo

Roger, use Acetone to clean the fiberglass!

Thanks. I was reminded of that when I went to the shelf with the fiberglass and saw a quart of acetone. Good to have your correction in this thread.

Picked up a quart of Bondo Jelled FG, now to read directions and check weather to make sure no rain is forecast.

Further checking online turns up Bond Jelled FG Resin is just regular Bondo resin with chopped FG in it. BUMMER wasted trip! Plus trip to take it back.

stevebaz · 08-25-2014, 11:29 AM

Sucks what a few small holes in the right place will do. At least the leak point is an easy fix.

**RogerDat** · 08-25-2014, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevebaz

Sucks what a few small holes in the right place will do. At least the leak point is an easy fix.

Yes it does not take much of a leak over a period of time to add up to some real damage. I am fortunate the rest of the floor looks good.

It was pretty clear there were grinder marks from a small wheel on the leak that looked like what you would get from a dremel. I'm guessing a prev. owner spread the seam a little and tried a repair. Since I have the couch out I'm able to loosen the ensolite from the couch up to the leak and have much better access.

Still as Donna says I am building memories, and gaining new skills.

Thanks to a PM from Eddy Longest I'm going to learn how to make fiberglass "Peanut Butter" to rebuild that belly seam.

How to make Peanut butter (thickened resin) - YouTube

**RogerDat** · 08-25-2014, 03:38 PM

I picked up 3/4 oz. mat for my shell to floor tabbing. But was surprised that the package said for polyester and epoxy. I thought most mat did not work with epoxy.

Also picked up some West Marine #405 silica filler (filleting blend) to make thickened resin for the belly band seam repair. Was not able to get the 1/4 inch chopped strand used in the video at this West Marine. Will try a different store.