Repairing fibreglass wear from stones - Fiberglass RV
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Old 09-06-2020, 06:44 PM   #1
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Name: Lenore
Trailer: Ventura
Saskatoon
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Repairing fibreglass wear from stones

Hello all,

How can I go about repairing the exterior portion of my Ventura where it appears there has been some long term wear in the fibreglass over time. Maybe from stone chips? The spot in question is just under the main entry door nearest the front of the trailer. It looks like the previous owner added some type of rubber adhesive "Stone guards" onto the front side of the trailer. Where can I find this type of material? Any help in how to fix the deterioration on the bottom door would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much in advance!

Lenore
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Old 09-06-2020, 07:54 PM   #2
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Yes, that looks like wear from stone chips. My 40 year old Trillium 4500 had pitted fiberglass on exterior lower surfaces (the first 12 to 18 inches) facing forward. The smooth gelcoat layer was chipped away. I repaired those areas using fiberglass and resin, and then applied Herculiner for protection.
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Old 09-06-2020, 07:56 PM   #3
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And I see from your pics that the stone chipping has worn through the fiberglass. This happened to my Trillium 4500 as well.

In your third photo, it appears the gelcoat has either been repaired or coated/re-coated.
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Old 09-06-2020, 08:25 PM   #4
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Okay after examining your third photo again, I see that a previous owner applied black protective material over the lower front of your camper. You can leave that as it is, or remove it and repair as follows (and the damaged area in front of the door as well):

- Repair the body damage by grinding and cleaning out any holes that go all the way through. Patch holes with fiberglass cloth and resin, then smooth with fiberglass filler, and finally a fiberglass fairing compound. There are many videos on this topic, e.g., at BoatworksToday on youtube.

- Apply paint and a anti-chip coating. There are many different types of anti-chip coatings. For a small area such as by the door, you could apply SEM 39793 Heavy Texture Chip Guard or the 3M equivalent BEFORE painting.
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Old 09-07-2020, 12:11 AM   #5
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Name: Lenore
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Thanks again for this, John! Would you say I should get on this asap?
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Old 09-07-2020, 06:43 AM   #6
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For the damage next to the door, judging from the photo, it doesn't appear to compromise the structure of the trailer, but it DOES appear to allow water into lower portion of the trailer. Do you notice any moisture or rot in the floor near the door? I would say you can camp without fixing this damage, but I would at least do a temporary patch such as applying gorilla tape.

I would have the same question for the black coating material on the lower front of the trailer. Spray it around the edges with a garden hose. Does it leak?

My Trillium 4500 also had rock chip damage on the bottom of the shell, behind the axle, below where the water tank rests. You might want to check the bottom as well.
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