Compact II roof cracks & T nails

[Lora]

I've come across a problem and have a couple of questions.
There are matching cracks on each side of my Compact II roof. It would appear that they match up with the forward bulkhead walls. The one on the curb side (yellowish pic) is worse than the one on the street side (whiter pic). These are not easily reached from inside. I’ve removed the street-side forward bulkhead, and I guess I’ll have to figure out what to do about the curb side. Anyone else with a Compact II that has had a problem with this? The repairs will have to be made from the outside because I don’t want to destroy the diamond-quilt wall covering.
A second question is whether the nail in the third picture is what was originally used in building the Compacts? It looks like a T in profile.

[Pam Garlow]

Nora, I'm sure that someone will have advise soon as to these cracks. In the meantime, though, it will also help to pose a few more photos from further back so people can see the surrounding areas and camper components.
Any idea if those cracks are leaking? Appears that the larger one could be allowing water infiltration

[Bob Miller]

Kinda hard to see exactly where those cracks are actually located, as Pam mentioned some wider pics might help. Can't say I have seen those nails either, but they look ike the kind used in 70's nail guns and could be original.


Again, haven't seen either item/issue in my 1973 Compact-II

[Lora]

Here are the locations from a little further back. These are about an inch or two forward of where the roof changes. On the curb side they are forward of the fridge vent. The first two pics are on the curb side and the second two pics are on the street side. The quarter is there to provide some perspective on the size.

[Bob Miller]

As it turns out I have a few spider cracks in that same place 0n the street side as well and they are directly above the curve in the inside wall of the small closet.
In as much as the anchor point for the top mechanism is in line with that I would suggest that the weight of the top, perhaps aided by some rocking in the wind may have caused the problem.


Personally, I would look at opening a flap in the fabric on the inside of the closet or Refrigerator compartment and slipping in a 4" wide strip of metal in there to distribute the pressure over a wider area, and then make a cosmetic repair on the outside.


Another idea that might help is to run a strip of metal under the lift support mechanism the full length of the roof opening, with additional attachments along the way, to take the weight off of that one point.


Also, I think that I will not be as inclined to leave the top up unnecessarily in the future so as to prevent stressing that area.

[Lora]

Hadn't thought about the weight of the pop-up stressing that area although I'm surprised that it did stress along that whole wall.
I have looked at what Fred (Scaleman) has done for the extra support on his C Jr.
The additional interior support sounds like a good idea. I can access the inside a bit on the street side to insert some support and should be able to simply grind down and re-glass the street side fracture. But, I will need to open up the crack on the curb side in order to repair it and should be able to add some support when I'm doing that.
There is evidence of water getting in to the underside of the curb side bench. some of that may be due to windows but it could also be leaking in through the crack in the roof.
Thank you.

[Dan Meyer]

What are your intentions; a perfect restoration or just seal it up and keep the water out? If it is the latter, I'd be tempted to trowel on some bondo, sand it a bit and then paint it with cheap spray paint. A restoration would be much more involved.

-- Dan Meyer

[Bob Miller]

I don't think that it's the weight of the pop-up top, but the flexing at that point where the fiberglass of the main shell curves tightly over the wall section right under where it's cracked.


But, as in all cases with our 40+ y.o. trailers, they deserve to be repaired with loving care and dignity.

[Lora]

That is one possible solution, Dan. It currently looks like that has been done in the past. These are pictures of covering up some damaged areas on the front street side and rear curb side as well as how deterioration of the door was handled.
Unfortunately (or fortunately for me) the prep work was not done well and the 'repairs' are not holding up very well.
I'd like to take it up a notch and make it look better overall. I like to make more permanent corrections.
I'm semi-retired and have the time and have a hard time sitting still .
How bout this for a paint job?

[Lora]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I don't think that it's the weight of the pop-up top, but the flexing at that point where the fiberglass of the main shell curves tightly over the wall section right under where it's cracked.


But, as in all cases with our 40+ y.o. trailers, they deserve to be repaired with loving care and dignity.

Ah, understand. Have to cogitate on that.
As for the repairs, I've got three brothers who will harass me unmercifully if they're not up to Kehoe standards!