Mud Flaps to protect floor - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-15-2020, 12:46 PM   #1
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Name: Larry
Trailer: Burro
California
Posts: 128
Mud Flaps to protect floor

Other than window leaks that, over time can saturate and destroy a plywood floor, Im starting to think the area behind the tires is a vulnerable spot.
On my 83 Burro, the floor is great everywhere except just behind the wheel wells, and under the R and L rear storage compartments.
Fiberglas is fine on the inside, but the plywood under it, behind the wheels is rotted out.
I can only think it’s because the road grit and water is thrown up there.
Replacing the plywood section, luckily it’s small, glassing it over and installing mud flaps to protect it.
Anyone else have this issue?
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Old 04-16-2020, 08:48 AM   #2
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Name: Larry
Trailer: Burro
California
Posts: 128
Mud flaps and floor rot

Looks to me the Trillium 13’ trailer has always included mud flaps with the standard model.
I’m wondering if owners have noticed a lack of floor problems behind the wheels due to the flaps protecting that area.
I have a 37 year old Burro, with no flaps and the only floor problem I have is directly behind the two wheels.
Not a huge area, but I’m just wondering about those flaps I see on the Trillium trailers.
I’m putting on flaps as soon as I finish the repair job.
Any observations out there?
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Old 04-16-2020, 09:58 AM   #3
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Name: Bill
Trailer: Scamp
CA
Posts: 66
Mud flaps

Thanks for the idea. My Scamp is only a year old, so there is no sign of dry rot, but I will install some mud flaps. It isn't expensive or difficult to do. It may not be necessary, but it won't hurt. It's like flapping your arms and trying to fly if you fall off a cliff. It may not work, but it doesn't hurt to try.

BTW: I'm thinking about putting some sort of undercoating on the bottom of the trailer.
Bill

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Originally Posted by Burroman View Post
Other than window leaks that, over time can saturate and destroy a plywood floor, Im starting to think the area behind the tires is a vulnerable spot.
On my 83 Burro, the floor is great everywhere except just behind the wheel wells, and under the R and L rear storage compartments.
Fiberglas is fine on the inside, but the plywood under it, behind the wheels is rotted out.
I can only think it’s because the road grit and water is thrown up there.
Replacing the plywood section, luckily it’s small, glassing it over and installing mud flaps to protect it.
Anyone else have this issue?
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Old 04-16-2020, 10:03 AM   #4
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Name: Larry
Trailer: Burro
California
Posts: 128
Mud flaps

Undercoating is a great idea.
My old Burro has fiberglass coating underneath, but it too is worn off behind the wheels.
So after the flaps I’m coming to coat the area with flex-seal, or Rhino Liner, or something like that.
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Old 04-16-2020, 11:15 AM   #5
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Name: RogerDat
Trailer: 2010 Scamp 16
Michigan
Posts: 3,744
One thing to consider is you don't want to trap moisture. My older scamp was fully coated with fiberglass resin. However as it has gotten some cracks in it and curled up in places I debate about sealing it again since I doubt I can totally seal it.

I am more inclined toward re-coating areas of the underside that look like they take the most abuse but not the whole thing. Also considering water from an inside leak finding a way out. One never wants one of those but the top of the floor is painted, if the bottom is sealed except for the edges where the wall meets the floor I can see potential for moisture to get into the wood and be trapped.

My concern is water getting access to the wood at places such as where the floor sits on the frame and that water not being able to dry out due to being trapped behind a coat of resin. Flex seal may work better. I have used that product on bottom of car doors that were starting to rust after cleaning the rust off and it seemed to do a decent job of keeping out moisture.

Maybe sand and re-coat the resin and then flex seal along frame and behind wheels or other high wear areas.
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Old 04-16-2020, 11:35 AM   #6
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Name: Larry
Trailer: Burro
California
Posts: 128
Seal

THat was my exact thought.
Seal behind the wheel wells where it looks like the greatest abrasion took place, and the edges of the frame where the floor is attached.
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Old 04-16-2020, 02:52 PM   #7
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burroman View Post
Looks to me the Trillium 13’ trailer has always included mud flaps with the standard model.
I’m wondering if owners have noticed a lack of floor problems behind the wheels due to the flaps protecting that area.
I have a 37 year old Burro, with no flaps and the only floor problem I have is directly behind the two wheels.
Not a huge area, but I’m just wondering about those flaps I see on the Trillium trailers
I think the Trillium is more about design. Outer fiberglass has pontoons around the perimeter. Above that is the plywood, and above that is another full layer of fiberglass. As long as the pontoons don’t overflow, the plywood is protected. Sadly I have seen overflowing pontoons.

I would consider the mud flaps on the Trillium to be a cosmetic touch. Floor is more vulnerable under kitchen, gaucho and the dinette benches.
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Old 04-16-2020, 04:59 PM   #8
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Name: Ken
Trailer: Scamp 16
Anchorage
Posts: 41
Floors

I was a little disappointed to find that our new in 2017 fiberglass trailer was actually a wood & fiberglass trailer. With splashing from the road below and leaks from above - windows, plumbing, vents - I have to wonder why Scamp is still using wood floors. There have to be better materials available these days.
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Old 04-16-2020, 05:21 PM   #9
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Trailer: Boler 13 ft / Casita FD
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Lucky me I have a Casita with the fiberglass skin on the outside and OSB board on the inside, but where the original water tank was in back cubby had leaked over the years this OSB board rotted out. I replaced the inside water tank with an 18 gal. water tank that I have sitting on a frame I made out of angle iron that hands from frame behind the rear axle.
I also installed, home made, mud flaps so road grime and dirt wouldn't fly up and abrade the tank that is now under the floor.
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Old 04-26-2020, 11:16 PM   #10
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Name: todd
Trailer: Casita liberty deluxe 17
New York
Posts: 103
I was surprised about the floor

I think its a good idea to pick up some epoxy and recoat that area under the floor. I (wood) also add some fiberglsss fibers to reinforce the epoxy. I found a place that was reasonable. But for a small area its not such a big deal cost wise. When i use epoxy as a base coat you can thin out a bit with extra catalyst but use small hatches . You should read up on how to apply new epoxy over old. Check out some boat refurbishing sites.


I got a scamp 13 in 2013, i liked being able to pull it with a highlander. I was amazed the company cheaped out using osb. We got the tundra in 2014 and ordered up a casita. They also have issues and ya have to mod them which can be a nice distraction.

I know its taboo to criticize scamp or casita but when you sell a product where the waste tanks dont drain completley or your floor rots out from the inside. They should used marine plywood. You pay enough for these things
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Old 04-27-2020, 06:22 AM   #11
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Name: Bill
Trailer: Scamp
CA
Posts: 66
Undercoating

Thanks very much for the advice. If Scamp had offered an upgrade to marine plywood, I would gladly had paid for it. That was one of the many things I hadn't thought about before buying.

I've done epoxy table tops in the past. I hate working with it because of the fumes. They weren't that noticeable, but I had severe respiratory problems each time, so gave it up.
Bill

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Originally Posted by tmaken2157 View Post
I think its a good idea to pick up some epoxy and recoat that area under the floor. I (wood) also add some fiberglsss fibers to reinforce the epoxy. I found a place that was reasonable. But for a small area its not such a big deal cost wise. When i use epoxy as a base coat you can thin out a bit with extra catalyst but use small hatches . You should read up on how to apply new epoxy over old. Check out some boat refurbishing sites.


I got a scamp 13 in 2013, i liked being able to pull it with a highlander. I was amazed the company cheaped out using osb. We got the tundra in 2014 and ordered up a casita. They also have issues and ya have to mod them which can be a nice distraction.

I know its taboo to criticize scamp or casita but when you sell a product where the waste tanks dont drain completley or your floor rots out from the inside. They should used marine plywood. You pay enough for these things
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Old 04-27-2020, 06:28 AM   #12
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Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
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The pontoons in an Escape have drain holes to allow any moisture to escape, maybe 6-8 around the perimeter. That and mudflats should help
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Old 04-27-2020, 03:03 PM   #13
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Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tmaken2157 View Post
I got a scamp 13 in 2013, i liked being able to pull it with a highlander. I was amazed the company cheaped out using osb. We got the tundra in 2014 and ordered up a casita. They also have issues and ya have to mod them which can be a nice distraction.

I know its taboo to criticize scamp or casita but when you sell a product where the waste tanks dont drain completley or your floor rots out from the inside. They should used marine plywood. You pay enough for these things
Im not that surprised. As long as they have a hefty order backlog, I don’t see it changing.

During my working career as a manufacturing manager. I always encouraged us to improve our product BEFORE the competition could catch up. But that was an uphill battle, I usually lost the argument.. “Why improve the product when we are sold out?” My answer was “so we can stay sold out.” Sure enough if we did nothing the competition caught up and surpassed us. Then everyone was ready to make improvements.

The Escape design with the pontoons is a better away to go. It’s NOT a new idea! The 1970s Trilliums used this design as well.

To be fair, many buyers don’t appreciate the difference and are “shocked” to find out later their molded FG has wood in it.
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Old 04-28-2020, 07:55 AM   #14
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Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
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Improvements drive up the cost. Trillium, from which Escape is derived, cost roughly 40% more than a comparable Boler back in the day. If you want a Scamp-sized trailer today without the wood, look to the all-composite Happier Camper HC1. Comparably equipped with bed, table and galley modules, it’s about double the price of a Scamp.

And there’s this... Everything put together by humans eventually breaks. Simple designs may fail sooner, but they’re also simpler to fix. Vintage Bolers (from which Scamp is derived) are more likely to have rotted floors than vintage Trilliums, but a rotted Trillium floor is a more complex repair.

Of course, one could argue Scamp doesn’t have to change everything, just one thing, and it would only cost $XX. I’ll bet if you asked 10 Scamp owners you’d get 10 different “just one things.” Scamp has addressed many complaints: a better door seal, a bigger bed, a real RV lockset, higher ground clearance... I have my “just one thing,” and it’s not the floor.

I don’t agree with every design decision at Eveland’s. I do appreciate their commitment to simplicity and affordability. I consider it the VW Beetle of molded trailers. There was the Super Beetle and now the New Beetle, but the Beetle is still the one collectors want.
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Old 04-28-2020, 09:09 AM   #15
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Name: Larry
Trailer: Burro
California
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Trillium floor

I’d like to see a sketch of how the trillium floor is different than Scamp, Burro or bowler.
Anyone have that?
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Old 04-28-2020, 09:29 AM   #16
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Don’t know if I have it exactly right, but I’ll start the conversation with these (not to scale)...
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Old 04-28-2020, 11:24 AM   #17
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
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And much different than Casita, its an actual layer of fiberglass on top of the plywood, not just fiberglass resin. And the pontoon design carries through all four sides of the trailer. Pontoons are ~ 4 inches wide. The bottom shell is fiberglass as well, not just fiberglass resin.

And on the 1300 and 4500 Trilliums, the cabinets are directly fiberglassed to the shell and the floor. No rivets. This is both a blessing and a curse. You are not going to change the cabinet layout without cutting and patching a lot of fiberglass. And some parts were one piece. I believe my entire rear dinette was one piece, and the kitchen: upper, lower cabinets and backsplash sure look like one piece too. Makes sense that a Trillium would have cost a lot more than a Scamp or Boler back in the day. Now a vintage 13 foot Boler can bring as much or more than a similar condition Trillium.

+10 The thing that draws many to a Scamp is the simplicity of the design and the relatively low cost. This can also mean the lightest weight out there.
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Old 04-28-2020, 12:03 PM   #18
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Name: Larry
Trailer: Burro
California
Posts: 128
Burro floor

My Burro is built like the Scamp.
Mine has plywood for the floor, and the floor is bolted to the frame.
The inner fiberglass shell is then screwed to the floor. The outer shell has a upper and lower lip like the Scamp, that holds the floor?
Some screws on the inter shell, not many, maybe 4-6 go through the floor and into the frame(accidentally?).
All cabinet, and seats molded in.
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Old 05-01-2020, 01:45 PM   #19
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Name: todd
Trailer: Casita liberty deluxe 17
New York
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I found the epoxy people

RAKA INC. They are in fort pierce florida

Good quality but the website seems to meander. But that sounds perfect for us vagabonds
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