Sagging roof

[Jay H]

Bought a 1991 boler 1300 recently and while most things seem pretty good I have one issue I am not sure how to resolve. The roof sags right at the roof vent. The roof vent is obviously a replacement and I think it is the culprit. The roof sags down and the vent is the lowest point, great for pooling water. More on the front drivers side than anywhere else. Could the vent be too big Has anyone else had this happen and more importantly does anyone have a thought on what I can do to fix it?
I was thinking about making some support ribs on the inside because I can't think of another solution. Right now there is lots of (mastic?) caulking around the vent and no apparent leaks but I don't want to leave it.
Jay

[Jay H]

I've been working on remodelling the Boler 1300, I have a few plans in motion for the sagging roof but I was wondering if anyone had a measurement for how far apart the kitchen counter and the overhead cupboards are supposed to be? My trailer did not come with the support bars, and I really want to install a brace but I am not sure just how long/high the support should be. Any help on this would be great!

[Ian G.]

The first place I would look at the cause for any distortion in the Boler body is the frame. If the frame is twisted, bent or broken this will cause sags and dimples in the body.

Check your frame, here is a guide that identifies the common problems including a section on checking the frame, where to look and what to look for.
Boler Buyer Guide

[Jay H]

thanks Ian, the frame is good. I checked that first.Even the door closes straight. the sag in the roof appears to be due to water or ice build up around the roof vent. One of the PO's has obviously had issues with water leaking there too. I have removed the vent and I am trying to straighten or flatten the warp in the fiberglass from what seems like an extended period of weight on the section. I just don't want to fix a problem and have it re-occur so, I figure adding the cupboard supports back in would be a long term solution. I always appreciate the suggestions though.

[David Tilston]

It is kinda a bubble gum and bailing twine solution. Fibreglass likes to be in the shape it was originally, but it will deform if pushed. If it is pushed back to its orignal shape for some time, it will tend to stay that way. I have a Trillium that the roof collapsed on. The section of the trolly roof ahead of the roof vent had become inverted. If I pushed it up, it would pop up, but would invert again when I let go. I purchased six of these supports, at half price, from Princess Auto:
45 to 114 in. Adjustable Support Rod | Princess Auto
After a few months of support, I pulled it out, and the roof stayed popped up. Not a bad idea for winter storage as well.

[Ian G.]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

It is kinda a bubble gum and bailing twine solution. Fibreglass likes to be in the shape it was originally, but it will deform if pushed. If it is pushed back to its orignal shape for some time, it will tend to stay that way. I have a Trillium that the roof collapsed on. The section of the trolly roof ahead of the roof vent had become inverted. If I pushed it up, it would pop up, but would invert again when I let go. I purchased six of these supports, at half price, from Princess Auto:
45 to 114 in. Adjustable Support Rod | Princess Auto
After a few months of support, I pulled it out, and the roof stayed popped up. Not a bad idea for winter storage as well.

Agree 100% David

I also have a bunch of those adjustable supports, I find that they have replaced the need for my son to come and hold things

If your frame is in good condition then as David said fiberglass will always stay if the molded shape unless it is deformed for an extended period of time. Try slowly jacking it back into the correct shape, it will take time going through some heat cooling cycles. I also remember you had some cracks in the fiberglass, where were these cracks? did you fix them? if the sagging area was caused by a stretch in the cracked area do those areas have to be pulled together to put the tension on the sagged area to keep it in the correct shape.

More questions than fixes but my experience with autobody and metal work relies on stretching and shrinking metal panels in certain areas to create curves

[Jay H]

Thanks guys, some good advice there. I had it supported this winter but probably not for long enough, and I don't think the cold helped any. Right now I built a jig shaped to the arc of the roof and I have the vent off and the roof clamped to the jig. I read on some of the autobody forums out there that pouring boiling water onto a towel lying on the fiberglass can also heat and help reshape. I was thinking of trying that too, I am sure it will make a mess though!
I have managed to repair all of the cracks (they were at the back of the trailer), in fact I am in the middle of "frenching" my taillights, I have one done and I love the look. I'll post some pics soon. I have also replaced all of the interior lights with LED undercabinet lighting I picked up at Home Depot. I am really happy with those too. And the 4.3 wattage is great!
It looks like someone took the battery system out some time in the past so tomorrow I hope to rewire the whole rig, front to back.

[Jay H]

So here is my first go at a frenched tail light. I really like the clean look of this style, and also the guarantee of a watertight rear end. Not quite done yet, still a few pinholes to contend with.

[Jay H]

I found some undercabinet LED bars at Home Depot that ran on 12 volt so I thought they would be a great sleek addition for the Boler. They came with an inline switch that didn't have the look I wanted so I bought some little rocker switches at Radioshack. I looked everywhere for ones that didn't have an integrated LED light and ended up buying the switches in Massachussettes over Easter.

[Jay H]

I had some cracks in the shell when I first brought my Boler home and the more I repaired the more tiny cracks and spider webs I found. As much as I like the original look of the gel coat, I plan on painting the trailer this spring. I have almost picked a colour, maybe...

[Ian G.]

Originally Posted by Jay H

So here is my first go at a frenched tail light. I really like the clean look of this style, and also the guarantee of a watertight rear end. Not quite done yet, still a few pinholes to contend with.

The frenching looks familiar but looks very good.

[Jay H]

As long as I am posting i might as well put up a shot of the interior. The scariest thing I did this fall was to pull the interior headliner. It really needed to go (mouse infestation) but I can see why people get scared off. I bought some reflectix and a new headliner and as soon as we get back to double digits outside I plan on installing the interior, then I will feel good!

[Jay H]

Originally Posted by Ian G.

The frenching looks familiar but looks very good.

Well Ian, they say copying is the sincerest form of flattery and I hope you take it as such. I have read your posts on buttercup more than a few times. And yes your tail lights "lit up" my day when I first saw them. Don't worry though, I am not painting mine yellow