"and Half-Measures-Ain't My Style"

[Kristi Warner]

I have stripped my Scamp down to the shell and the floor. No windows, no door. There are areas where the floor of my '90 Scamp '16 is rotten. In some places I could scoop it up with a spoon! Toward the rear next to the wheel wells seems to be a "natural pooling" area. Also, of course, under any window leaks; the water has run down the side to the floor below as well as the spots where a line or pipe runs through the flooring. As I am not inclined to do anything (god help me) half-assed, I would like to replace the entire floor. After spending a good amount of time on my back looking up, under the Scamp, I am concerned about how the heck is the shell attached to the frame; other than where it is FG along the sides to the subfloor? Is it possible to change out the floor in sections without the shell falling? Please, please say yes. Muchisimas gracias.

[Andrew Gibbens]

I have thought about this problem a few times when people here have decribed floor repairs and how I would do it. But I should add the warning that I've never worked on a trailer repair, so this is just a suggestion for comment.

If I was trying to support a trailer body when removing the floor in that area, I would put the chassis on solid supports (not on its tyres/springs) so it couldn't move and then separately support the body from the ground/floor, using the horizontal joining flange as this is the strongest part of the trailer. In order to land on the flange and not just the cover strip, and to spread the support over a decent length, I would screw a piece of plywood 12"x6" and no more than 3/8" thick to the top of a 2x4. To be really scientific, I would duct tape this to the body so it couldn't slip off!

Here's is my best attempt at a rendering of this suggestion (you have to imagine the plywood for yourself, as my CAD package has only whole wood materials!):





Any comments? If you have a U-haul or another trailer with a vertical seam, feel free to point out that my suggestion is of absolutely no value to you!

Andrew

[Gina D.]

If you are considering replaceing the floor in patches, why is it necessary to do the whole thing?

If the rest of the floor is fine, why repalce it? You still have a patchwork system, new or no.

[Kristi Warner]

I have thought about this problem a few times when people here have decribed floor repairs and how I would do it. But I should add the warning that I've never worked on a trailer repair, so this is just a suggestion for comment.

If I was trying to support a trailer body when removing the floor in that area, I would put the chassis on solid supports ([b]not on its tyres/springs) so it couldn't move and then separately support the body from the ground/floor, using the horizontal joining flange as this is the strongest part of the trailer. In order to land on the flange and not just the cover strip, and to spread the support over a decent length, I would screw a piece of plywood 12"x6" and no more than 3/8" thick to the top of a 2x4. To be really scientific, I would duct tape this to the body so it couldn't slip off!

Here's is my best attempt at a rendering of this suggestion (you have to imagine the plywood for yourself, as my CAD package has only whole wood materials!):


Attachment 5008


Any comments? If you have a U-haul or another trailer with a vertical seam, feel free to point out that my suggestion is of absolutely no value to you!

Andrew

Thanks. This approach had not occured to me. I have been thinking about buying some jacks anyway to use when parking the egg long term. Might as well get them now. Thanks again.

[Kristi Warner]

If you are considering replaceing the floor in patches, why is it necessary to do the whole thing?

If the rest of the floor is fine, why repalce it? You still have a patchwork system, new or no.

The only section of floor that is not damaged is the piece that is walked on. The other areas have significant rot that goes all the way through. My concern is how to hold the body in place as I replace the floor underneath. It appears that the body is held on to the frame at the bottom of the wall where floor and wall meet. There is a thin layer of fiberglass at this intersection and not much else, as far I can tell. I'm worried that as I cut around the edges and remove the floor pieces, that the body might slip down or off. I think the above suggestion might be the solution.

[Donna D.]

I'd use caution in using the belly band as any kind of support for holding the Scamp from moving. It's strictly decorative to hide the two piece of the mold where they fit together and merely riveted to the body.

[D Shubel]

Hi Kristi,

I am also cursed with the "don't do anything half assed belief." This is why we owned our trailer for 2 years before actually being able to camp in it.

I have shared my floor replacement in a couple of threads, search by Floor Replace. Here are a few pics of floor replacement.

Picture of fiberglass sandwiched marine grade plywood (four sheets cut to outline of egg) and set on frame to cut out wheel wells. This is just before fiberglassing flooring to egg shell, then attaching to frame with stainless bolts:


This is a picture of how we suspended our egg for floor replacement:


Several, long 2 x 8's set onto milk crates. Suspended it, removed all bolts through floor, removed frame to allow different cutting devices to remove all flooring. We had two strips where egg was sitting on 2x8 but just shifted egg slightly to allow room to remove these as well. Caution, egg is somewhat pliable in this state. Try to take good measurements before floor removal so that shell is not distorted when installing new floor.

Good luck!

[Kristi Warner]

Hi Kristi,

I am also cursed with the "don't do anything half assed belief." This is why we owned our trailer for 2 years before actually being able to camp in it.

Good luck!

Holy Smokes!!! I, unfortunately, do not have the time, tools, skills, friends, or willingness to tackle an off-frame floor repair. Maybe I'm not so unfortunate, afterall?? As I have already owned my Scamp for more than 2 years now and it is still in the naked egg stage, I need to get on with it! If at all possible, my not so long range goal, at this point, is to finish this project mid Dec. and pull "the Eggscapist" the [b]3500 miles! from MA to about 50 miles south of Cancun and never look back!! There is a very good possibility that I will be managing an RV park right on the beach. And you are all invited!! I say "possibility" because in manana land, nothing happens until it happens. I guess I'll go buy some jacks and pray, swear, burn incense, whatever it takes to fix my floor. and hope like heck it doesn't fall on me!! Now where's that little "splat guy"?