Bigfoot restore/updating - Fiberglass RV
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Old 03-28-2015, 10:21 AM   #1
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 24
Bigfoot restore/updating

Hello folks, have not been posting for a little bit, I think my last post I introduced myself and my new (to me) 1981 Bigfoot B17 deluxe. When I purchased this trailer I did notice some issues, some minor, some a bit more major. I noticed on the roof it was wavy and not flat like it should be. After closer inspection on the inside ceiling I noticed a big water spot painted over... This raised some concern. It occurred to me reading on the forums and what not this is a sort of delamination (separation of the shell/foam/inside panelling).

Anyways long story short I got into it. I removed the ceiling panel and all the block foam was discolor and completely separated. I have since removed the foam and found the sports where water has gotten in. After cleaning up and sanding all of the remaining glue I proceeded to put it back together, but better (I hope :P). I patched the trouble spots with fibreglass, rebuilt the mounting for the cabinets and fibre glassed them in, and also built some extra wood supports. At this point the framing is done, and new foam glued in. This is where I am at right now. I will keep posting along the way. Please chime in your thoughts, thanks!
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Old 03-28-2015, 10:24 AM   #2
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Name: Jason
Trailer: 2007 Eggcamper & Homemade Tear Drop
New York
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Looks good 👍


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Old 03-28-2015, 09:43 PM   #3
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Name: Kathy
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Thanks for the update, Mike. I always like to see pics that show how the Bigfoots were put together. We have some projects on ours that we'd like to tackle and I'd like to gather as much information going into them as I can get before we start ripping things apart!
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Old 03-29-2015, 08:09 AM   #4
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 24
I will post and update as much as I can, it rained quite a bit yesterday I piped my head inside and noticed a good leak now. Right at the belly band and also the top window frame in the front. Ahhh more to do today


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Old 03-29-2015, 12:37 PM   #5
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Name: Jeff
Trailer: 17' Big Foot
British Columbia
Posts: 65
Mike
I hope you don't mind me asking question in rapid fire way. I communicate better that way.
Thank you for the pictures. What glue did you use?
When you said the roof was wavy, how wavy?
Did you put the wood on the ceiling or was it originally there?
Did you remove the interior to see the belly band leakage?
More questions to come. Thanks mike
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Old 03-29-2015, 04:38 PM   #6
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Trailer: 1974 Boler and 1988 Bigfoot
Posts: 186
Hi Rick here I used to own a 1987. I took off the beauty strip from the outside. It would be pretty hard for the for the Belly band to leak as the top portion of the trailer overlaps the bottom by at least a inch and a half, unless u have a crack I don't see how water can get in there. I used butalayne tape all the way around on the belly band and then stainless steel screws a little longer than stock ,very pricy as there so many. Also Jeff if u want to see how they r built come to the Bigfoot Rally in Osoyoos Bc. R u a member of BOCI . The owner of Bigfoot Grant, is having a day that we can go to the plant in Armstong, Bc Sept 13-18 is the rally
Also one of the biggest leakers in the older trailers was the windows, pretty easy removal again lots of screws , new butalayn tape and new screws good luck
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Old 03-29-2015, 06:22 PM   #7
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Name: Jeff
Trailer: 17' Big Foot
British Columbia
Posts: 65
Thank you Rick
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Old 03-30-2015, 07:07 AM   #8
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 24
Hi Jeff I will try to answer everything the best I can. The roof was quite waved where some glue was still attached and other spot it was completely let go. There was only 3 strips in the roof for the cabinets to mount into. The glue I used was a extreme heavy duty autobody spray from an auto body shop (proform). The glue worked great but it is deadly expensive...

The belly band had no putty tape at all just a thin bead of silicone. Not sure if it was fixed poorly once already. The wasn't leaking from the seam itself as it does overlap, but the screw holes of nearly every screw . Some of the small strips of wood for those screws to bite to have rotted away. I work at a RV dealer so I'm hoping I can score some putty tape for cheep today... Hope this helps. Thanks rick for the info!


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Old 03-30-2015, 07:18 AM   #9
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
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I also forgot to mention about what I thought removing the band. I figured if I just removed all the screws it would collapse on itself. What I decided to do was as I removed the screws and banding then put them back in behind me as I went. Then clean, remove them again put on the putty tape and screw it back together obviously putting them back in as I go along.


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Old 03-30-2015, 07:43 AM   #10
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Trailer: 1974 Boler and 1988 Bigfoot
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Hi Mike i removed one side at a time . They only used silicone on the band as it does overlap. also they silicone beauty band , as to keep water and junk from biulfing up around the screws and yes leaking into the inside. the butalayne tape works great. Have fun restoring. I own a 1999 21rb 2500 in mint condition nothing relly wrong with it except tweeking the interior to my liking. Go Bigfoot Go Don't forget to join BOCI.
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Old 04-08-2015, 08:15 AM   #11
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 24
Just a bit of an update folks. Belly band is back in and sealed up on the front. Yesterday I finally had another full day to work on the bigfoot. I removed the wall and insulation from under the wonder as the window leaked all in behind there. To my dismay I found several pin size holes and bigger sprayed across the front. I fibreglass patched it, today and lunch I'm gonna make another quick batch of resin and finish up a few more patches. The attached picture you may be able to see ALL or most of the holes/a bit of patch work. Click image for larger version

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Old 04-08-2015, 10:09 AM   #12
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot 17' DLX
Alaska
Posts: 384
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Looks like the spot where the propane regulator is normally mounted. This would be behind the propane cylinder/battery shroud. Where is your propane regulator?
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Old 04-08-2015, 10:40 AM   #13
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 24
Hi Mike,


That part yes it is where the regulator mounts from the outside. That is the obvious part, it seemed to have more holes on that mount than necessary so I glassed it and will drill new holes. I guess you cant see all the other holes/cracks/splits. This morning with the sun hitting it you could see all the light coming through all of them. I bet there is at least 50. It seems the PO covered it up with rock guard, i think due to rocks from driving a lot of gravel roads...
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Old 04-09-2015, 03:31 AM   #14
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Name: mike
Trailer: currently shopping
British Columbia
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Hi there Mike...My names also Mike and I just bought a 1980 17ft bigfoot that needs some saggy roof repairs as well...I was just wondering how hard it was to access and what needed to be removed to do the repairs...I really Dont want to strip the whole interior because it is all in good shape. Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated.
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Old 04-09-2015, 07:03 AM   #15
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 24
Good morning mike. It seems there are a lot of mikes with these bigfoots! Just with some of my experiences I would say it depends in where the roof is saggy. The front is definitely easier to access. You will have to remove the cabinets, light and corner trim pieces attached to walls. Be carful removing those pieces if you want to keep your wall panels mostly in tact. Those corner strips have about 100staples in them. There are 3 roof panels, I suggest working from to back for the best access. I am building in the roof and gluing the installation in as I go so the whole entire roof doesn't sag. The fibre glass is quite flimsy without the foam and cabinets.

I hope this helps a bit, I am kinda learning as I go to. The forums are helping as well as some of RV techs at my work. Please ask away and I will try to help more!


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Old 04-16-2015, 04:14 PM   #16
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Name: Aimee
Trailer: Casita 17 DLX
Kentucky
Posts: 21
I am super glad to find your thread. So we bought a 2001 Bigfoot, and I have found that it was hit. It was undisclosed to us, and it took us a minute to figure it out. It looks like the window crumpled a bit and water was coming in on the front near the dinette. I don't think they sealed it well. We are currently pulling off all the wall board to figure out exactly what is going on under there. It looks like there may be screws through the fiberglass?!?! Anyways, when you got down to the insulation was it the styrofoam type? We're not sure exactly what it should look like under there...what's original and what was "done" to it. There was also some yellow fiberglass insulation (we wore masks...not knowing what we would find). Do you think your RV buddies might have some suggestions on how to fix a corner that was previously patched...badly? Ugh. Can't wait to see more pics of your remodel.
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Old 04-16-2015, 04:35 PM   #17
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot 17' DLX
Alaska
Posts: 384
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I don't know if this helps Aimee but this is what the inside of the wall where I removed the side window on my 1989 BF looks like. The front should be similar, if not identical. The screws don't go through the fiberglass. Just from the inside frame to the outside frame, which sandwiches the body (fiberglass/insulation/paneling) between the frame pieces.
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Old 04-17-2015, 01:57 PM   #18
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
Posts: 24
Hi Harry! I'm not to sure about the 2001 models but the insulation in the was is block foam (R5) in the rounded corners there is yellow fibreglass insulation glued in the corner. If you are trying to repair the corner patching fibreglass it is easy! Best thing about fibreglass is to much ya sand it down, to little you just fix it with fibreglass. Obviously if you are sanding it down don't take to much out so that you have no corner left. Fibreglass kits are about $30 including resin, glass matting and hardener. Follow the instructions of the kit and it is easy. I also found that the glass matting (the stuff that looks like its everywhere) is easier to work with than that cloth (the stuff that look nice like a blanket). Also you don't always have to use fibreglass, if you want to build up the corner a bit you can just put some coats of resin on and let dry. Careful with the mixture, follow direction so as to mix it to hot or it will harden before you can get it applied. Hope this helps a bit. I'm no pro but just speaking from experience and a tid bit of info I get here and there. Let us all know if you have anymore questions!
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Old 04-17-2015, 01:59 PM   #19
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
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It is hard to see in the pictures, but you can see where it needed more repair with the fibreglass matting, other spots got a generous coat of resin. Hope this helps.
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Old 04-18-2015, 06:20 AM   #20
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Name: Aimee
Trailer: Casita 17 DLX
Kentucky
Posts: 21
Cool, that is helpful. Also, how did you get the seating out? We took out all the screws but it seems glued in.
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