Playpac Virgins

[srhodd5446]

Hi everybody! A little, lonely 13' Playpac "Hitch-Hut" followed us home from Pennsylvania, last week. We LOVE her. This is our first experience with a travel trailer...it went, for the most part, ok!

On the way home, the realization that we had absolutely NO idea what we were doing, set in. She needs work. Obviously, we will be spending lots and lots of time on this forum (more so than we, already, have!).
There's a few things I'd like to get off my back and out into the open in one post:

1. She was only able to top 55 without swaying. Is this normal for a vintage trailer? Seriously. We're VERY new to this. haha! Other than weight-distribution and sway bars (we, already, have on our tow-vehicle hitch), should we do anything else? We're thinking a new axle might be good...? She rides really smooth without wind and bumps, though!...but, still, only at max speed of 55.

2. She had leaks in her roof and windows. The previous owners patched everything up, but, it, still, seems very damp inside. I've researched a lot of tin-can leaks, but, don't know much about fiberglass. Can fiberglass get water damage? Can we remove the windows and just re-rubber/seal them and call it good? The windows, themselves, are in pretty-darn good condition.

3. Her door has a bit of a slouch, creating a small gap at the top and a substantial gap at the bottom. I've noticed bolers have this same problem, and, usually need the door frame rebuilt. Yah?

4. There's a hole in the wheel well of the fiberglass. It doesn't go through to the inside of the trailer, though. Is this an issue?

5. Some of the ensolite is peeling and bubbling...should we just use some industrial strength glue to fix this?

We are SO EXCITED to get this gem rebuilt. She seems to have a lot of the original floor plan and some other really good updates from the previous owners. Luckily, we'll have plenty of time to work on her after we go full-time.

Any and all helpful comments will be much appreciated! Thanks, friends!

p.s. here's a little glimpse of our "Pearl".

[TomK]

What a nice looking trailer! I like the streamlined wheel well look. I'm no expert on any of your maintenance issues, other than to know the folks on this forum always respond to questions like yours. Many have been there and done that. I am guessing that big cargo box on the back of your trailer is a prime suspect for your swaying problem. Everytime I've experienced a swaying condition in a trailer, it went away after moving weight forward. Your tongue weight should be about 10% of your total trailer weight.

Good luck and keep us posted on your project! Welcome to the Forum!

Tom

[srhodd5446]

Thanks, TomK! I suspected the box is the culprit, as well. It *seems* like such a nice amenity to hold our stabilizers, hoses, and leveler-thingys...for now, at least.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by srhodd5446

1. She was only able to top 55 without swaying. Is this normal for a vintage trailer? Seriously. We're VERY new to this. haha! Other than weight-distribution and sway bars (we, already, have on our tow-vehicle hitch), should we do anything else? We're thinking a new axle might be good...? She rides really smooth without wind and bumps, though!...but, still, only at max speed of 55.

2. She had leaks in her roof and windows. The previous owners patched everything up, but, it, still, seems very damp inside. I've researched a lot of tin-can leaks, but, don't know much about fiberglass. Can fiberglass get water damage? Can we remove the windows and just re-rubber/seal them and call it good? The windows, themselves, are in pretty-darn good condition.

3. Her door has a bit of a slouch, creating a small gap at the top and a substantial gap at the bottom. I've noticed bolers have this same problem, and, usually need the door frame rebuilt. Yah?

4. There's a hole in the wheel well of the fiberglass. It doesn't go through to the inside of the trailer, though. Is this an issue?

5. Some of the ensolite is peeling and bubbling...should we just use some industrial strength glue to fix this?

We are SO EXCITED to get this gem rebuilt. She seems to have a lot of the original floor plan and some other really good updates from the previous owners. Luckily, we'll have plenty of time to work on her after we go full-time.

Any and all helpful comments will be much appreciated! Thanks, friends!

p.s. here's a little glimpse of our "Pearl".

1. That box on the back is probably your problem. I suspect that your hitch weight is too low. Also be sure the trailer is level when you are towing. Nose down, Tilted toward the vehicle is better then nose up, tilted away from the vehicle.

2. Remove the windows and scrape off the old putty then put in new butyl putty. Water doesn't harm fibreglass, but the wood cabinets, and flooring are subject to water damage.

3. Basically correct.

4. Fibreglass is easy to repair. If it is still water tight, then it is probably fine. You might want to paint it though, to protect the exposed fibers.

5. Various solutions work. If the bubble is small, using a syringe to inject glue into the bubble, then work it around the inside of the bubble, then press on it with something till it sets. Or if the bubble is big, carefully separate the Ensolite to open the bubble up to re-glue it.

[TomK]

Originally Posted by srhodd5446

Thanks, TomK! I suspected the box is the culprit, as well. It *seems* like such a nice amenity to hold our stabilizers, hoses, and leveler-thingys...for now, at least.

We're using a rubber maid type plastic box and lid to hold that kind of thing. It's already got a name. "outside box" It will be the last box loaded in the trailer, and the first one out. We'll just stash it under the trailer in camp. There are others with cargo boxes on the back here in the forum, but their's appear proportionally smaller than yours. I'll bet you hear from them as well. Good luck on your rebuild and have fun camping in it.

Tom

[srhodd5446]

Great information! Thanks, everybody!