Forum Discussion

road2002runner's avatar
Jun 28, 2014

front "nose" on Cougar buckling

Hi folks - I have a 2004 Coug. 295 EFS. We have spent 10 great years in this unit and other than the decals flaking, we simply LOVE this unit and are not about yet to trade.
THE ONLY thing (well not only) it has the front nose almost straight from top to bottom (FLAT) In other words it has the AERO of - say a BRICK!.
It appears to be a one piece vinyl panel - from top to bottom.

Having towed it across Can, & USA four or five times and from Vancouver Island a dozen times to So. Cal. I have noticed this panel seems to have taken a "SET" and is very wavey.

I had thought of drilling some small holes in it and using spray in foam - say from bottom to top to try to correct this problem - this would also add extra insollation to the frot storage closet & B/R.

Anyone tried this with a non"Sculptured" front end ?

Thanks

BBT

2 Replies

  • That type of front cap is usually just the fiberglas skin without the lauan plywood backing. That is so the skin can be curved at the top and bottom. So, you have the interior paneling, then studs with probably batt insulation and finally the exterior fiberglas skin. The buckling or wavy appearance is the exterior skin sagging between the studs.

    You can remove the exterior trim and then remove the fiberglas skin, then either add more studs or glue rigid foam insulation between the existing studs and reinstall the skin (or replace it with a new skin).

    Another option is to remove the interior paneling inside the front closet and then reinforce the front wall, again either add more studs or install rigid foam, then reinstall the interior paneling with trim to hide where the paneling was cut.

    I have seen some units where the front skin was reinforced in the flat area of the cap using either flat lauan as a backer or a thicker structure that looked similar to a hollow core door. That way the flat area would not have the problem you are experiencing yet the top and bottom of the skin would still curve as needed.
  • I don't understand, is it buckling as your thread title suggests or do you just wan't to change the shape?

    FWIW, mine is pretty flat too and I don't think your going to effect its shape much by forcing foam in. I think all you would accomplish is making it lumpy and non-uniform.