Class C Cabover Rebuild

Calisdad wrote:
I'm actually doing a similar repair right now. Question: have you removed the plywood floor/bed yet? Mine is glued to the exterior plastic. It's not coming out without a MAJOR overhaul and its not so bad it can't be remedied. I plan to remove the rot/soft material, treat with preservative, treat with wood hardener then skin over with 1/2" CDX.

Liquid nails/ subfloor adhesive had bridging and flexing qualities. I've built homes for 40 years and IMHO it is the proper adhesive for this application. Titebond is a great glue- for furniture. It won't flex at all and requires clamping that is impractical for what you're trying to do. I also plan to install the new plywood at a 90 degree to the existing. This will deal with any joint issues. I think you will find, as Da Hose did, that there is a joint there somewhere. I can't imagine getting such a large piece as you mention in the door and installed.

Regarding your brakes- proportion valves work front to back, not side to side. It's either an adjustment or possibly as you suspect a faulty cylinder. Try adjusting again. I check mine with an infrared heat sensor. Cheap, $15.

Yes, I got the skin off. It was a job! I used a putty knife and a hammer...... lightly! It took a while but better than buying new! The bunk does go in from the outside. I ended up gluing the two pieces together and claming with some ratchet straps and 2x4 to keep straight. The tightbond 3 kept shrinking and I'd have to refill the gaps......for the skin back to the plywood, I used contact cement. Fortunately for me, the front end wood was still like new other than the nose cone. The metal frame was rusty so I cleaned it up with a wire brush on a drill then shoved a new piece of square tubing inside the existing tubing frame just because. I then used screws long enough to penetrate all the way through the top of the square tubing. I will have mine in the dry Wednesday hopefully. My wife is having some medical issues right now and has appointments Wednesday so it may have to wait until Thursday.

Dont be afraid to pull the skin off and do it from the outside. Im thinking in reality this is the easier and better way. The only issue I had getting it out was that they evidently put a blind screw in and I ended up having to beat it out and break it. Going back in was a pretty easy task. I did have a buddy helping me and probably couldn't have done it alone. I will get some pictures transfered and posted later this week. I took them with my phone and don't see a place to attach pictures here when I'm on my phone.