Kidoo wrote:
rgatijnet1 wrote:
Kidoo wrote:
I have an apointement monday at a Motorhome dealer. They have a big boddy shop for MH. The insurer wanted me to wait until they come to check it out in 6 days, but I do not trust insurance companies. So I will have an estimate of the damage and I will be in position to deal with the insurer, or at least know the possibilities. The MH dealer is well equiped and to my knowledge the only shop that can do all the work involved.
The insurer did offer to others I know to fix / suck out the dents on cars without painting. I don't if they can do this on a MH aluminum roof with so many dents. The dealer told me the roof can be replaced. How much it cost, we will see. I contacted an independent sinister expert to help out if needed.
I will report on the outcome.
There are a few different methods to remove hail dents in steel vehicle bodies. One uses induction heat to pop out a SMALL dent. Another uses glued on studs and a puller for larger dents, and even dry ice can be used on minor hail dents.
For your aluminum roof, which is .090 thick, the aluminum is stretched and they may try the glued on stud method to pull the dents out. This may help but I suspect that it will leave small mounds rather than a level surface.
I would not do too much until you hear from the insurer. You may be pleasantly surprised. Even if they do replace your roof and repair all of the vents and AC units, they still have the cargo doors and windows to deal with. Even tho you have fiberglass sidewalls, the impact from the large hail could have fractured the laminated seal which could possibly lead to future delamination of the sidewall. Don't assume that since you can't see any dents that there is not damage done.
I tried to find .090 aluminum but all I find is .024 for alu. roof on the web. Can you tell me where you found it was .090 as it makes a big difference on the solidity of the roof.
The material used on the Monaco coaches is NOT roofing material. It is sheet aluminum that is formed for the roof and sidewalls. IN other words they take a flat sheet of .090 aluminum and bend it to roll over the edge of the coach. Then it peaks in the middle and that is the only roof seam. The sidewalls of the Monaco coaches during that period of time were just laminated .090 sheets glued to foam, altho some, like yours, were the fiberglass panels. The roof on those coaches is strong enough to dance on if you are so inclined. You do not get any rain noise as you would get with the much thinner aluminum roofing material.
