2002 Lance 811 Rebuild - Update 09.30.2020- PROJECT COMPLETE

UPDATE 06.15.2020

Finally had some time this weekend to start rebuilding. I wanted to replace the inside paneling before doing the framing so I could make the seam behind the cabinets. So first I cut that piece to size, slid it in place and then added the new framing. I was able to find some very nice 1/8" plywood at the local big box that was perfect for this.

I don't have one of the very wide staplers that the factory uses for the butt joints in the framing, so I am using pocket screws. Every joint gets at least 2 of the blue-coated Kreg screws with some Liquid Nails added to the joint. Also, the paneling is glued to the framing with Liquid Nails making the entire assembly very strong.

Note the 1x6 that runs up/down, that diagonal piece is glued in and is in compression, sending weight back to the bottom on that 1x6. When that rotted away, that's what let the whole front sag 1-1/2".



Here in the front I beefed up the bottom piece with a 1x6 to compensate somewhat for the seam. I wanted to catch the corner of that diagonal piece to give it a little more resistance to sagging. Best would have been to replace that whole 1x3 from side to side, but it's almost impossible to separate the framing from the interior paneling without destroying the interior paneling in the process.



The kitchen window and framing for the hot water heater are done, now the plan is to work back long this side so that I can re-install the battery and get the power back on. I determined that the rot in the rear was caused by a missing cap and failed seal on the gray tank vent causing water to drip down along side of the pipe, combined with a leak somewhere in the outside shower set up.



The plan after that is to finish the right side of the cabover, that should make it strong enough for me to remove the support and deal with the underside fiberglas.

A word on adhesives...Lance tells me they use StaBond StaSeal 5000 to fasten the luan to the framing. Nobody carries this stuff. I called StaBond in LA and I was told minimum order was $200 and I needed a special pneumatic gun to apply it.

Lance was willing to sell it to me for $20 per 20 oz. bag....yes, per bag. It comes in a plastic wrapper like tollhouse cookie dough and their suggestion was that I cut the bag and smear it on with a putty knife.

After some research on strength tests, shear resistence, etc, I decided on good ol' LN HD from the home center:

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BurbMan wrote:

A word on adhesives...Lance tells me they use StaBond StaSeal 5000 to fasten the luan to the framing. Nobody carries this stuff. I called StaBond in LA and I was told minimum order was $200 and I needed a special pneumatic gun to apply it.

Lance was willing to sell it to me for $20 per 20 oz. bag....yes, per bag. It comes in a plastic wrapper like tollhouse cookie dough and their suggestion was that I cut the bag and smear it on with a putty knife.

After some research on strength tests, shear resistence, etc, I decided on good ol' LN HD from the home center:

.

I wonder if liquid nails you guys get down there is different than the liquid nails we get up here. I would never concider using ours for anything more than tacking on baseboards. I would have gone for something like construction adhesive like LePage PL for what your doing.

Steve

It's doing a good job so far supplementing the pocket screw joints and attaching the interior paneling to the framing. I may go with something else to attach the exterior sheathing to the framing. The StaBond 5000 was like the consistency of a pencil eraser when it cured, that's what is making it so hard to remove, it just bounces off the scraper.

I'm wondering if it needs to have some elasticity so it allows flexing, where a rigid joint may just crack.

I spent a lot of time with this construction adhesive comparison, I'm not convinced the Liquid Nails is the best choice so I'm open to suggestions here.

EDIT: Just found this data sheet for Loctite PL Premium and in addition to coing out on top in the top 10 test, it says it cures to a "rubbery solid", so this may be just what I'm looking for here.

UPDATE 07/03/2020

Lots of work happening on the Lance, last weekend we took a road trip to Elkhart with the new truck to pick up a roll of filon (shipping was $$$), also found a new fridge (scratch-n-dent at an RV fridge specialist), more to come on that stuff.

Finished the framing on the left side, got the battery box, outside shower and sewage hose storage back together



Once the framing was complete we re-insulated. I couldn't find either fiberglas batts or the pink board in 3/4" thickness, so we went with this styrofoam, it claims a slightly higher R value than the pink board





The factory also had a piece of steel sheet fastened at each corner where the jacks go. Not sure if that adds strength considering there is also angle iron on the inside, but I figured I may as well put it back. The piece that was there was rusted to nothing, so I got a piece at the hardware store and hit it with some cold galvanizing spray.



Something else we wanted to add was a separate faucet for the shower. Even thought it's a wet bath, having the shower hose draped across the sink looked pretty inconvenient.

I used sharkbite fittings to tee into the hot/cold lines, then 30" stainless hoses to connect to the faucet above. The fittings facing you are for the outside shower.



New shower faucet on the right, and while I was in there I replaced the sink faucet with a "bar fixture" that gives you more room under the spout to wash



Next step before closing up was to get some plugs to cap off the lines to the hot water heater and outside shower, then fill the fresh tank and pressurinze the lines. Now I know the pump works and I have no leaks before I start to close up. You'll still be able to reach those new faucet connections but not as easily.

With the plumbing passing inspection, next step was the sheathing



I'm using a 5mm underlayment which is very similar to what they use at the factory



I also shifted gears on the adhesive, instead of Liquid Nails I decided to go with this Loctite stuff









The staples are only there to hold/clamp the luan until the Loctite dries. The resulting wall is incredibly strong! You can see that panel that pans half of the kitchen window and into the cabover adds a LOT of strength to the cabover.

I picked up this Bauer Trim Router from Harbor Freight to cut out the window and hatch openings. Let me say this is not the cheap junk like the $29 Drillmaster, this router is almost identical to the Makita at the big box store and was $30 cheaper. HF is really upping their game with this Bauer brand of tools. Flush trim router bits are from MLCS Woodworking, these guys have great bits at great prices.

Here's a pic of the inside. DW wants to paint the inside of the camper, so I'll just caulk that seam where the interior panels meet.

Got the solar controller installed. That cabinet where the cordless drill is sitting is where the microwave used to be. Microwave was DOA when we powered up the camper, and remembering that we hardly used the micro in the trailer, we decided to pitch it and free up some cabinet space. I'll either buy or make a new pair of doors that will cover both spaces and make this look like one cabinet.



On to that soft spot by the door...with the door out I used the moisture meter to determine how far back to cut the flakeboard. Wet flakeboard feels solid and isn't a problem today but will start to rot again if you close it up.



With the door this is what I wound up with





Followed the same fomula of pocket screws and construction adhesive to rebuild the rotted floor





I used the same 1/4" luan on the bottom and then a double layer (1-1/2") of styrofoam insulation



Then 1/2" plywood on top glued and screwed to the framing





Next step here is to spray the bottom repair with flex seal to seal it up and re-install the door. Thank goodness for 3-day weekends!

Also got the fridge out (I had a separate thread on that) and the next steps on the project are to remove the dinette slide out and start rebuilding the curbside wall.

good progress

That is amazing!!

Since you are doing new shower faucet, consider adding thermostatic diverter to the system LIKE THIS ONE
Anybody who did the upgrade loves it.
In my latest conversion I made singe diverter operating shower and vanity faucet and hooked up to hot water side.
So without fooling around with valves, I always get the water at right temperature at right time.
For those butt joints I would add reinforcement.
Can it be some fiberglass, or a piece of sheet-metal with lot of staples.

Awesome rebuild- added to the TCU thread.
Noted posts june 1 & 7, pics missing, did you move them?

You're a better man then I. Taking that apart and seeing gong show construction from the factory would end in a stroke for me for sure.
I have to admit uttering a chuckle whenever you refer to asking Lance what they use. Was that so you didn't make the same mistake??? Har har har. :)
And yeah, as a fellow Canuck mentioned PL Premium. It's the AK-47 of adhesives. As Samuel L. Jackson would say, in this situation: "If you have to glue every last MF'ing joint in a camper.....accept no substitutes!"
It be a great extra step to paint or at least prime with Bullseye 1-2-3 all the framing and plywood, before covering it. Just to add another level of water defense to the wood. But that'd probably lessen the adhesion of the PL Premium.
Again, hats off to you. Epic.