2006 Hallmark Ute rotted wood repair
I'm going to start off my first post by saying I've been perusing this site for sometime, and have learned a lot...espcially lubing Happy Jacks. My wife and I have had this Hallmark Ute for a year....
Forum Discussion
Looks like work is progressing!
Analysis:
....from the photos I'm seeing after composite walls and cabover cladding had been removed, the worst damage appears to be at the leading end of the fuselage: the cabover, and at the rear wall. The side walls appear to be (relatively) decay free (however, because of the sidewall cabover extension, the sidewalls need to be replaced, too, because of wicking).
I theorize that water blasting the cabover section while underway, and water blasting the flat rear camper wall (wake vortex/aerodynamic drag) places these two surfaces at extremely high risk for water intrusion. And wicking of water from those vulnerable areas towards the not so vulnerable sidewall(s), compromises those walls eventually, too.
As the OP wrote, this camper came from the Gulf Coast, but I really doubt that the camper was submerged under water (even partially, because tell-tale signs would heve been immediately noticeable on all internal cabinetry finishing and electricals!). The camper vintage from what I can determine (back assembling the age of camper based on Threads in this Post) would take it back to hurricane Katrina vintage (2005). Am I right?
I think the key to keeping water out of these areas is to adhere something like 4-inch Eternabond tape to the entire Weblon softwall skirt bottom perimeter (no gaps!) and newly re-built walls....then, use a stiff compressible non-degrading foam strip like 3M self adhesive foam, under the trim rails (foam thickness TBD using experimentation), screw the trim rails sandwich (made up of: trim rail-->foam strip-->Eternabond-->Weblon softwall) to the new camper shell walls. For added water sealing, fll the pilot holes with 3M Marine 4200 flexible sealant and dip each screw into the sealant (to coat all threads), then screw this treatment into the pilot hole. You will now have a three fallback design: the 3M sealant expanding/contracting with screws & the Eternabond's strong elastic properties grippng the screw as it threads through & finally, the Eternabond taped to the Weblon skirt bottom itself and in turn taped to the new camper wall build-up, so the water cant get to the new camper wall wood end grain.
Anyhow, any plywood in the rebuild must be end-grain sealed (easily done after cutting and before assembly) with multiple coats of marine varnish (if you are going plywood for the vast majority of the cabover section re-build?).
The only thing that worries me about our camper, is that although the starboard and port sides and rear wall are completely aluminum framed, 90% of the cabover section is totally wood (wood covered by FRP) !! I have already re-seated ALL our campers external screws in 3M 4200 sealant, and hope this will be sufficient for some x time-frame...I'm always inspecting the perimeter of the cabover under-bed storage for signs of wet wood, but so far, perfect.
S-
Analysis:
....from the photos I'm seeing after composite walls and cabover cladding had been removed, the worst damage appears to be at the leading end of the fuselage: the cabover, and at the rear wall. The side walls appear to be (relatively) decay free (however, because of the sidewall cabover extension, the sidewalls need to be replaced, too, because of wicking).
I theorize that water blasting the cabover section while underway, and water blasting the flat rear camper wall (wake vortex/aerodynamic drag) places these two surfaces at extremely high risk for water intrusion. And wicking of water from those vulnerable areas towards the not so vulnerable sidewall(s), compromises those walls eventually, too.
As the OP wrote, this camper came from the Gulf Coast, but I really doubt that the camper was submerged under water (even partially, because tell-tale signs would heve been immediately noticeable on all internal cabinetry finishing and electricals!). The camper vintage from what I can determine (back assembling the age of camper based on Threads in this Post) would take it back to hurricane Katrina vintage (2005). Am I right?
I think the key to keeping water out of these areas is to adhere something like 4-inch Eternabond tape to the entire Weblon softwall skirt bottom perimeter (no gaps!) and newly re-built walls....then, use a stiff compressible non-degrading foam strip like 3M self adhesive foam, under the trim rails (foam thickness TBD using experimentation), screw the trim rails sandwich (made up of: trim rail-->foam strip-->Eternabond-->Weblon softwall) to the new camper shell walls. For added water sealing, fll the pilot holes with 3M Marine 4200 flexible sealant and dip each screw into the sealant (to coat all threads), then screw this treatment into the pilot hole. You will now have a three fallback design: the 3M sealant expanding/contracting with screws & the Eternabond's strong elastic properties grippng the screw as it threads through & finally, the Eternabond taped to the Weblon skirt bottom itself and in turn taped to the new camper wall build-up, so the water cant get to the new camper wall wood end grain.
Anyhow, any plywood in the rebuild must be end-grain sealed (easily done after cutting and before assembly) with multiple coats of marine varnish (if you are going plywood for the vast majority of the cabover section re-build?).
The only thing that worries me about our camper, is that although the starboard and port sides and rear wall are completely aluminum framed, 90% of the cabover section is totally wood (wood covered by FRP) !! I have already re-seated ALL our campers external screws in 3M 4200 sealant, and hope this will be sufficient for some x time-frame...I'm always inspecting the perimeter of the cabover under-bed storage for signs of wet wood, but so far, perfect.
S-
