Cleaning up rear rotted 'skirts' on camper...
Literally Drivers side 06/08/14 Passenger Side 07/23/14 Last thing yesterday, swept up our rear driver side skirt or rear wing. After putting it off for way too long- forced to start the...
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Almost Done-with this thread, I promise.
Wasnt sure-seemed like the closer I got to finishing the further away that actually it got, moving target. But camper drivers side skirt rebuild is done.
Yesterday I was cleaning/decaulking to re-caulk behind the skirt getting ready to coat. Wasnt planned but in removing the 1/2" bead of silicone caulking it took off like rubber band. I mean it just went zing- entire length of wing. OK, obviously needs recaulking anyway. Proceeded to clean all of the wing box. When cleaning the end of plumbing bump out box the cover moved in 1/2". Oh great more rot. What I discovered.
Unlike everything else that is vinyl covered plywood, end of box has a piece of luan as a cover. I guess supposedly to be stapled to the piece of plywood (oddly with interior paneling attached). However other than into the edge of outer plywood the staples were in the air. The inner piece of ply wasn't attached to anything. Its just setting there well about a 1/2" back, I assume it moved when the staples hit it. The only thing holding the laun was the caulking.
The bottom of the box is another piece of luan-its access to the shower drain. So Ive a piece of 3/8" ply that my rub rails are attached to, thats just kinda hanging there. Ive been against this pretty hard. No wonder I couldn't keep caulked...the only reason hadn't caved in outer box wall is it would push the inner ply against the floor. (Or against my black tank?)
I tried to fathom a reason for this other than oversight. Between the outer and floor access panels I could replace the shower p trap or about anything that might be needed. Who knows-Regardless Im tying together.
Used pipe clamp & pulled panel into place. Profusely glued and screwed to wing edge and outer box edge. Working thru access panel after attaching to wing wall ran a corner block thats against the floor frame and attached to the end ply. Re stapled the luan cover. Cleaned up the corner edge tin, reattached.
Finished cleaning remainder of wing box walls lid, behind the skirt. Painted jack brackets. Then caulked out all the filon edge & corner trim. Caulked out the backside of skirt and wing. Painted the wing box tin.
Another all day spent for what I thought would be a couple of hours.
Have to admit though certainly not on the list, pretty happy with the results. The wing box was looking pretty sad.
Today got the backside of skirt coated & sealed up. Some detail & touch up painting. Also painted the stove vent cover.
Had no idea that this would look so much nicer (to me) all clean & shiny as my concern & motivation to rebuild the skirt was purely structural. But not seeing 14 years of old caulk & grime-stuff you know is rotten, just amazed it looks half decent again. Almost motivates me to start the other side..almost, well maybe after next trip, but sooner.
Load er on the truck tomorrow to get placement for the LED rear marker light. Stick on reflector -done.
Wasnt sure-seemed like the closer I got to finishing the further away that actually it got, moving target. But camper drivers side skirt rebuild is done.
Yesterday I was cleaning/decaulking to re-caulk behind the skirt getting ready to coat. Wasnt planned but in removing the 1/2" bead of silicone caulking it took off like rubber band. I mean it just went zing- entire length of wing. OK, obviously needs recaulking anyway. Proceeded to clean all of the wing box. When cleaning the end of plumbing bump out box the cover moved in 1/2". Oh great more rot. What I discovered.
Unlike everything else that is vinyl covered plywood, end of box has a piece of luan as a cover. I guess supposedly to be stapled to the piece of plywood (oddly with interior paneling attached). However other than into the edge of outer plywood the staples were in the air. The inner piece of ply wasn't attached to anything. Its just setting there well about a 1/2" back, I assume it moved when the staples hit it. The only thing holding the laun was the caulking.
The bottom of the box is another piece of luan-its access to the shower drain. So Ive a piece of 3/8" ply that my rub rails are attached to, thats just kinda hanging there. Ive been against this pretty hard. No wonder I couldn't keep caulked...the only reason hadn't caved in outer box wall is it would push the inner ply against the floor. (Or against my black tank?)
I tried to fathom a reason for this other than oversight. Between the outer and floor access panels I could replace the shower p trap or about anything that might be needed. Who knows-Regardless Im tying together.
Used pipe clamp & pulled panel into place. Profusely glued and screwed to wing edge and outer box edge. Working thru access panel after attaching to wing wall ran a corner block thats against the floor frame and attached to the end ply. Re stapled the luan cover. Cleaned up the corner edge tin, reattached.
Finished cleaning remainder of wing box walls lid, behind the skirt. Painted jack brackets. Then caulked out all the filon edge & corner trim. Caulked out the backside of skirt and wing. Painted the wing box tin.
Another all day spent for what I thought would be a couple of hours.
Have to admit though certainly not on the list, pretty happy with the results. The wing box was looking pretty sad.
Today got the backside of skirt coated & sealed up. Some detail & touch up painting. Also painted the stove vent cover.
Had no idea that this would look so much nicer (to me) all clean & shiny as my concern & motivation to rebuild the skirt was purely structural. But not seeing 14 years of old caulk & grime-stuff you know is rotten, just amazed it looks half decent again. Almost motivates me to start the other side..almost, well maybe after next trip, but sooner.
Load er on the truck tomorrow to get placement for the LED rear marker light. Stick on reflector -done.
