Lance Repair in Southeast?

We picked up my camper today and it looks like they did a real fine job. In addition to rebuilding both rear corners, they resealed all seems, windows, lights, etc, etc. Best yet, the final bill was a lot less expensive than I expected.

Aka: Git Rot. It's available at most marine shops. Nor cheap though.

We're surveying our Lance 1121 at present, the wings have all ready been rebuilt. There are several other places suspect. Unfortunately I forgot a boating repair technique using West System (wood epoxy saturation technique) the epoxy is very thin and turns the wood pretty much completely sealed from absorption. Because epoxy breaks down in sunlight any exposed areas must be painted. I think this method will be a good way of forstalling, and reducing the rot.
The West System products are available at West Marine and other boating outlets.
Forgetting stuff is getting old, as I am!

bookmaker wrote:
The strip was not the issue on mine, at least the right side. On the right side, I am pretty sure it was the propane box. Really poor door vent set up allows water to pour in the box. Even though it is a plastic box, water finds a way. The rot started just below this near the rear, then angled forward as it went down.

I don't know the extent of the left side, but I never had problems with the strip being loose.

On the propane side I too had a plastic box and that could have been the issue there as the transition strip was always tight on that side.

Both sides were rotten. I thought (wrongly) that is was just the drivers side but the new owner tore both apart and both were punky.

He's much more adept than I am with that stuff. In fact, he ripped it apart on one Saturday and buttoned it back up the following Sunday.

I basically gave the camper to him. He gave me a grand for it. Was probably worth more but I had no reason to keep it (I have a new one) and it was just taking up space in the barn.

I tried to sell it on Craigs List and the local paper but all I got was low ballers and tire kickers and people that wanted it but had no tie downs on their truck or had a too small a truck. I wasn't about to sell it to someone with a 1/2 ton. I didn't feel comfortable with that.

The new owner has a 1 ton Ford.

I wish my new camper had the one piece aluminum roof the Lance had. Hard to beat an aluminum roof. Never had any issues with leaks up there... Just down below.

I considered having it redone too. Problem was, the HS Lance was too tall for my wife and I to access our remote property in Northern Michigan. We needed a lower overall height unit to clear the trees getting in on the seasonal access road. We gave up some conveniences for height but the new one certainly hauls a lot easier and there is no top heavy feeling at all.

I miss it and I don't.

The strip was not the issue on mine, at least the right side. On the right side, I am pretty sure it was the propane box. Really poor door vent set up allows water to pour in the box. Even though it is a plastic box, water finds a way. The rot started just below this near the rear, then angled forward as it went down.

I don't know the extent of the left side, but I never had problems with the strip being loose.

Wing rot seems to be a common issue with Lance. I had issues with mine before I sold it. It's new owner is busy replacing the wings entirely.

One thing I noticed with mine was the transition strip (at the top of the wing) would never stay sealed no matter how often I re sealed it. That was one thing I 'homed in' on when looking at a new camper. I wanted a solid run of filon with no transition strip.

Lower rear corners.

Are you talking about the wing or the skirt? IIRC the wing is the portion above the bed rail while the skirt is the part at the rear lower corner.

bookmaker wrote:
Finally took my Lance 1121 in for repair. We decided to take it to Apalachee RV.

It has been decided to rebuild both rear wings, and after a pressure test, decided to scrape all exterior sealer off and reseal the entire camper. They seem real interested in taking care of what needs to be done and doing it right.

Obviously, it is going to cost a pretty penny, but I do not have the time to do it and if they do a good job, it will be worth it.

Just tucking into this post to watch it - am on the road and will show photos of a Lance wing repair when we get home. about a week or so, maybe two :)

Update on progress. The right wing was a complete mess and the left wing had rot also.

The shop has done a pressure check for leaks and recommended scraping all old sealer from the upper areas and reseal. I feel this was a really good idea. Putting good over bad just makes a lot of bad. They have torn into the right wing and sent photos. About what I expected unfortunately. They seem concerned to do it right.

Hope so.

ps: thanks for the info Sleepy. While I personally don't know you, I have followed a lot of your posts and respect your experiences. Thanks again.

Dale