Forum Discussion

Timeking's avatar
Timeking
Explorer
Sep 07, 2015

what supports the walls and roof

My 2007 Skamper Kodiak 24rbsl has some rot in the section of joist from one side of the door to the other, which unfortunately used to support the step. I have found the leak, and can easily fix. The problem I have is that I cannot figure out what is supporting the walls and roof, since the floor is Styrofoam with a thin layer of wood over it, which extends out a foot from the frame to the joist. BUT THERE ARE NO GUSSETS TO support any weight! There are some SHORT angles on the frame but these bolt up through the aforementioned floor, not to the joist. One of those is in the center of the door area, but is a foot from the outer edge of the trailer wall, and there is no structural component that extends to the joist (I had to dig out the rotten part of the joist down to the underbelly, and there is nothing there). So why doesn't the whole trailer collapse if it is only being held up by Styrofoam?

All the videos I've found on YouTube show a wood frame under the floor that extends out to the walls, but there is no wood frame I can find. If I understood how this thing was put together, I likely could tie into that structural component for a strong fix. But I am stumped.

This is a Filon gelcoat exterior TT, so no known way to peel back the outside to see structural components.

6 Replies

  • Timeking's avatar
    Timeking
    Explorer
    Sep 09, 2015
    Just in case anyone reads this at some point, there is aluminum framing under the door. The fix is to weld some 1-1/2 inch angle iron extensions onto the step, remove the door and frame, bolt the extensions to the frame, put the door back on with butyl putty tape. Since I have the step off, I am also having angle iron welded to the rear of the step such that I can bolt the rear extensions to the frame through existing holes, so weight on the step is shared between the frame under the door, and the frame under the trailer.

    The pressed-board wood-rot was the manufacturer's shortcut to support the step. I am using a PT 2x4 to fill the area where the rot was, and use shims to make the floor level, and fill in gaps with Minwax wood filler. Before I put the step back on, I am using Flex Mend Mending Kit to seal the bottom.
  • Timeking's avatar
    Timeking
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2015
    My manual also claims aluminum framing in the floor, but it lies. The framing under the door was some sort of compressed cardboard the size of a 2x4 lying on its side, and seems to run the length of the sides. The damaged area is only the width of the door, but unfortunately that must support the weight of a 200lb man stepping into the trailer. The leak was from that little 1/2 inch aluminum decorative C-cap strip that is mounted on the bottom of the outside wall ... where some factory goofball did a substandard caulk job.

    Now I am wondering if there is actually aluminum framing under the door frame, and that fibreboardstuff was used as a filler for some unknown reason.
  • rwbradley's avatar
    rwbradley
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2015
    Just to give you a little perspective, in my Kodiak, most of the interior wood framing appears to be 1x2. In the basement, behind the fridge, under the seats etc, is all 1x2. There is some aluminum tubing, about 1/2 or 3/4 inch square aluminum tubing in the framing as well. The brochure for my 2012 seems to suggest that its floor frame is welded Aluminum.
    Attached is a brochure for my 2012, around the 3rd or 4th page it has a bit of a breakdown of how it is constructed. I suspect not much has changed in 5 years though.

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50969659/kodiak-rv_2012_brochure.pdf
  • Artum_Snowbird's avatar
    Artum_Snowbird
    Explorer
    Sep 08, 2015
    Use a stud finder, they work perfectly and you should find the outline of the studs and any crossmembers without too much trouble.

    Experiment with the studfinder in a variety of spots so you know when you are on vacant space, and when you are on a solid piece. It does need a bit of practice I have always found.

    I have used it to identify studs and solids to mount TV's on, put in a Dream-Dinette, mounted shelving and cupboards, and put in screws for lots of things.
  • Timeking's avatar
    Timeking
    Explorer
    Sep 07, 2015
    To clarify, the wood framing is maybe inside the floor, not underneath the floor? The floor is one big assembly? The floor, top to bottom, is less than 2 inches thick. There is sheathing on the top and bottom of the foam, the bottom being covered by vapor barrier.

    Do you think if I took a nail and hammer, and used as you would to find a stud behind drywall, I could find the framing? Do they typically run stuff through the composite panel like a gas line, and Kaboom?
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Sep 07, 2015
    Conventional TT wood framing (which I believe your Kodiak is one) has a series of floor joists underneath the surface flooring and wood deck sheathing. The floor joists span the center beams of the trailer's frame and to the edge of the floor. The floor sheathing is installed on the top of the joists. Some manufacturers use a composite panel for the floor, a series of wood joists with foam, that whole having wood sheathing on the top and bottom. These panels are usually made on a press table and everything is glued together. They are installed like a joisted floor, spanning the frame.

    Walls are installed on top of the floor and can be framed just like the floor, with wooden studs or with composite panels. The roof system has a finished ceiling panel, a truss that spans to the walls, and a wood sheathing on top. The wood sheathing is covered with EPDM, vinyl roofing, or an aluminum panel. There may be some fiberglass roofs but I haven't seen any on a TT.

    Hope that helps.

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