I am in the middle of an extensive remodel on our 2008 Tiffin Allegro Open Road. I might have to rebuild part of the doghouse.
The current setup has two pieces consisting of a fiberglass shell, which is screwed onto the "firewall" and floor, and a hatch made of heavy plywood which also serves as the floor between the driver and passenger seats. The wooden section is fine but I might need to rebuild and replace the fiberglass part.
If I do rebuild the doghouse, I might make it out of the same heavy plywood as the floor/hatch section.
Is there any reason I CAN'T replace the fiberglass section with plywood? I believe that if the wood is strong enough and I use plenty of sound/heat insulation, the wood should be just fine.
Does that sound right or are there other factors I should consider?
The current setup has two pieces consisting of a fiberglass shell, which is screwed onto the "firewall" and floor, and a hatch made of heavy plywood which also serves as the floor between the driver and passenger seats. The wooden section is fine but I might need to rebuild and replace the fiberglass part.
If I do rebuild the doghouse, I might make it out of the same heavy plywood as the floor/hatch section.
Is there any reason I CAN'T replace the fiberglass section with plywood? I believe that if the wood is strong enough and I use plenty of sound/heat insulation, the wood should be just fine.
Does that sound right or are there other factors I should consider?
deprived wrote:flagstickfrank wrote:
Repairing the FG is much easier than building a replacement out of plywood, especially if the original has rounded edges or corners. FG repairs are easy and usually requires basic skills. I use standard auto kits available at any parts store.
Its not that it needs to be repaired exactly, its that it is very poorly made and it does not seal particularly well. The FG sealing edges are all wavy and parts of the floor are uneven as well. The builder (Tiffin) bridged these gaps by stapling shag carpet around the edges making a crude gasket. Pretty lazy if you asked me.
I've used epoxy and rubber insulation strips to try and even out the edges but it's still pretty noisy and stinky.
I'll try to make the fiberglass thing work but at the end of the day I think it will be much easier to just rebuild the **** thing. Quieter, too, probably.
Imagine that, something not built correctly on an RV?, hmmmmmm. Now that doesn't really happen does it? Anyway, this is a judgment call. If you feel you can do a better job with a newly built plywood cover, well, go for it. It's your coach. I've done the same thing, oh, about a few dozen times. The manufacturers "ka-thump" things out at sometimes a substantial rate and in some cases, they just don't turn out right or fit correctly.
On the other hand, if you can modify the existing F/G one and think in the end, it will work, well again, it's your coach. You ought to see some of the things I've changed/altered/fabricated so that our coach is better/more efficient/more suited for us.
Scott
On edit: I don't have a clue as to why my entire post here got underlined. That's not the way I intended it. I was only underlining the red lettered quote and something got screwed up. Hmmmmm
Scott
