I guess its my turn - rotted floor

[Double_Haul]

Just brought the trailer home from its permanent spot in the California Delta. Getting it cleaned up and doing the routine maintenance has been an annual thing before we take it up to the Sierra for a week’s vacation. As soon as I stepped onto the floor I noticed the soft spot. Something I had dreaded after reading the horror stories on this board. It looks like it extends out about 12” and starts at the center of the door and runs, unfortunately, under the kitchen sink and stove to about the middle of the fridge area. I took the advice from Camo’s thread and setup a tub over the roof vent with my leaf blower stuck in a cut out hole and did a leak test. I checked all the windows, lights, door and seams and only found one leak near the bottom of a window, no where near the trouble area. No noticeable leaks near the trouble area.

Two things I did notice and try to fix a couple of years ago was 1) the door window was just flopping around and not sealed. Water had to be running into the door. I assumed it was getting out somewhere and never noticed any puddles inside. I removed the framing and sealed the window to the frame and then sealed the frame to the door both with butyl caulk. 2) When I was washing the trailer one time I noticed water was dripping from under the wheel well. The wheel well was encased in sheet metal I assume to protect the framing and underside from mud, water and rocks. Pushing on it I could feel water trapped under the sheet metal. When I got the trailer home I removed the skirt and notice the sheet metal was bent upward and attached to the outside of the siding and was not sealed at all. Water would naturally run down the side and under the sheet metal. I sealed it as best I could as a precaution and hoped that Fleetwood had done this for a reason and it didn’t really need sealing.

Obviously the repairs are not going to be fun but doable. I’m dreading having to take the fridge out to remove the cabinet. I’m more worried about what caused the damage. The water lines and drain lines all look good. I’m thinking the wheel well thing might be the cause since it is centered where the damage is.

Any Fleetwood trailer owners out there have a similar experience and found what caused the damage? Any tips on removing the cabinets would be helpful also

Thanks in advance.

[Mark_and_Linda]

I had to repair a few spots in my floor a few months ago. I was getting up out of the bed and noticed a soft spot near the door. I got home and removed the linoleum and carpet in the area. It extended back into the right fron storage area. I replaced the wood and put it back together. I had to use my table saw to rip the 2 x 4's down to the right size. I made a box out of them to attach to the other floor joists. I then found a spot in the bathroom near the wall by the vanity, had to remove the vanity by cutting the PEX lines and the drain line. Found the repair parts at my Lowe's store. I made sure I had the right stuff before I cut into the lines. I repaired it much the same way as the other one. It was a headache believe me. I replaced my seals on my storage compartments and tightened my door up some.

[westend]

How is the floor constructed? If Fleetwood was/is using the composite floor panels like Jayco and others, the cause may not be related to water but a failure of the flooring. There have been a few posts on the Forum about failing Luan/foam/Luan composite flooring.

Yeah, moving the fridge is a big deal but not undoable. Look for threads with "amish cooling units" in the title. It seems like the cabinet installation varies by mfg., some use screws to attach at certain points, various staples, and some are fastened from the exterior. If you run into the latter, a somewhat firm pull with a small pry bar will expose enough of the fastener to be cut with a reciprocal saw. Stock up on blades, I also found that a small grinder saved a lot of time.

[Dtaylor]

Since this has occurred in a area where you have a lot of plumbing, I would start by looking there for a leak. It could have been a small leak that has gone un-detected for some time. Sorry, no tips on removing cabinets