The lance 1030 rebuild is done, just in time

[Mote]

Good Morning everyone, I'm happy to report that we got the rebuild of the front of our camper completed. We had some rot around the front window and the front drivers side window. We decided to take out the front window in the process of the rebuild We're quite happy with how everything turned out. Our trip to Wyoming is coming up in two weeks so we got it done just in time.

I still need to find a decal for the front. Instead of a big Lance decal I think I'll find a nice mountain scene.



The inside we removed the old headboard and build a small 10 inch shelf and installed a USB charger. Should be a good place to plug in the phones at night.



We saw an article on truckcampermagazine of a person who took a sofa out of a 5th wheel and placed it where the dinette was in their truck camper. We've thought about doing that too. We also own a older Keystone Cougar 5th wheel. After doing some measuring we found the sofa from that camper would fit in place of the dinette in the Lance. So we took the cushions out of the Lance. Then removed the four screws holding the couch to the frame in the Cougar and placed it in the Lance. It's a great way to see if we like it without having to spend any money.



Today I'm going to Lowes to find some snap together laminate flooring to cover up the yellowed vinyl.

[Mote]

Joe417 wrote:
How did you end up forming the nose trim molding?

That is one task that I have never done. I thought that it would take special dies in the proper shape to keep from kinking and deforming it so I've been very careful removing the old trim on the few that I've done so that it could be reuses.

In hindsight I would have been more careful removing the old trim molding. What ever sealant Lance used was still very tacky and really bent the old molding taking it off. For new stuff I bought just the standard RV trailer corner molding. The first piece I tried to bend around the nose kinked immediately. I talked to the local camper store mechanic whose been in the business for 40 years and he said the camper manufacturers have special rollers they use the bend the molding into shape. Of course I don't have those so had to make relieve cuts on the side of the molding and then sealed those cuts with the sealant at the end.
If you look real close on the bottom of the cab over, about half way back you see I transitioned back to the old molding as I didn't think the new stuff could make the tight bend back by the jacks even with relief cuts.
I also used the dicor corner seal tape under the molding. It's kind of like the eternabond tape but more flexible.

[Joe417]

How did you end up forming the nose trim molding?

That is one task that I have never done. I thought that it would take special dies in the proper shape to keep from kinking and deforming it so I've been very careful removing the old trim on the few that I've done so that it could be reuses.

[Greg_B]

Nice job on the rebuild. I like the couch idea. Dinettes are functional but not that comfortable for extended sitting.

[billyray50]

SidecarFlip wrote:
Looks excellent...

I too am against front windows. Too much wind pressure pushing in rainwater in the rain. Same with conventional front clearance lights.

No matter how well sealed originally, they all tend to leak eventually.

Agree...

[joerg68]

Great job, looks fantastic! I wish you many happy travels with the new setup!

In my experience, the traditional aluminum is easier to repair - but fiberglass is easier to clean...

[SidecarFlip]

Looks excellent...

I too am against front windows. Too much wind pressure pushing in rainwater in the rain. Same with conventional front clearance lights.

No matter how well sealed originally, they all tend to leak eventually.

[ardvark]

I know folks like the look of "slick-sides" best, but aluminum is much easier for the average do-it-yourselfer to repair.

[woodhog]

Lovely job...

I wonder how the job would have proceeded if the skin of that TC was Filon instead of Aluminium.

Would it have been more difficult?

It would appear that repairs to a TC with Aluminum siding would be
much easier than one with Filon?

[Mote]

Saturday afternoon we put the camper on the new to us 2005 dodge and took a 20 mile test drive to the local farm store and then out for supper. Everything seems to ride well and the dually handles the load pretty well.

[billyray50]

Great job! Like the couch mod. Dinettes are overrated and uncomfortable after awhile.

[Mote]

Thanks for the compliments and suggestions. For the sofa experiment for right now we're going to just use a couple of lap trays for when we eat. The good part about the sofa and the floating floor is if we don't like them they are easily removed.

[NRALIFR]

One of my previous Jayco TC’s had a couch-dinette setup and it was workable for two people. The dinette table top used the friction fit support pole like what it appears yours has, and it was sized so it fit between two people sitting on the couch. It was more like a table sitting next to a chair. Not a perfect setup, but like I said it was workable. If the couch is comfy I’d be ok with it.

:):)

[JimK-NY]

Kayteg1 wrote:
I bet sofa is way more comfortable than dinette, but what you use for a table?

I would recommend the Lagun table leg.

[Kayteg1]

I bet sofa is way more comfortable than dinette, but what you use for a table?