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External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 4:59 pm
by FinAde
We decided to take a section of the base out and see how bad the rot had gotten into the support beams. On first inspection it looked like everything was fine apart from the rot in the corner underneath the bathroom, which had been caused by water getting in from the outside.
However, once the back panel was loosened, more was found in the support around the toilet cassette and again on the opposite corner under the water tank. Luckily all from rain getting in and not leakage from inside.
A couple of new mahogany supports and loads of rot treatment later (looks a mess but it's very solid now) and we're ready to put a new base piece on made from WBP plywood. Then back to the small repairs we originally thought were all that needed doing !

Oh, and couldn't resist a shot of the new truck :P Not tried loading it yet but that's the next step once the camper is back on its feet..


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Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 6:01 pm
by zildjian
New truck ✓
end in sight now hopefully, anyway have you found any similarities between yours and Mike's repairs so far,
suppose unless your one of the new band of year-round campers its safe to take your time until next spring

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 6:36 pm
by keeflester
zildjian wrote:New truck ✓
end in sight now hopefully, anyway have you found any similarities between yours and Mike's repairs so far,
suppose unless your one of the new band of year-round campers its safe to take your time until next spring
Oh Zildjian, us all year-round campers aren't a new band you know. We've been at it quietly to ourselves for years, I'm ashamed to say. :lol:

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 6:39 pm
by FinAde
Not really similar to Mike's problem, the door frame is ok and the main floor and most of the structure is still sound, just the few bits underneath and from the back edges. Think we caught it in time and saved it from getting too deep. Yes won't be winter camping for this season, so plenty of time to get the rest sorted once it's protected from the elements ☺

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 7:37 pm
by zildjian
Firstly glad its making more sense and there is a limit to the rot and so you can judge how far you have to go with it !
secondly; new truck to put it on, (also good but need pictures to judge roughly how much to hate and despise you) :(


Now this all year round camping,
I'm not saying its a bad idea and obviously RR swanning off to Greece doesn't count, I'm picturing shut-down amusement arcades
and other scenes of urban blight
I dare say if its Highlands or Lake district where the trees are often scarce anyway the landscape wouldn't look so different in Winter or spring

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 7:43 pm
by keeflester
zildjian wrote:Firstly glad its making more sense and there is a limit to the rot and so you can judge how far you have to go with it !
secondly; new truck to put it on, (also good but need pictures to judge roughly how much to hate and despise you) :(


Now this all year round camping,
I'm not saying its a bad idea and obviously RR swanning off to Greece doesn't count, I'm picturing shut-down amusement arcades
and other scenes of urban blight
I dare say if its Highlands or Lake district where the trees are often scarce anyway the landscape wouldn't look so different in Winter or spring
we are so getting off-topic here, ain't it great not having thread nazis! anyway, we're heading into the picos europa and some of asturias and galicia at christmas. That sort-of counts as winter campering. Not sure if our style is stealthy wild-camping or just anri-social... The second, I guess :lol:

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 7:47 pm
by zildjian
No I suggest a subcategory where your 'fun-button' seems to gotten stuck firmly on,

take plenty of pictures though (just send them in exactly the order you expect them to appear)

ta

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 5th, 2014, 9:32 pm
by Mike
Looks familiar, same sort of rot I had, but mine had spread, a bit, one thing I wondered was the toilet flush tank has a small drain plug which in my case may have come loose at some time and dripped down the front of the cassette opening and into the timber where you have had to replace the spar. How are you going to replace the outer ali skin. Did you manage to salvage it.
VW looks good BTW.

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 6th, 2014, 7:57 pm
by FinAde
Will have to look into the drain on the flush. All dry in the cassette box apart from one side of the frame. Outer skin only needed replacing on the side, as it was far too dented to straighten. Got a new piece from Apollo, which is now painted perspex rather than aluminium but fits well. We managed to pull the rear aluminium skin free enough to make the repairs without bending it too much - had to take the door out - and it's gone back into place fine. It's all one piece at the back unlike yours which looks like it's in 3 sections.

Re: External Repairs - Rot :(

Posted: October 6th, 2014, 8:18 pm
by FinAde
zildjian wrote:Firstly glad its making more sense and there is a limit to the rot and so you can judge how far you have to go with it !
secondly; new truck to put it on, (also good but need pictures to judge roughly how much to hate and despise you) :(


Haven't had much chance to take any more pics yet but this is a closer look.

Tischer make a demountable specifically for it....just hope the Apollo fits :?

Seriously not gloating...much

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