pyratenomad
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1967 Shasta LoFlyte
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Post by pyratenomad on Feb 14, 2016 8:45:15 GMT -8
I will start by showing pics of the most serious issue with this camper before I get in to repairs. Where the kitchenette is (and only there), the counter where it attaches to the wall is a good 1" lower than the outside edge. There is an obvious tilt that may not be visible in the pics. There is a corresponding bulge on the outside of the camper, also. It's raining today, so I will have to wait to open her up and see what is going on. Also, the cabinets above the stove/sink are detaching where they are secured in from the ceiling. This is obviosly caused by the warp in the wall. The other pics are of water damage caused before the PO "sealed" the trailer with about 800 gallons of various kinds of silicone.  The rock guard, although complete, has a "furry" texture from being exposed to sunlight for nearly 50 years. Any ideas on whether that can be corrected? I will try my best to document my progress on this old camper, so others can learn from my mistakes.  Lastly, I apologise for the picture quality as I have a crappy old camera and will not be getting a better one any time in the near future.          |
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pyratenomad
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1967 Shasta LoFlyte
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Post by pyratenomad on Feb 14, 2016 10:26:33 GMT -8
I just went and pulled the lower portion of the skin on the street side where the bulge is. With the exception of the very rear where the trunk is, there was NO rot at all. Odd. Could it be the weight of the roof section bearing down somehow on that wall to make it bow like that?
Keep in mind that this is the only section that shows any visible distortion, The rest of the trailer is straight.
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desertair27
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1967 Aristocrat Mainliner
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Post by desertair27 on Feb 14, 2016 10:30:28 GMT -8
I'm sure you already know this but those interior issues seem to be from the water damage,clean up the silicone and seal up the leaks properly and then start on the interior issues is what I would do.
I bet you can sand that rock guard smooth and gel coat or paint it.
Great looking trailer.
Mike
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Ten
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70 Shasta 16SC + 1964 Airflyte
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Post by Ten on Feb 14, 2016 12:04:25 GMT -8
It may be that the weight of the kitchenette and its connection to the wall support is what is causing the failure. Judging by the top edge of the interior wall, it has been infiltrated with moisture from the roof/wall seam for a long period of time. That is caused by the putty tape, which is used to seal the joint, and the J-rail outside as well, drying, shrinking, and failing. Long-term leakage is usually the problem, and I am believing you probably have a rot issue higher up than you are looking.
The skirt (bottom) boards are usually found to contribute the most to this type of sag, but it is not the only part holding it up. The roof works the other way around...rather than pushing down, it normally would act to "hold it up". I would suggest that you will most likely have to pull the skins completely and be ready to reframe the wall.
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Post by vikx on Feb 14, 2016 20:40:26 GMT -8
Ten is correct. The entire wall has "dropped"; My Loliner was the same way. The fix comes when you pull the skins and rebuild as necessary. Jacking and strapping helped a lot but it wasn't perfect. I loosened the Kitchen cabinet support sides and moved them into the trailer 3/4" to help pull the bulge. The wheel well had dropped at least 2", which was jacked and bolted in place. It took a couple of days of tinkering and fixing. Also, on my 69 LoFlyte, the siding was not attached properly and had bulged. (looked like factory) Front kitchen in that one. I'm suspecting that when the side kitchen was added, there wasn't enough support? Poor design maybe? The Loliner is here: 65loliner.shutterfly.com/pictures/38I'm guessing the top edge wood is bad, so keep sleuthing. You'll need good wood there to seat the J rail screws. |
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pyratenomad
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1967 Shasta LoFlyte
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Post by pyratenomad on Feb 15, 2016 3:11:19 GMT -8
Thanks for the info/suggestions/advice, folks. It looks like I will be up to my neck in rusty screws, staples and crumbly wood. At least I will be able to get the rest of the hibernating queen Yellowjackets out of the walls (I've already found three of them) before they wake for spring. I will try to take as many pics as I can. |
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pyratenomad
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Post by pyratenomad on Feb 21, 2016 4:51:54 GMT -8
As it turns out, there was no rot on the upper portion of the wall. There was a broken vertical where the oven rested and a badly warped vertical just to the front of the broken one. I removed the broken board, moved the rear of the kitchenette a few inches up to where it was supposed to be and installed a new vertical board in the wall. This pulled the wall back into place and the bulge disappeared. As you can see by the paint lines on the last pic, I had to move the kitchenette counter a considerable amount to get it level and back to where it was supposed to be. Sorry, I was so focused on completing the repair that I forgot to photograph the results of the repair.     |
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kirkadie
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'69 Serro Scotty Hilander
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Post by kirkadie on Feb 21, 2016 5:37:49 GMT -8
Be very careful with the skin, removing it as you have. It loves to fold and the fold will be permanent. Most of us remove it from the bottom up (vertically) so it has a tendency to roll rather than fold.
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pyratenomad
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Post by pyratenomad on Feb 21, 2016 6:06:28 GMT -8
Be very careful with the skin, removing it as you have. It loves to fold and the fold will be permanent. Most of us remove it from the bottom up (vertically) so it has a tendency to roll rather than fold. Yeah, it was a risky endeavor. Not seen in the pics, the skin was supported by a small tree just to the left of the trailer. I managed to effect the repairs without creasing the skin, but I am struggling to get that middle band to seat properly into the upper and lower side skin. Correcting that bulge has changed the proportions a bit and repairs made by the PO were made by working around the damage instead of correcting/fixing it first. I will work on that today. |
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kirkadie
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Post by kirkadie on Feb 21, 2016 6:59:50 GMT -8
The trailer was skinned from the top down with each subsequent piece typically slid into the folded seam at the lower edge of the previous, so, getting that mid section in, while not impossible, will probably require some strong language. Might be safer to pull the bottom skin off first.
Good luck which ever route you choose.
I'm kind of surprised to NOT see a 'horizontal nailer' where the mid and lower pieces meet, as the mid's 'pittsburgh' seam is usually stapled to the wall before the next piece down is installed.
Very curious.
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Post by vikx on Feb 21, 2016 21:33:31 GMT -8
I agree with Kirkadie. Pull the bottom skin off before attempting to re-attach the upper skin. It has a lip that should be stapled from front to back before the bottom is slipped up and into the Pittsburg seam. That stapled line is the main attachment of the skin to the framing and very important. Here is a photo of my LoFlyte. The siding staples had let go completely, causing a huge bulge:  I re-stapled and used some strategically placed screws to secure the skin. The bottom fit much better then. |
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