I just bought this trailer, got a super deal due to the leak that just seemed to happen. I got it from a dealer who (I think) just got it for next to nothing from a widow. It's a 93, but it's in like new condition inside, no uphulstry or carpet wear, no dirt or smell, even the stove looks like it was never used.
Anyway, I show up on the lot looking for this unit, I find it and step inside, take off my shoes and step on a soaking wet livingroom carpet (I didn't notice it was wet before I stepped on it). I go inside to speak to the owner figuring that he obviously doesn't know about it, he had just found out before I walked in. So he asked if I was interested? To cut to the chase, I bought it for $1,800 as is. From shopping, I figure it's value is $3,500-$4K. He even thru in a new a/c gasket. I figured that this was a brand spanking new leak (probibly due to the move to the lot), due to the fact that any sustained leak that bad would have severely molded the trailer in a very short time. I dried it out very well with a wetvac & fan, no mold or smells and covered the TT till now when I have time to repair it.
Today my boys & I took off the a/c unit and got a good look at what we are dealing with. The roof I assuming is rubber, soft rubber like. it looks like the body of the a/c must have wore into the roof material and made a leak, I guess due to a slight sag in the roof by the a/c.
I'm thinking of putting down a 3/4" plywood down over the bad area (roughly a piece 4'X6'), then cover that with FRP (a heavy duty white plastic "commercial" panal) flat side up, then seal it all down to the roof with 4" Eternabond (after I clean the roof area). The a/c would be reset onto the new roof patch. Due to the price paid & the age of the trailer, I'm thinking that this would get me at least 5-7 years or more down the road. Any thoughts?
**I don't know if this link to a damage pic will work, but here goes...
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Congrats on the new unit. Please, keep us updated with pics of your repair progress.
It looks like a great unit and you should get many years of service after making the repairs.
Have fun.
Iam very surprised that the inside ceiling is not stained!
I would pick 1/2" plywood, as the original is only 3/8 or something slightly thinner. Cutting back a few inches, and then having the old roof lap onto the new roof is also a good idea, I think that with Eternabond it should hold down pretty well.
I guess you are going to get a new A/C gasket? You might be able to re-use the old one, but for a few dollars, then the new gasket will be good for 10+ years.
If you are finding more hairline cracks all over the roof, you might try this product to seal the whole thing.
Cleaning the roof with TSP (paint supplies - it is a soap) will get rid of all that black junk on the roof, but might also wash away all the remaining white stuff that has been flaking off the roof it's entire life.
The nice thing about the new roof coating is that it will not flake off like the factory roof coating.
Mobilfleet- The roof frame seems solid, even the ceiling below has no soft spots at all. It's just the spot in the back corner under the a/c unit. To me it looks & feels like just the thin plywood under the rubber roof softened up no more than a foot round.
Yes, it has a slide, that's the main reason I wanted this unit. It was a indeed good deal. You have to strike when the iron is hot, I didn't really go there to buy, just to check it out... It took a couple of days for the Miss' to cool down , but then she warmed up to it. It's a biggun, so she likes it now. She can't complain because I sold my old one four days after buying this one & got back every nickle I had in the old one. So for owning my old one for seven years, it didn't cost me anything & I like that.
Gbopp- Now that I figured out how to post the pics, I will post pics of the repair process.
mobilefleet wrote: I'd add some new 2x2 framing to shore up the support on that unit too. Looks like it has a slide. If so you did indeed get a pretty good deal
My thoughts on a stiffener, if needed, would be to use painted steel angle. A lot less prone to warpage than a 2X2.
But 3/4" marine plywood is a LOT stronger than OE.
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, but then she warmed up to it. It's a biggun, so she likes it now. She can't complain because I sold my old one four days after buying this one & got back every nickle I had in the old one. So for owning my old one for seven years, it didn't cost me anything & I like that.
