Has anyone been able to find the original size roof vent for early models 1995 U300 26 x7 1/4" The only ones I can find are larger and since it mounts on the edge (rounded) part of the roof I don't feel comfortable putting a wider one on besides the original has 14 holes down the long side and 4 on the short side, I don't want to drill new holes. Has one one had any luck in finding the Dometic discontinued parts, Base 310 6333.024 Cover 310 3634.022
Id call James Stallings. Xtreme always replaces the vents when he paints.
Andrew,
Are you replacing the whole vent because it is broken or damaged? If so, ignore the rest of this post. Most of the time it is just the plastic cover that needs replacing and most RV parts stores have that. I was able to find one that fit without much trouble.
Problem is neither top nor base has ever been replace but it's the base that has deteriorated not the top, I need to find a shop or supply house that has old stock, the why I understand it the part I need was discontinued 2 years ago.
I replaced the entire top and bottom combo on my 93, U300 with a paintable version fridge vent from Xtreme Paint and Graphics, James Stalllings' business in Nacagdoches. It did not match the old screw holes but it has worked great and the paint hasn't peeled like the originals did. It was under $50, I don't remember the exact amount, and easy to install.
Their phone number is 936-560-5888. Just be sure to buy a roll of the 1" caulk/adhesive tape to waterproof the installation of the base.
Thanks for the input Ken, I was really intent not to drill more holes in the coach but it's not looking good at this point the original part was discontinued 2 years ago, But I'll keep looking.
Bytheway Your Coach looks great at first glance I thought it was a much newer model..
Andrew... there has been a lot of talk about using very high gripping tape to install solar panels. Why wouldn't this type of tape work to secure a completely different base/top to the coach. Am I missing something here?
Craig
I think it would work, and if the new vent were 1/4" steel, you could probably lift the rig with it, but getting the vent off would be a bear! (I had to remove ours to put cooling fans in, back when we had a Dometic, and had to remove a billion screws and go through the Dicor with a putty knife.) Did it again when I installed the new fridge...
I imagine that our coaches are built the same way. When I removed a roof air conditioner, it appeared that the construction from exterior to interior is a layer of gel coat, a layer of fiberglass, 1/4" plywood, foam, thin layer of fiberglass, and ceiling carpet. There is also a welded together grid of 1 1/2" square aluminum tubing under the plywood. Most of the tubing is slightly curved frames, one about every 24" or less from front to rear. There is some tubing that is fore and aft. Mostly it outlines the roof openings, and ceiling lights. Sometimes it is easy to see where the framing is located when there is dew on the roof, like just as it begins to get dark with high humidity, or early in the morning. You can also locate the framing with an electronic stud finder. The sides and the roof are fastened together with a curved on the outside aluminum extrusion. It's square on the inside and extends about 3" in both directions. The extrusion has a couple of hollow spaces and you may find some wires inside running fore and aft in the lower space. In an overhead cabinet you might find a 1" hole with a removable plastic plug. My coach has 3 or 4 of these plugged holes down each side that provide access into the extrusion. It's also open at each end inside the front and rear caps. You may have noticed that the overhead cabinets get hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I think it is because the aluminum extrusion is a good transmitter of heat. There is also some round plastic tubing in the foam for electrical wiring to lights, fans, and air conditioners. If the screws for the vent are very short, they may only be into the plywood. I don't like to drill holes either, but I don't think it would be a big problem in this case. Even if you find the exact same part, it may not have any predrilled holes that match the old part. Hope this helps and good luck.
Thanks Jerry, I'm about at the end of my rope with this. I'm going to the Good Sam Rally in Phoenix on the 22nd. Maybe I'll get lucky there and find what I want.
Thanks Again To All for the input
Andrew
I'd just caulk up the old screw holes, stick the new one down with 3M vhb double sided tape. You'll never remove it in one piece but the tape can be removed with a razor blade. No screws.
Just bought a roll (36yds) of the 3/4" VHB tape at the \Fastenal shop in Lufkin when I was at Nac a few days ago. He brought it in from dallas and cost $95 for the roll. Pretty expensive but I wanted it for future projects. This is not the same tape AMSolar uses to fix panels as they use the 3m tape that automotive guys use to hold vinyl mouldings on with. Strong but not as strong as the other and a lot cheaper. We have driven thru some very strong winds the last 2 days and I checked them to make sure all was ok. They are.
John H