As part of the project of removing the old crt monitor I had to remove the upholstered dashboard. Upon doing this I can see the front cap separation that the boys in Nac had warned me existed. It's a failed glued seam between the fiberglass cap about 2.5" down from the windshield and the plywood deck the dashboard cover sits on. The failed part is approximately 3' long, showing a gap as much as 1/4" in the worst area. The front cap can be pushed back in place with finger pressure so I'm not seeing any need to remove the windshields for this fix. I'd like to clean it out, reglue it and clamp with pressure applied from outside.
What I'm pondering, though, is the best material to accomplish this fix. Removing bits of original seam glue it seems to be more of a flexible adhesive than a bonding putty or urethane. You can take a bit of it and stretch it probably 100%. If I was going to pick a material that would seem to match the existing, I'd probably use some 3M 5200 or similar. I have noted a recent thread where a member used West six/10 epoxy, great stuff for sure but in using this I'd have one area where the cap is rigidly glued while the rest of the existing bonding definitely has the ability to flex. Tapping around on the upper part of the cap above the windshields I believe I've found a similar sized detached area above the opposite windshield. This would make sense, torsional forces causing a diagonal bonding failure. I don't want to redo all the seams, just repair what has failed.
Would appreciate your thoughts on what might be the most appropriate material for reattachment.
Chuck
I liked the earlier idea around using a truck inner tube and parking close to a building to apply clamping pressure while bonding agent cures - roof might be a bit more tricky to figure out.
I would be nervous with a stiffer and stronger material. When the coach does twist (just a matter of time and or usage) what will give? The plywood, fiberglass (delaminate) or the bonding agent? I suppose a third alternative is to use something that stretches more so it doesn't shear apart like the original stuff. Its a tough call.
I'm sure many of you that have read some of my previous posts will not be surprised at this but I think a two component urethane adhesive may fill the bill. I would check with Foretravel and then the technical advisers at 3M or Lord Industries to see what they would recommend. Urethane should provide the elongation, flexibility and adhesion to withstand the stresses you describe.
Chuck, if I understand your problem (I read it to be a separation between the fiberglass and he wood above the windshields), I saw how MOT did this for a customer. You might give them a call, am sure they would help. The used some "glue" and to hold pressure while it set they ran some nylon strapping with ratchets that they could use to tighten the strap, and then they placed small wooden blocks all along under the strap, making more pressure or adjusted pressure to press the fiberglass to the underlying wood of the coach. Mike
As a matter of interest what year coaches does this issue affect??
John H
In response,
Some good ideas here. I see no problem in clamping up, either by using the ratchet strap technique suggested or, as I had intended, just wedging some spring boards and wood between front of coach and a building. The issue is in the material to use to effect the repair. I'm always reluctant to bug Foretravel if I know there's nothing in it for them but in this case I may stop by and ask. My sister June is at the Ladies Driving School and I'm going to meet her there and drive back with her. Any suggestions on who might be the best person to ask?
Kent, you mention urethane. Seems like every time I look at a urethane based adhesive it turns out to be polyurethane. Is there a difference?
My main trepidation here in gluing this thing up is I don't want to make it so dissimilar that I concentrate stress on another area and end up breaking more bond. If that happens it'll be off to Foretravel to have the 100% fix done, probably with extra charges for removing the new *2%^8%@ glue.
John, don't think this problem is endemic to any particular year model coach, it tends to show up on coaches that spend time on rough roads, are run off road (I dropped a wheel off a very steep road edge onto unpaved shoulder, that's when this problem showed up as a shifted windshield), or that travel to Mexico. ;D
It's easy to check for, I can not discern it visually but if you take a solid object and tap tap tap along the fiberglass outside, about 2-3" above and below the windshields, you'll hear if there is a detached area. The good areas sound very solid and "ring" when you tap them, the bad sound muffled.
Chuck
I think you would get a better response out of Xtreme. James Stallings doesn't sweat the politics or legalities.
Noted, thanks. I'll go by there tomorrow.
Another owner once told me "These coaches are really houses that live through an earthquake every time you take them down the road.". When I think in those terms, I am not surprised that we all experience so many different issues. A bit of glue giving out after 16 years is not something that should be shocking, I suppose!
Chuck, yes in the trade urethane and polyurethane are generally synonymous. The terms are used interchangeably. Its just easier to type.