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Topic: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight (Read 811 times) previous topic - next topic

May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

New here.  I've been researching foretravels and am searching for an older one in good shape.  I found a 1989 that appears to be in excellent shape.  Evidently two owners.  The bathroom has some issue around the skylight and possibly on the shower wall.  For those with experience, can you give any insight from the picture attached? 

Thank you!!

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #1 –
Looks like the skylight is leaking check the roof in that area and also the outside wall in the area of the skylight.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #2 –
As RT says, check the roof and wall but it looks as if the leak has been going on for a while for the inside to sag down. You might look down below in the compartments to see where the water ended up. Hopefully, not in the basement structure. Looking at it on the big screen, it looks as if the shower wall may be bulging out slightly about midway. Now walk outside and see if anything is happening in the same spot.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #3 –
I am willing to bet you have the same problem we had on our 1989 GV.
The plastic dome skylight will likely have broken corners letting the water in.
Take off the aluminum trim, flip it over and look at the inside corner welds. What you will see are "tits" of weld that were not trimmed off. These "tits" push down on the corners of the dome and break them off. Then the dome does not sit down all the way to help seal the skylight. Remove these protrusions with a file or chisel and you will have cured your leak.
I did, being anal like I am, caulked the blazes out of the skylight at each stage of assembly.
All this was about eight years ago and no leaks whatsoever in that area since.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
As RT says, check the roof and wall but it looks as if the leak has been going on for a while for the inside to sag down. You might look down below in the compartments to see where the water ended up. Hopefully, not in the basement structure. Looking at it on the big screen, it looks as if the shower wall may be bulging out slightly about midway. Now walk outside and see if anything is happening in the same spot.

Pierce
I would be very hesitant to buy a rig with water damage.  From the pictures it doesn't appear there is delamination on the exterior, but the bulge in the shower doesn't look good.  The rig in in Tucson, I'm in Seattle.  The owners will take some additional pictures tomorrow and I'll have a facetime video tour.  I'm patient.

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #5 –
Thanks, Nitehawk,
Ours has a similar issue, but I thought it was because the previous owner had built a 1x4 box around the skylite and had put a screen across the top for hail protection? Who knows. I took that contraption off and haven't leak tested it yet. I will fix ours as you suggest. Thanks again!!!
1989 Grand Villa 3600  Our "Furevertravel",  "Ole Furry" for short.....
Cat 3208T  250 HP
Allison MT-643
36SBIORED
Motorcade Number  18541
Build # 3388
2014 Ford F-150 flat towed (My Bride wants "her" MKX in the garage)
Big John, my Bride Miss Mary Lou, and Buddy, Robbi, Gizzy, and Mack ( our furry kids)

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #6 –
Even tho our coach had the skylight leak I can't and never did see any internal damage.
I think the reason for no damage was due to the type of construction and the materials used. There isn't any particle board used , at least where I have poked, probed, drilled, and otherwise been in the walls and ceiling, so I never found any swelling. Also, the exterior wall studs are steel and the roof beams are aluminum so there is another advantage over other brands with their wood wall studs and rafters. Also, the insulation is foam and not fiberglass batts.
Foretravel coaches are constructed to last, and a little water is not going to keep them from doing just that.
If the rest of the coach is a good price then get it and replace those "soggy" parts. The integrity of the coach will not be affected.
Check the ceiling panel for damage, but It could just be refastened after fixing the leak. The wall? I'm not sure of the floor plan with that shower arrangement, but it might be an interior wall. If so, once again, check framing after fixing the leak and then refasten wall to framing.
Our leak ran down the wall on the bedroom side of the shower wall, and in the shower, and on the outside wall of the bedroom in the corner below the skylight. NO DAMAGE visible or found.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #7 –
I would be more concerned about any compartment floor damage if it had been going on for a long time. The shower wall can be removed and any problems quickly fixed. Easy to look under the coach and see if the white coating has any cracks or bulges. Same for previous water leaks from above in the wet compartment.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #8 –
I had a leaking skylight and was lucky that it was only leaking into the shower. When I took the plastic dome off there was no
water stains on any of the wood. Resealed the dome and everything is good.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #9 –
Each compartment in a 1989 is a one piece fiberglass molded unit. The coach floor is above that and is 3/4" marine plywood.
So no water damage to the fiberglass compartments.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #10 –
Very helpful.  I'm waiting for more in depth pictures, but what I've seen appears to be well cared for and in excellent shape.  I'm doing as much research as possible, and I'm not in a hurry. 
Paul

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #11 –
I have a coach of that vintage with the same shower enclosure (but mirrored).  I have a different take on this:

1. Skylight area:  That appears to be a separated headliner that has pulled away from plastic skylight trim.  The ceiling is vinyl that is bonded to a 1/4" thick foam that is bonded to the roof structure.  The foam disintegrates (with age) and the vinyl droops and is widespread in our age coaches.  The vinyl drooping will likely be evident elsewhere in the coach if you look carefully.  It's typically "fixed" by removing trim, stretching it under the trim, fastening it (depends on what under it) and reinstalling the trim.

2. Trim area above shower wall:  This too is the vinyl pulling away.  I can see were the silicone seal bead move up with it.  Also, the current or previous owner installed wood strips in the corners between the wall and ceiling to try to address the drooping; it probably put more strain on the vinyl and helped it pull it up and away from the trim.  I've owned my coach for 20 years and it had the silicone sealer was there when I bought (and still does) it so I believe it was factory applied.  Where the vinyl lifted all the way it appears dark; I think this is just shower mildew from when the silicone broke a way and water (from taking a shower) seeped into that area and mildewed before it pulled all the way up.

3. Shower wall:  It does maybe look like the wall panel is bowing out.  This could be photo lighting, the just the shower wall (which is just a thin sheet of Formica) delaminating or more seriously the actual wall delaminating.  If it's like mine, that is an exterior wall.  I would want to look at the portion of the wall on the outside to see if there is any budging on the skin surface.

Attached is a photo of the same area in my coach.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho
 

Re: May purchase 1989 36' Grand Villa with DD 300HP, maybe leaks around skylight

Reply #12 –
Hi John, thanks for the picture and the info.  The current owners have not had a chance to go back out and take additional pictures of the unit.  Hopefully by tomorrow.  I looked at some other motorhomes where the ceiling material began to sag over time.  If the issue is cosmetic, I'm good.  If there is damage, it would be hard to assess, without taking the shower apart, if it's minor or serious.  I have not been in a Foretravel yet, just been researching and like what I've "seen" so far.  I see you are in Meridian.  My long term home is Nampa.  My folks are living in my place there, looking forward to getting back one of these days soon.