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Topic: My bulkhead experience (Read 7777 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #60 –
Quote
Quote from Brett Wolfe: "Are they still using the 1 3/4" NON-waterproof plugs or have they switched to the 1 3/8" waterproof plug (same manufacturer) as I used."

Brett,
 
As of last year at this time, they were still using the 1 3/4" plugs. However, what I did was put a healthy amount of PolyseamSeal around the edge of each plug before I shoved it into the hole.  The excess oozed out around the circumference and dried/cured there.  I am therefore fairly confident that water is not getting up into the joint from the access holes I cut.
 
Now that you have bought the subject up, I am going underneath and inspect all of the access holes.

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #61 –
If one is worried about the plugs leaking, fiberglassing over the holes should solve any leak problem.  It wasn't too hard to do, but it is messy and takes some time.  If one has never worked with fiberglass and polyester resin, I would not recommend covering a hole on the bottom of a panel as a first experience.  I found that I could do about 2 holes at a time before the resin would start to harden.  Each hole required about 1 oz of resin for a patch of 2 layers of mat, one a bit larger than the other.  I had a board with a layer of foam covered with flexible plastic that I jacked up against the patch until it hardened.  Later found that surface tension alone was enough to hold the patch in place until it hardened.  Clean around the hole with a wet cloth or whatever it takes to get it clean.  Sand to roughen the surface and wipe with acetone.  Fill the cavity with foam and sand smooth after it hardens.  If there are any voids, fill with bondo and sand smooth.  Prepare your patch.  Measure resin into a can or plastic container, add white color if desired,  add hardener and stir thoroughly but not fast which will create bubbles.  Let it sit for 3 minutes.  Brush a thick coat of resin around the hole.  Pour some resin on the patch and put it in place.  Use the brush to dab on more resin to wet out the patch.  You cannot use the brush like you are painting, place it flat against the patch to wet the patch.  Once wet, jab the brush straight up and down to work out any bubbles and get loose strands in place.  After it is hard the patch can be sanded smooth.  I used a small disk in an electric drill.  Acetone is used for clean up before the resin hardens.  Read a book about working with fiberglass if you have no experience with it.  Make a small panel of fiberglass, drill a hole and patch it as a learning experience. 

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #62 –
Jerry,

A bomb-proof solution, but MUCH more difficult than just using waterproof plugs (which are available).

Brett Wolfe

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #63 –
My solution was low tech and from no experience.  I cut round discs from the lids of margarine tubs, put a ring of caulk around the edge and pushed it into place.  That was 9 months ago. They are still in place.

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #64 –
I met James at Xtreme Graphics when I was at MOT. His shop did the bulkhead repair on my coach. My coach was the first one he did. It was amazing to hear the story about how a lot of this came about. James tried to get FT to cover these repairs under warrenty back when he worked there. But they didn't. At least that is the way I remember it.

I do believe that his shop did a great job on the repair and I am very pleased to recommend him to every FT owner I see.

His shop also did my headlight conversion.

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #65 –
Finished my bulkhead repair yesterday , On my initial inspection there was no separation and just a little surface rust. Checked all bolts for torque at 21 ft pounds and on the back there was 2 broken bolts so I sure I over did it but I drilled 9 access holes 1    3/8  and  9  3/8 bolt holes evenly spaced between every 2nd bolt . Did the same on the front but only 8 new bolts.  After that I cleaned, primed  &  painted with oil base satin black paint  , 2 coats of paint , so it sealed all the bolts from water.  Last thing I installed  the water tight rubber plugs and cleaned the bottom.  Looks Great.  I can sleep better now that is behind me.  Thanks for the advice on this project.        Art

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #66 –
Great job.

And that painting/undercoating is an important step for the future.  If you look at the Rolok bolt, you will notice that it has raised area-- kind of a locking mechanism where the bolt head meets the shank/meets the 1/4" angle beam.  That has to allow water migration into the bolt area.  Sealing it eliminates that access point for water.

Brett

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #67 –
I drove a 97 u320 two days ago that had banging noises from the middle of the coach under the floor. Anyone have noises in conjunction with the bulkhead bolts?

Or any other reason for noises?

Thank. Bob

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #68 –
Bob,

Never heard one that did that, but I guess if it was let go long enough that most or all of the 15+ bolts were broken, I guess it could lead to noise.

But, the bulkheads are not in the middle of the coach-- they are just behind the front wheels and just in front of the drive axle.

Said another way, the front bulkhead is 8" behind the back of the front tire.  The rear bulkhead is 8" in front of the front of the back tire.

So, I would probably look for another source of the noise if you heard it in the middle of the coach.

Brett

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #69 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
I drove a 97 u320 two days ago that had banging noises from the middle of the coach under the floor.

Middle of the coach could be something unsecured (and stored in an unstable configuration) in one of the storage bays?

-M

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #70 –
The oddball  noise that I a devil of a time finding was a bottle of scotch under the sink. It was laying on a towel and most of the time it was no problem but under certain conditions while rounding a sharp curve and slowing it would roll up against the plastic drain piping under the sink and I got an odd CLUNK. Only after I drank the scotch did I realize what the noise had been. As an experiment I put my new bottle in the same place and got the same results.
MORAL: Always drink a full bottle of scotch so it won't be noisy. :)
Gary B

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #71 –
I am both a new guy and the oldest guy here.  How?  I was the foretravel of California salesman and sales manager from 1984 to 1989.  I drove the first unihome made when don Moore(boney) drove the prototype out to California in 1987 or so. 

Went to Nac in oct 1987 for the unihome introduction and watched them put the bolts in number 1.  I asked if they were sure about this?  They said no problem.  I think James Trianna was there then?

Now 25 years later buying a u320.  Almost funny.  Almost.  Went 50,000 miles in foretravels back then without owning one. 

The 97 u320 is sure a better coach. Finally.

I saw the first foretravel ever made at a buddy rally back then. And travco's, gtc's also.

The aqua hot and dual panes and better gel coat and the enclosed tank bays are much better.

I am the reason Monaco had 8 airbags. 

Bob

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #72 –
Hi
Can anyone recommend (or provide) a good video of this problem area?  I am new to Foretravel and we are shopping for a used 320, but I would like to completely understand this issue, so that I can thoroughly inspect any coaches that we are considering purchasing.
Thanks
Barry
 

Re: My bulkhead experience

Reply #74 –
Attached is a pic of my rear bulkhead repair. The fiberglass was detached along the bottom of the square tube structiure in the floor. I elected to open it up to clean/inspect and treat the tubing with POR. I then fiberglassed it using West System Epoxy. working overhead under the coach is a real pain but I know the tubing was in good shape now. if you look closely you'll see one of the through bolts and nut. Before glassing I filled all the voids with foam, virtually impossible to get anything to stick to rusty metal. That square tube across the back is not beefy enough for Rolllocks in my opinion. The through bolts are a much better solution. The key to this repair is to keep water out. Once it gets wet in that area the water can't get out.