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Insulation

Hey there! My wife and I are new members of the Foretravel community. We purchased a 99 U270 from MOT a few weeks back, and are working on learning all we can about it. So far we have ventured to AR and LA from our home in north east TX. Along with our two pure bred affection hounds we are working towards full timing in a few years.

My question regards insulation behind the cabinets over the windshield. In trying to hook up the sat tv I discovered a rats nest of wires that had been "installed" down through the years and then just shoved into wherever they would go. I took on the task of tracing them down and eliminating wires that had been "snipped and abandoned". Behind the cabinets I found a pad of insulation that originally appeared to have been felt with foam rubber attached. This had degraded to the point of literally falling apart, so I pulled it out and chucked it. Is there a better product that I can replace said insulation with, and is there more of this dreadful stuff between the dash and the fiberglass nose piece? We have found when we turn the defog on small pieces of similar stuff appears on the dash.

Sorry this first post has turned so long, but I look forward to visiting with "all y'all" in the months and years to come.
Len and Deb Speiser
Len and Deb Speiser
1999 U270 36'
2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
You're either on the bus, or you're off the bus!--Ken Kesey
If you're lucky enough to live in a bus, you're lucky enough!

Re: Insulation

Reply #1 –
Welcome to the Forum and congrats on your new to you FT. 

Be careful what you cut and discard.  FT put a bundle of labeled but unused wiring up there for future use.  In your user manual in the back there is a list all wires and their numbers (all wires are numbered) and what they are used for.  If you don't have it you should be able to get one from FT.

There are similar wire bundles in the dash area and back in the engine compartment.

You probably want to replace the foam above the windshield inside the cabinets.  Heat breaks down the foam.  I would guess that it is a closed cell foam.  A call to FT parts might help identify it, they may even have some.  Not sure about foam on the fiberglass way inside the dash.  It is likely to be there.

Roger
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Insulation

Reply #2 –
Thanks Roger, so far all I have removed is AV wires and IR repeater wires. If it looked like OEM stuff I just taped up the ends so I would not have a raw wire hanging loose. None of the wires I found snipped had any numbers on them.

I'll be in NAC in a couple weeks and will check out the insulation with Foretravel. I was curious if anyone else had run into the insulation breakdown problem.
Len and Deb Speiser
1999 U270 36'
2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
You're either on the bus, or you're off the bus!--Ken Kesey
If you're lucky enough to live in a bus, you're lucky enough!

Re: Insulation

Reply #3 –
Good morning Len, when you get a miment, add a bit of a description to as your automatic signature of what cosch you have...see below on our reply if ideas what to include.  It will help with future replies.

I am to be at MOT this morning,,will ask about the insulation.  We have met some first time FT buyers over the past several weeks and they have now gotten here to pick one out.  Working around the rains to test drive, etc.  great folks with much to learn just to drive home 1100 miles. 

Will send you a PM...personal message...with my phone number, call if want when in Nac and we can visit over coffee.  We own a 2001 as you will see below and the 1999-2001 pretty similar coaches plus two friends have 1999s here, a 320 and a 295.

Stay safe, if are you up around Longview my sister reports continued tough weather.

Mike
Mike
2001 U320 4010 Build 5878 (Gus)
Wrangle Unlimited Toad
Nacogdoches

Re: Insulation

Reply #4 –
Many have found that the top inside front cap insulation is missing or degraded.  This area gets quite warm so anything you put up there will reduce some of the heat gain.  Lowes & Home Depot are good sources for insulation choices.  Some have used hot water tank insulation, several Refectix layers or other insulation that will not shed or get on fingers when working with cables.

Every inch of the inside fiberglass should be insulated.  We also removed vertical wood partitions to let more air circulate among the cables.  Our three large computer muffin fans circulate air when things get warm up there.

Re: Insulation

Reply #5 –
Quote from: lenspeiser –
My question regards insulation behind the cabinets over the windshield. In trying to hook up the sat tv I discovered a rats nest of wires that had been "installed" down through the years and then just shoved into wherever they would go. I took on the task of tracing them down and eliminating wires that had been "snipped and abandoned". Behind the cabinets I found a pad of insulation that originally appeared to have been felt with foam rubber attached. This had degraded to the point of literally falling apart, so I pulled it out and chucked it. Is there a better product that I can replace said insulation with, and is there more of this dreadful stuff between the dash and the fiberglass nose piece? We have found when we turn the defog on small pieces of similar stuff appears on the dash.
Len and Deb Speiser
I just went thru that exercise preparing for Canadian Maritimes Motorcade. I redid some wiring up there & traced down some others.
My insulation was the black foam with a lead center that Foretravel can no longer use. It was still in good shape but did not go all the way to the top. My cap had about 6" above the insulation of nothing above it. I put some reflectix Reflectix - The Home Depot  against the cap followed by some bubble wrap I had around and Corning pink home insulation to fill any space with. I was preparing for high temperatures but all I have seen from Calif to HWH in Iowa is RAIN. lots of rain. Need to ship some back home to Calif.  8)
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Insulation

Reply #6 –
Hi Len and Deb, and welcome!

We have the same model and year as yours, but all the insulation behind the front cabinets seems OK (I've had the backs out of the cabinets several times.  Ours has the sound insulating foam with the lead septum (interlayer) and it is not degraded at all but has shrunk over the years like Barry's. 

Foam bits you see when the dash heat/defogger is on might be bits of foam from the lower dash insulation, or might be degradation of foam pieces on the air directing flaps in the HVAC box (under the center console.)  Either way, it sounds like your coach was exposed to full summer sun/heat for a while.  I would try gentle vacuuming through the defroster and heater vents to see if you can reduce the foam bits.  Getting access to the HVAC box under the center console if you need to, is involved and time consuming (lots of screws) but not too difficult.
Dave and Nancy
1999/2013 U270 36' Xtreme
Motorcade # 16774
2013 Subaru Outback
KD0NIM

Re: Insulation

Reply #7 –
WOW... what a great response. This is our first motorhome, and my first chat forum experience, and I am impressed. I don't know if other motorhome brands have such an enthusiastic owners group, but I am impressed. Your input gives me some ideas on where to head, and makes me more confident that we'll be able to make this thing work.

Michael, we will be at MOT on the 11th , I will give you a call, and we'll buy the coffee.
Len and Deb Speiser
1999 U270 36'
2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
You're either on the bus, or you're off the bus!--Ken Kesey
If you're lucky enough to live in a bus, you're lucky enough!

Re: Insulation

Reply #8 –
They dont.. what's our average "on the road broke down" response time? 15 minutes or less!

Corporate America is jealous of this forums "brand specific" knowledge, its Foretravels hidden benifit ^.^d
The selected media item is not currently available.
My advice and experiences are Free, you decide if they are worth anything .

John - driving Old Faithful
1994 U280 GV
C8.3, Banks, Pacbrake, 900 watts, Resonator, XLHD tow dolly
Retired Army Warrant Officer

Life is what you make of it - if it is lemons, make lemonade!
Former Coaches:
1988 GV 40' ORED 300HP CAT - 9 years
1990 Winnebago LeSharo - 3 years
2000 Newmar London Aire - 3 years (#18 of 23 produced)

Re: Insulation

Reply #9 –
Then you are either very lucky or you have excellent karma because this forum and the Foretravel brand are unparalleled. Quality built to last coaches and a well ordered forum of knowledgable folks who appreciate quality and can understand the importance of good bones to give our dreams mobility and keep them from turning into nightmares. As Paul Simon said, "Everything Put Together Falls Apart", but with a little attention, these motor coaches will keep on going indefinitely.
That said, welcome! We have the same year and model coach. The insulation up there is still mostly intact, but shrunk a bit no longer  attached to the fiberglass. For now, I have just put up some reflectix type material with some plywood scraps to keep it against the fiberglass. I removed all of those thin partitions and removed all of the obsolete A/V equipment to gain more storage, but finding a more permanent solution is on my list.
Don
Quote from: lenspeiser –
WOW... what a great response. This is our first motorhome, and my first chat forum experience, and I am impressed. I don't know if other motorhome brands have such an enthusiastic owners group, but I am impressed.
The selected media item is not currently available.
Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson