Peeved off, another repair in the offering!

[Gagakev]

Forgive me if I get angry!
Had the annual service today and the damp repair I had done nearly two years ago by the dealer has returned, the reading last year was 19% and today's 40%.
Also got a serious squeak in the same area in the sidewall just above the wheel arch, tightened all the furniture screws in that area and it didnt make a blind bit off difference, the squeak happens when you walk in that area and if you go outside and put pressure on the area concerned it also squeaks!!
Looks like all the furniture around the side dinette will have to come out, wall panels off and see whats occurring.;
Question's
Has any one taken apart a sidewall with polyester external skin?
Is is the same construction as my old Abbey, i;e does it have the timber frame and polystyrene infill?

As some of you know I did a major damp repair on the abbey so after some research feel i could do a better job than the bloody dealer did.
Now this has got me thinking is this caravan lark really worth the expense, also new loom in the car today,
pay for service, yearly insurance cost, extra recovery cost, ever increasing pitch fee's, cost of van, cost of tow car, etc etc etc
Oh and I need a new BBQ :evil:
Could be time to renew my passport.
Moan over.

 

[Sproket]

Kev

Have you had a close look at the floor from underneath when a adult is walking about in the van you will see it flex, you can check it quite easily by clamping a length of timber to the chassis rails & the measuring the distance with a steel rule before & after some weight is placed above. the squeak on my Hymer was caused by the floor flexing & some fixture screws the fastened into the floor where the culprits the area of floor was moving 3 to 4mm so I repaired it from underneath the van, if you remove the screws that are fastened to the floor & the noise goes you have found part of your problem

Are the inner wheel box's ok ? as they are only made of thin molded plastic, is it sealed ok all of the way round no splits to let water in ??

As to your walls it depends on what sort of adhesive you will use to re bond them back together again have a read of this....

 

[Dustydog]

OMG. This doesn't sound like the Kev I know :dry:
by the time you've bought your passports, don' forget jack and Chelle' you'll wish you stuck to caravanning.
What a shame this problem wasn't discovered a few weeks ago.
It is probably more time than money if you do the repair yourself.
Don't lose heart mate.Good luck.

 

[johnandrew70]

We had the same problem with creaking and squeaking furniture when walking about in the van used to do my head in thought the van was falling apart, Even tightening the screws didnt cure anything so got some self adhesive felt srips and started at the door where the front seat is and put the felt strips between the joints of the furniture then screwed it back up, as if by magic all the squeaks stopped by just doing the front seats. the felt strips are something like 3mm thick and about 6 inches long, I am now a happy chappy.
Kev we bought the felt strips from Trago Mills mate. have a look they really do the trick, i did try cork first but that didnt work.
Hoping to pop up and see ya on the Saturday Kev when your at River Valley

 

[Sproket]

Kev
You could also try the glue people for advice on re bonding the wall ...

Most things can be done but miracles take a bit longer

 

[Mel]

Kev, we are doing the foreign 'oliday on a plane this year. Started off just 3 of us now there are 10, I'm still paying!!!! Trust me mate, however much glue, felt and sweat is required it is going to work out cheaper and less stressful. Put the passports away.
mel

 

[Gagakev]

Thanks for all your replies folks.

Screwed me head back on today and got stuck in,

First job was to investigate the squeak, got under the van with OH walking around, the floor was flexing so reckon it has delaminated, going to get the kit and do it from under neath, don't want to take out the linoleum flooring (no carpets)
Going to sort the damp after our last trip in October
Also as some of you know I knackered the rear view camera at stowford, thats all back up and running and also fitted rear view camera to the truck. Had to buy a new monitor and the full kit was only an extra £20.00 so thats why i had the extra camera.

 

[Parksy]

I'm sorry that you face more repairs Kev but I'm confident that nothing could daunt a man of your calibre! B)
If you have to do a winter project don't forget the forum pictures

 

[DeliDave_]

Kev,is that the camera plug on the right of the towbar,if so where did you get it,it is much better than mine,
good luck with the repair.

 

[Gafferbill]

.......you can fix it Kevin
Hope it is not as bad as you first thought.

 

[Gagakev]

Kev,is that the camera plug on the right of the towbar,if so where did you get it,it is much better than mine,
good luck with the repair.

Yes Dave it is the camera plug and socket, metal socket
They do the plug as well, this was supplied by our mate Sprocket, Dave just ordered another set and will fix the socket as a dummy holder under the existing one, pull out truck camera, place plug in dummy socket, plug in caravan twin cameras, oh and from Australia it arrives within four days.

 

[Gagakev]

.......you can fix it Kevin
Hope it is not as bad as you first thought.

Been doing a bit of research for the Delam kit and with Sir Sprockets help going for this Delam TX.
But away next Wednesday for 4 nights so will have to put up with the squeak temporarily

 

[Wilbury]

Hi All,
I have heard of so many Caravan and Motorhome floors delaminating over the years I have to ask just what sort of third rate material do the manufacturers use.
If plywood boats can sit permenantly in water without coming apart I am sure that a much better caravan flooring material could be used without breaking the bank or the Caravan.
But there again, it is only required to last for the guarantee period isn't it and to hell with what happens afterwards.
Rgds
By the way Kev, are you sure that the floor is not simply flexing because of what it is and not because of delaminating at all.

 

[DeliDave_]

Thanks Kev,looks good Ill get some when I get back.Also thanks to Sproket who kindly emailed me as well

 

[Thingy]

Just one other possibility springs to mind. You will have to bear with me because I dont know the precise terminology, but we had an awful squeaky floor and furniture on a Pageant some time back. The squeaks were coming from the area of the side dinette, and off course you could find a little movement in the floor, however tightening the screws didnt solve anything. I was given the answer to this one by a kindly old gent on a site.

The answer for me was that where the axle tube runs under the van, there is a bracket or mounting on top of the tube, with a stud coming down throught it from the caravan floor, all held by large castle nut. I had to borrow the mother in law , no kidding, I did, because she was heavier than my wife by some way, and getting her to move on the floor above showed a couple of mm play on this stud. Simply tightening the castle nut cured virtually every squeek the van had. Im not saying this is necessarily your problem, but try it, can't hurt. Not sure if all vans are configured this way, but the Baileys of that time were.

 

[Sproket]

Hi All,
I have heard of so many Caravan and Motorhome floors delaminating over the years I have to ask just what sort of third rate material do the manufacturers use.
If plywood boats can sit permenantly in water without coming apart I am sure that a much better caravan flooring material could be used without breaking the bank or the Caravan.
But there again, it is only required to last for the guarantee period isn't it and to hell with what happens afterwards.
Rgds
By the way Kev, are you sure that the floor is not simply flexing because of what it is and not because of delaminating at all.

Hi Wilbury

Things have moved on since the 70's the modern caravan floor is a sandwich construction that helps keep the weight down and it is also insulated rather than just good old plywood or a bit of tongue & groove planking to help keep the van warm, just be weary if you are thinking of buying a van that has had some laminate timber put on top of the original flooring to make it look more up to date as you never know what it could be hiding as modern vans have a laminate style vinyl fitted.

This is a bodged floor in need of a proper hmy: repair

 

[Wilbury]

Hi Sproket,
I know that caravan flooring is sandwiched, I was simply mentioning plywood boats as an example of just how durable things can be made. It is all in the specification and quality control.
Rgds

 

[Gagakev]

Hi All,
I have heard of so many Caravan and Motorhome floors delaminating over the years I have to ask just what sort of third rate material do the manufacturers use.
If plywood boats can sit permenantly in water without coming apart I am sure that a much better caravan flooring material could be used without breaking the bank or the Caravan.
But there again, it is only required to last for the guarantee period isn't it and to hell with what happens afterwards.
Rgds
By the way Kev, are you sure that the floor is not simply flexing because of what it is and not because of delaminating at all.

Hi Wilbury, I know the floor would give to a certain degree because of the span between the chassis rails, but how much?
looking at all possibilities and i have to start some where and if fixing the delam doesnt cure it at least I will know the floor is OK, now this has bought a thought to my mind should the service engineer last week noticed a delaminated floor? Hmmm

 

[Gagakev]

Just one other possibility springs to mind. You will have to bear with me because I dont know the precise terminology, but we had an awful squeaky floor and furniture on a Pageant some time back. The squeaks were coming from the area of the side dinette, and off course you could find a little movement in the floor, however tightening the screws didnt solve anything. I was given the answer to this one by a kindly old gent on a site.

The answer for me was that where the axle tube runs under the van, there is a bracket or mounting on top of the tube, with a stud coming down throught it from the caravan floor, all held by large castle nut. I had to borrow the mother in law , no kidding, I did, because she was heavier than my wife by some way, and getting her to move on the floor above showed a couple of mm play on this stud. Simply tightening the castle nut cured virtually every squeek the van had. Im not saying this is necessarily your problem, but try it, can't hurt. Not sure if all vans are configured this way, but the Baileys of that time were.

Hi Thingy you have just had me crawling around under my van in my PJ's :lol:
There is nothing connected to the tube, a gap of about 100 to 150mm, BUT the floor is bolted to the chassis
and are spaced about 600mm apart, now I noticed one of them, next to the where the damp repair was done
is not rusty like the rest and the head is marked, think the dealer may have had reason to loosen it. so am wondering if i give them a tighten will it make a difference, will have a go tomorrow night.
One problem I can see though it is behind the wheel arch and the squeak is forward and above the wheel arch, nothing to loose on this one so will let you know how it goes, Thanks

 

[Thingy]

I did wonder if not all vans were configured the same way, but if you have found the issue by accident, its worth having excited the neighbours. Hope it works, I was lucky.

Looking at the picture below, you can plainly see the two mounts on this twin axle version, I have now had this a couple of times, and nipping up the castle nuts attached to them cured a multitude. Wont work for everyone, but if you guys have this configuration, worth a quick spannering.

 

[Gagakev]

I did wonder if not all vans were configured the same way, but if you have found the issue by accident, its worth having excited the neighbours. Hope it works, I was lucky.

Looking at the picture below, you can plainly see the two mounts on this twin axle version, I have now had this a couple of times, and nipping up the castle nuts attached to them cured a multitude. Wont work for everyone, but if you guys have this configuration, worth a quick spannering.

Ah must have mis-read the first post on this, yes the set up is the same with the plates, only differance is I think my axle tube is round so will check those plate nuts as well tonight. Thanks, in a way I hope it is that.

 

[Gagakev]

I did wonder if not all vans were configured the same way, but if you have found the issue by accident, its worth having excited the neighbours. Hope it works, I was lucky.

Looking at the picture below, you can plainly see the two mounts on this twin axle version, I have now had this a couple of times, and nipping up the castle nuts attached to them cured a multitude. Wont work for everyone, but if you guys have this configuration, worth a quick spannering.
quote]

Went out tonight and checked all the nuts the ones on the plates I could'nt budge so they were OK.
The nuts on the chassis connecting the floor I only got a quarter to half a turn on all of them (four)
Didnt make a blind bit of differance, so the only choice i have now is the Delam Kit, and if that doesnt work
the wall panels will come off to investigate the damp (October) and will remove extra panelling to where the squeak is.

 

[Thingy]

Sorry it didnt work, it was worth a try. Good luck with the Delam kit.

 

[Gagakev]

Got the squeak, Click here for a happy ending :cheer:

 

[Gafferbill]

.......you can fix it Kevin
Hope it is not as bad as you first thought.

Told you