Check your undercoating!

Vegasdan · 03-11-2010, 07:35 PM

I just spent an afternoon scraping the factory undercoating off of the underside of my 01 Tradewinds. I tested it several weeks ago and found it was loose and flaking. I got on my creeper and rolled around scraping it all off with a putty knife. I was so loose that you could virtually use your palm to brush it away. I am going to coat it with a product called Chassis Saver. The bottom of my coach has steel crossmembers and is panelled in between with tin sheets over the plywood flooring. Fortunately, the tin is still intact although rusty. The crossmembers were all surface rusted. This is not a pleasant job.

MonacoMama · 03-15-2010, 02:24 AM

VegasDan

...When are you going to tackle this job??

(I need to make sure we are no where near Las Vegas then!

)

Vegasdan · 03-15-2010, 12:24 PM

Monaco, I could sure use someone who wants to tackle this job just for the "experience". I might even throw in some beer.

)

morrowwg · 03-29-2010, 08:35 AM

I haev a Trop with similar Problem.

Let me know how it works out and Good Luck!

Vegasdan · 03-29-2010, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morrowwg

I haev a Trop with similar Problem.

Let me know how it works out and Good Luck!

The project is not easy but do-able. I spent about 4 hours total in scraping off the old undercoat (you do not have to remove the surface rust) and coating the bottom with the Chassis Saver paint. One good thing is this product spreads just like paint. One quart covered the flat bottom surface with one coat. You MUST protect yourself whem applying this stuff! A coverall, nytril gloves, chemical goggles and good respirator are mandatory. You do not want to breathe this stuff, period! Look at my post in the National part of this forum under "Started Renovation on Tradewinds" for photos of the before and after.

sportinh2o · 05-14-2010, 02:10 PM

So...just checked under the bus (2001 National Tradewinds 7370) - and it turned my stomach. I have SEVERE rust on all the crossbeams. It is so severe that you can stick you finger through it in many areas. This entire network of structure is going to have to be replaced...oh..and the undercoating will too.

Elkhartjim · 05-14-2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportinh2o

So...just checked under the bus (2001 National Tradewinds 7370) - and it turned my stomach. I have SEVERE rust on all the crossbeams. It is so severe that you can stick you finger through it in many areas. This entire network of structure is going to have to be replaced...oh..and the undercoating will too.

Oh no...that's not good. Are you saying that some of the crossbeams have rusted away?

sportinh2o · 05-14-2010, 03:21 PM

More than one. One beam is basically non-existent now, and the rest look like swiss cheese. Of Course I'm three states away from home at the moment, and will be for about 5 more weeks. Do you know if the fresh, grey and black tanks use this frame network for support? From a cursory look I'd have to say thats the only thing holding up the fresh...

Elkhartjim · 05-14-2010, 04:30 PM

I'm sorry I can't help with any specifics. If the fresh water tank is the only one affected, maybe you should carry as little water as necessary.

I'm not that familiar with your unit but has this been a known issue? Makes me want to go crawl around under my Bounder. Oh yeah, why does it always happen miles from home. Good luck and keep us informed.

sportinh2o · 05-14-2010, 04:57 PM

Well I'll hope it holds till Abilene, and the 2,000 miles till I get there. I wonder how many stares I would get if I Duck taped the middle of this bus up over the roof? "No officer, that is not a practical joke, its just practical."

Well if I'm going to lose my black water tank, I just hope its in Sooner country!

In all seriousness, I will see what I can do to reinforce the members till I can get a welder to make up a new framework. Possibly metal strapping...

Elkhartjim · 05-14-2010, 05:26 PM

Culley, you need to meet my buddy Don in the Texas Boomers group. If Don didn't have duct/duck tape his left fender would fall off and I can't imagine what would happen to his fiver.

BTW, loosing a black water tank in Sooner country, well worst things could happen I suppose.

sportinh2o · 05-14-2010, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elkhartjim

BTW, loosing a black water tank in Sooner country, well worst things could happen I suppose.

Talk about your BOOMER!

Don sounds like a fine man! His name is my middle one. And I, like a good Texan deleted the "T" from duct, but its okay 'cause I added an "r" to wash just to make up for it.

There is a sign hanging crooked somewhere in NM because I was stuck on the side of the road with a busted radiator hose. I needed the bailing wire...now I dont travel without it!

Vegasdan · 05-16-2010, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportinh2o

So...just checked under the bus (2001 National Tradewinds 7370) - and it turned my stomach. I have SEVERE rust on all the crossbeams. It is so severe that you can stick you finger through it in many areas. This entire network of structure is going to have to be replaced...oh..and the undercoating will too.

Your's sounds quite a bit worse than mine was. I had one beam in front of the passinger's side rear dual that had a small perforation. I cleaned it and painted it inside as far as I could reach with some Rustoleum, then formed some metal and overlayed the beam and just screwed the overlay to the old beam. Then I scraped off all of the old undercoating and applied the Chassis Saver. I'll have to keep an eye on the patch in the future especially driving in the wet areas we will journey to. Good luck to you.