New Exterior Siding

[jerseybigfot]

My 90 Endeavor had the same problem and determined the corrosion was coming from leaks. Roof, window frames etc. Found the leak issue after removing the ceiling to replace the headliner. The luan was delaminated and stained but the water did not drip through but traveled down the side wall. The aluminum frame was quite thin but seemed sturdy enough. The ceiling insulation was fiberglass and you can see the luan between the frame and skin. To abate the corrosion you will probable have to dehydrate the rig and fix the leaks. We no longer have the Endeavor but I did consider just replacing the aluminum between the top side wall seam and the beltline. I did not plan to go back with the luan but rivet an glue the Aluminum on similar to an air stream. I considered a slightly thicker aluminum with added closed cell insulation in place of any fiberglass.

[HarveyP]

Hi Piker, we have the exact same motorhome. What is under the molding halfway up the sides. I thing I have leaks starting there and am wondering if I can remove the molding and bracket and Eternabond tape across the gap? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, HarveyP

[Piker]

If yours is like mine, I'm guessing the rivets have corroded on the seam - probably because of the acid released by the luan that's behind the aluminum when it gets wet and rots. Your best bet might be to pull the vinyl trim off of the aluminum strip/bracket, and check the rivets. If any are loose, drill them out and put new rivets in... then put the vinyl back on and recaulk. I've had good luck with polyurethane caulk - but it's REALLY tough to get off once it's on.

Ours had some leaks in this area too I think... but we also had leaks around the windows. They have a rubber gasket that seals them, but I don't think they hold up over time. When I put our windows back in, I will use the polyurethane caulk. They'll never come out again... but I suspect the rest of the RV will fall apart before they'd need to come out again.

It's amazing how long moisture can stay trapped between the walls once it gets in. When we dusted our engine and tore it down in May of last year... the motorhome sat until I think august when I tore the siding off. During that time, from May to August, the RV sat unmoved inside our garage in the summer heat. When I pulled the siding, the luan was sopping wet. Without some sort of air flow inside the walls, I don't know how it would ever come out. It's almost like there should be some sort of venting inside the RV that you can open to keep the inside of the walls aired out. I dunno. Perhaps a dehumidifier inside might help...

So... If any of you have been following my rebuild thread in the cummins section, you know that we did get the engine back together and running good. At this point, I still have no siding on the passenger side of the RV, and I don't know for sure when I'll be able to pursue that further. When I do, I'll probably bring this thread back to life and catalog the repairs like I did with the engine. For now, we're going to clean the inside up nice, tape the windows off, and at least be able to do some camping in the garage this summer with the kids. They love to eat snacks, play games, and watch movies out there... so even though we won't be traveling, we can still have some fun together in the RV. Maybe we paint pictures of mountains and such, and tape them over the windows. lol...

-cheers

[HarveyP]

Thanks Piker, I have had to replace rivets at the bottom of the sides when they failed, I thought because of metal fatigue. I know there is an aluminum extrusion at the middle seam, into which the vinyl molding sits. I wondered if a guy could remove the extrusion, tape the seam, and then reinstall the extrusion and vinyl? Does that even make sense?
I have resealed windows after removing them and replacing the thin original gaskets with butyl putty tape. It appears to make a very good seal that can be removed if necessary. Not to be confused with the cheap putty tape sold in RV dealers stores. I went to a window installer to purchase the good stuff.
We plan to run ours until it cannot run, or we cannot run. We keep looking at other used units, but have not found one that better suits our needs. Your engine rebuild thread and this thread have been, and continue to be, an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your courage and hard-won knowledge. HarveyP

[Piker]

Originally Posted by HarveyP

I wondered if a guy could remove the extrusion, tape the seam, and then reinstall the extrusion and vinyl? Does that even make sense?

Sounds reasonable... I helped a buddy repair his camper once and we used the Eternabond tape. It's good stuff for sure. I wonder though... if the rivets would compress the aluminum strip against the tape too much and maybe cut into it? Not sure, just thinking out loud. I bet it would work... might pay to do some test riveting on some scrap aluminum maybe?

I like the butyl putty idea for the windows.

Since I got the engine running... I go to bed most nights now wishing I had left the siding alone... but I didn't... so I guess I just have to keep looking forward.

-cheers

[ahicks]

With the upper panel overlapping the lower, not sure why you would use tape AND the molding to seal? Maybe I'm missing something, but not seeing the need for the tape. -Al

[Piker]

Originally Posted by ahicks

With the upper panel overlapping the lower, not sure why you would use tape AND the molding to seal? Maybe I'm missing something, but not seeing the need for the tape. -Al

The panels do not overlap at this seam... they simply butt together.

Cheers

[HarveyP]

Are the rivets thru the molding, or does the molding cover over the tops of the rivets and the decorative vinyl strip just sits in the molding?

[Piker]

Originally Posted by HarveyP

Are the rivets thru the molding, or does the molding cover over the tops of the rivets and the decorative vinyl strip just sits in the molding?

Rivets go through the aluminum strip, through the siding panels (aluminum/luan), and into the framing. The vinyl strip then just snaps over the aluminum strip. Then it's caulked on either side.

-cheers

[Piker]

It's put together just like the bottom trim piece that you already fixed...

-cheers

[TQ60]

One could dip the rivets in sealer like true rtv so less worry about leaks

[Piker]

Harvey,

It occurred to me that maybe you didn't realize there is actually a seam or joint under that center molding between the top panel and the lower panel? The top panel measures 32"... the bottom 48". The molding covers the gap between the two.

Cheers

[guardrail53]

Piker, you did the right thing by tearing the siding off, it was sopping wet, and would have continued to eat your siding up from the inside out! That said, I think it will go back on smoothly, as you have proved yourself as a very good mechanic, and with the help of suction cups to hold it, and supported by the beams in your barn, I think it will go quickly! Easy for me to say? Right?
My 96 HR siding was OK, believe me, I checked, the seals around the windows and the fiberglass roof never leaked.
Looking forward to you getting it done, and going camping again!
Rail!

[Piker]

Originally Posted by guardrail53

Looking forward to you getting it done, and going camping again!
Rail!

Me too!! Though I'm now pretty much certain it won't happen this year. We did, however, get the inside scrubbed up good after sitting in the garage all winter with no windows. Shampooed the carpets and everything... I also hung the door temporarily, and taped off all the window holes so that when I do start working on this project, it won't get filthy inside... and we can go back and forth from garage camping mode to restoration mode.

There will be a few things I can work on over the summer that won't cost much - for starters I can prep the aluminum frame for the new panels. The old rivets all need drilled out, and there's some oxidation in some areas that I will sand and put some aluminum primer on just for the heck of it. Also, the steel frame for the storage compartments behind the rear wheels will need replaced as well. I might even be able to get some insulation put back in place. The panels themselves, however, will probably have to wait... mostly because of cost... and because I'm just plain tuckered out from all the overtime I worked to be able to rebuild the engine. Not complaining... just sharing my decision on the matter. I mean... do I wish I could get it done before the end of summer?... sure... but it probably wouldn't be wise if I did. You never know though... how things might pan out in life. A year ago, I thought the next move for this RV might be the junkyard...

I have to admit... having a freshly rebuilt Cummins under the hood ( or in this case... under the bed? ) that I can't take out and romp on just kills me sometimes. It runs so good... and sounds even better. It might be my favorite sound in the whole wide world. Interestingly enough... while I personally tend to be a bit of a pessimist about all this, my kids seem to have been protected from that tendency... and this whole ordeal with the engine and rotten siding, etc., has revealed that. When talking about the project as a whole with my girls, I tell them that we have a long way to go yet... but they now always respond: "but dad, we have the motor done now... and that's better than having the siding AND the motor to do." Sometimes their simplicity brings me back to reality...

All for now... as I start tinkering with this project over the summer, I'll be sure to post pics. Stay tuned...

-cheers