Community Forums

MSGulfCoast · 06-25-2020, 05:42 PM

Can anyone point me to information on how to remove the moulding which goes all the way around the sides of the coach where the side fiberglass meets the roof, end caps and bottom of the coach? There's a gap along the moulding on the driver's side right behind the windshield. Does it just pry off after removing the caulk from both sides?

pwhittle · 06-25-2020, 08:36 PM

Yes. It is a little easier when it is warm or has been sitting in the sun.

Paul

DiplomatDon · 06-25-2020, 08:49 PM

That is a plastic finish piece over extruded aluminum which is held on with screws. These screws have a habit of rusting off. Remove caulk and pull covering off. That aluminum extrusion with the screw is what holds the panels/caps/roof together. On a coach of yours age likely need to replace most or all. Good luck Don

MSGulfCoast · 06-26-2020, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiplomatDon

That is a plastic finish piece over extruded aluminum which is held on with screws. These screws have a habit of rusting off. Remove caulk and pull covering off. That aluminum extrusion with the screw is what holds the panels/caps/roof together. On a coach of yours age likely need to replace most or all. Good luck Don

Is the plastic finish piece held in place with anything or just clipped around the aluminum? Thank you so much for the help.

MSGulfCoast · 06-26-2020, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwhittle

Yes. It is a little easier when it is warm or has been sitting in the sun.

Paul

I'm sure you are correct. South Mississippi this time of year that won't be a problem!

96 Wideglide · 06-26-2020, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSGulfCoast

Is the plastic finish piece held in place with anything or just clipped around the aluminum? Thank you so much for the help.

Clips around the aluminum.

If they did put any screws in, they would be at the ends. Mine has no screws.

MSGulfCoast · 06-26-2020, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

Clips around the aluminum.

If they did put any screws in, they would be at the ends. Mine has no screws.

Very good thanks.

rlbow43 · 06-29-2020, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSGulfCoast

There's a gap along the moulding on the driver's side right behind the windshield. Does it just pry off after removing the caulk from both sides?

It's pretty heavy duty vinyl and will pry off - best when warm as phwhittle already said. Be careful so the paint doesn't come off. About 3 years ago I replaced my Norcold. Used the drivers window to take it out and move the Samsung in. That made it clear that the side below the window had delaminated when water got behind the molding thru a gap/hole in the caulk above the window. So if you have a gap you need to look. I couldn't see the delam when the window was in the coach - it kept it tight enough. At that point I did what DiplomatDan said - replaced all the screws. Some came out. Some broke off. I think the screws were #8 self drilling. Used stainless steel on replacements. Broke #8 stainless - too brittle. Moved to #10 - just fit under the molding. I predrilled the holes where a screw broke off. Didn't want to crack the fiberglass by selfdrilling thru the aluminum and fiberglass.

There are a lot of screws. About every 5" or so. Takes a while. I only removed a portion of the molding at a time so I didn't have to deal with such a long loose piece. You need to check the caulking on a regular basis for places where water can get behind it. I used ProFlex by Geocel to reseal the molding. I don't use silicone on the outside of my Windsor. Good luck.

geordi · 06-29-2020, 01:17 AM

I've done about 90% of the moulding on my Diplomat, if you are tricky with a cutting wheel you can slice the aluminum into workable sections and only remove one at a time rather than huge sections. At the roof what you will find is that the manufacturers used double sided foam tape as "sealant" and nothing else - so you will likely want to back-fill behind and between the overlapping layer of roof and walls with silicone.

I don't understand the dislike of silicone products on the outside of an RV, the 100% GE Silicone 2 that I put on the roof of my older coach in 1994 is STILL STUCK THERE and doing it's job. Yeah, it is difficult sometimes to control the oozing if you use a lot, but the stuff WORKS. It will never harden or crack and separate, and the grip is impressive.

When putting the new screws back in - definitely pre-drill with a smaller bit than your screws, and use quality fasteners. The generic self-tapping screws from Lowes or Home Depot are made of Chinesium and will snap off in the hole constantly. Get good stuff like SPAX or GRK, and exterior grade - they WILL get wet!

DiplomatDon · 06-29-2020, 11:06 PM

For anyone having to replace screws for outside molding or compartment hinges I would recommend Fastenal. They are screw suppliers and seem to be North America wide. I have found them very good and they seem to have every type of screw you may want or need. Good luck, Don

MSGulfCoast · 06-30-2020, 06:48 AM

Thanks for all the really good info. I'm hoping to get started on this next week. Love the "chineseum" metal comment - that's pretty funny...and unfortunately true!

One thing I don't think anyone has mentioned is how long the screws need to be since I haven't physically removed any yet? Don't want to drill into things I shouldn't!

DiplomatDon · 06-30-2020, 07:06 PM

You would be best to wait till you uncover some and try to remove one. I haven't replaced any on the molding you are doing but it is on my list for my 2001 Diplomat. The screws for the beltline molding were 1.5 flat head, while the compartment hinge screws were round head 1.25 inch. If you have to drill new holes I used a bit slightly smaller than the self topping screw end and made things much easier. Best to get one out and take it to whoever you are going to order from. As I said above I got mine from Fastenal. Good luck Don

geordi · 07-01-2020, 10:00 AM

What he said - 1.5 and 1.25 are going to be the most common, you want to hit solid metal behind what you are drilling, if it just goes into wood, that's not going to do it.

You and Don both may have a problem when you try to remove the belt screws or the compartment hinge screws.... As on mine, around 90% of them came out with JUST THE HEAD shearing off almost instantly! This is what happens when they use #8 chinesium. Don't be afraid to "roll your own" and drill holes through the strip or the hinges next to the failed hole. The broken screw will magically be made of diamond and you won't ever get that hole back, don't even try.

bigdad1970 · 07-01-2020, 10:29 PM

I just did half of the lower section while hunting for a small leak a month or so ago. On my 97 Signature the screws were 1 1/2" flat head.

I also drilled some pilot holes and added another screw near those that broke off. I needed to use a heat gun to soften the molding a bit while taking it off. Removing and cleaning off the old caulk is the hard part, the rest of the job is pretty easy. I say that but I haven't made it to the upper section yet.