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It's kind of amazing to find your post -- written today -- as I was searching on how to attach the beltline trim insert to finish up my repair of the same issue above my right rear wheel on my 2004 HR endeavor.
In my case, water splashed up from the wheels got into the plywood inner layer of the fiberglass outer wall above the wheel well cover. Like yours, the wheel well covers are hinged, just like the compartment doors, and the screws holding the hinges had rusted out as the 1/2" plywood rotted. (Sound familiar?) I, too, dug out the rotted plywood up to about 1 1/2" above the bottom edge of the fiberglass (to just above the line of screws holding the wide aluminum beltline trim piece). The plywood was sandwiched between the outer fiberglass and an inner piece of thin sheet metal. When whole, the screws for the hinges go through the fiberglass, through the plywood, through the sheet metal, and into structural steel inside the wall. After I dug out all the plywood, including the pieces clinging here and there (what a PITA!), I cut a piece of 1/2 inch thick plywood about 3/4" wide and long enough to fit the damaged area. I found that just cramming it into the space left by the rotted plywood kept it in place almost well enough until I screwed the hinges back on. But I squeezed some adhesive caulk into the space before I inserted the plywood, just to waterproof things a bit and to help hold the plywood if necessary. I used 1 1/2", #8, round-head, self-drilling (drill-tip) sheet metal screws to replace the old screws. Since most of the old screws broke off before they came out, I had to drill new holes through previously unused holes in the hinges.
My problem was above the wheels so I sealed the bottom of the new plywood with a layer of silicone caulk.
When I reattached the aluminum beltline molding, I used new flat head, 1 1/2", #10 sheet metal screws and drilled new holes where too many screws had rusted and broken.
Now all I gotta do is replace the solid, rubber-like, insert that covers the aluminum trim-strip screws. As you know from your rig, the insert is painted and was originally glued to the aluminum. Unless I can find a better idea, I'm going to try to use weather-strip adhesive to re-attach it. Do you have any suggestions?
Good luck!
Tom
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