Rear Fiberglass Cap Damage

[Isaac-1]

You can get Aluminum sheet for less than that on Amazon see https://www.amazon.com/Generic-125-A.../dp/B095NTVZ9M

[Ray,IN]

techwriter, I'm having mine repaired by ins., my disappearing deductible is now $375 towards a $34K estimate. Even if my ins. premium doubles it will be $1,400/yr.
At that rate it will take more years to equal the repair bill that I'm able to drive a MH. When I do sell the MH there will be no signs of repairs or patches or anything not OEM.
Just sayin_.

[Argosy]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

- One 1/4" 4' x 4' aluminum sheet + Two 1/4" 1' x 2' ("filler") = $964 delivered
- One 1/8" 4' x 4' aluminum sheet + Two 1/8" 1' x 2' ("filler") = $447 delivered

Fenders, door skins, etc. on a car are .030-.040". 1/8" thickness and above gets into structural metal, it's far heavier than what you need to use for a mural.



https://www.metalsdepot.com/aluminum...aluminum-sheet

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

You can get Aluminum sheet for less than that on Amazon see https://www.amazon.com/Generic-125-A.../dp/B095NTVZ9M

Size is right, but too thin.

Originally Posted by Argosy

Fenders, door skins, etc. on a car are .030-.040". 1/8" thickness and above gets into structural metal, it's far heavier than what you need to use for a mural.

https://www.metalsdepot.com/aluminum...aluminum-sheet

The aluminum sheet's (or plywood) purpose is twofold: one, hold the fiberglass pieces together (structural) and, two, cover up the damage (cosmetic). The mural is just to make it look pretty.

Also, I think these guys offer better prices.

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

techwriter, I'm having mine repaired by ins., my disappearing deductible is now $375 towards a $34K estimate. Even if my ins. premium doubles it will be $1,400/yr.
At that rate it will take more years to equal the repair bill that I'm able to drive a MH. When I do sell the MH there will be no signs of repairs or patches or anything not OEM.
Just sayin_.

You may have had more substantial damage up front than my rear end collision so you may not have much choice.

In my case, however, I don't see any need to return a 21-year-old gas RV to its original condition.

Also, I would not be fine with my RV insurance rate doubling.

[TechWriter]

I've decided to try DIY repairs on my damaged SeaView. We'll see how this goes.

First step was repairing the broken rear ladder . . . My Ladder Fix.

Over the upcoming months, I'll try the biggest issue -- fiberglass repair.

Semi-confident.

[Dav L]

Start by degreasing and powerwashing and then PrepSol inside / outside that you can access. So you don't grind grease into the microgrooves of the repair area which messes with adhesion. Gives you a chance to evaluate your access methods too.

Can you access the backside of the panel from underneath? If not, then removal of the cap to do a proper repair is the best but largest project. The best approach is based on what you see, access, and how easy the panel relaxes (once relieved) back into position.

If not, and you don't want to take the time to remove the cap, then all of the jagged edges of the crack need to be cleaned out with a saw blade to allow the panels to realign. You could then rough up the exterior with some 40 grit sandpaper about 4 inches on both sides of each crack. Pull the skin rearward. You might have to fashion some hooks that go into holes to pull the skin back into position. Possibly there are some brackets that got crunched on the inside.

Consider if a section of panel should be removed to access the interior. You could then back glass the panel and put it all back into place (ideally by glassing the cut lines from backside). To put the panel back (after the cracks are fixed), you can fiberglass (wet) and put a piece of plywood on the inside around the panel. Then replace the fiberglass panel, and screw it all together allowing the glass to adhere all together from the interior.

Once the depression is relieved, then fiberglass the exterior. A thicker matt soaked in resin on the lowest level, and then two plys of random matt ontop of that. Do this in one application so it all bonds together. I tape and paper all areas below the repair so the dripping resin doesn't mess up the areas that aren't to be repaired.

Then, use a angle grinder with some sandpaper and flatten all protrusions of the glass down flat. Clean well. Use body plastic to feather and flatten down the glass. There will certainly be more thickness on the cracks so you are optically trying to get it to blend to the original material without reducing the repair cloth much.

Reskin the body plastic and use progressively finer sandpaper to get perfect without pin holes.

If the original is gelcoat, then gelcoat the repair to match the original color. Ensure you polish the original to see it's true color. Or, paint to match.

This job is definitely better from the backside....so that should be your Plan A. You can put more fiberglass on the backside than the front, and a thin coating on the frontside just to clean up the jagged edges of the cracked fiberglass. Bonding from both sides is much stronger than from one side. Bonding from just the outside leads to cracking when the panel gets flexed post fix.

From the backside, you can even fiberglass some thin plywood to stiffen up the whole area after the entire area is degreased and power washed to get it spanky clean. The reason you use plywood and NOT aluminum is that aluminum doesn't have enough roughness for the fiberglass to adhere to. One thump on the fiberglass will break the adhesion of the aluminum. Plywood being irregular, will allow the resin to penetrate and grab during cure. You can also rivit the fiberglass from the outside to pull it further into the wet cloth. If you can slide some 1/4" plywood into the area, possibly with wet cloth draped over it, then that would be much better than nothing on the inside. Rivit until dry. Then repair the outside. The plywood will also help realign the cracks to get rid of a depression (it will flatten the exterior out). You can screw from the outside into the ply to flatten the whole area out as well. Post resin cure, remove the screws before body plastic work on the exterior.

But, back to the root cause...do you have brakes on the Toad? Is your tow bar level when the coach is aired up? This shouldn't have happened...

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by amosnandy

As an insurance adjuster, just from the pictures I would estimate between $20,000 &$25,000. .

I figured this was way way off . . . and I was right.

Received a quote from a local RV shop for $6100.

However, next time I need an insurance adjuster, I'll be sure to call you for an estimate!

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by amosnandy

As an insurance adjuster, just from the pictures I would estimate between $20,000 &$25,000.

The cap needs to come off, repair both sides and there is likely damage to the inner structure.

That is actually a pretty easy repair (relatively speaking).
Take the "bumper" off. Looks like the cap doesn't need to come off as all damage is on the lower section that looks like the join is inbetween the tailights. That should take 4 hours.

Cut the fiberglass cracks so it again lays flat: 1 hour

Rough up the inside glass: 30 min

Put at least four layers of glass over the whole area: 2 hours

Post dry, turn the bumper over, lay supports on the underside (so the bumper isn't flexing) and rough up the outside cracks / resin ooze: 1 hour

Body plastic the crack / sanded area and sand inbetween coats (4 hours of work)

Final plastic coat and filler: 2 hours

Skim coat of filler followed by sanding: 2 hours

Prime: 2 hours

Paint: 1 hour

Clear: 1 hour

Put bumper back on 3 hours

Drive.

The above would take a week with all the steps, drying, relaxation, beer.

The paint is the only "expensive" part. About $200 in material. The fiberglass and resin about another $200. Ideally paint wouldn't be used as it would never really match. Gel Coat would be better but more labor (like 6 hours)