Rebuilding a Class C Motorhome
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- This is my father's motorhome. We spent a long weekend fixing the front bunk area. Water leakage is a constant danger with RVs.
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My husband and I got scammed on our first trailer that had water damage. We sure knew what to look for on our second one and it is a beauty. We are very happy with it and I hope your dad has no more problems with this RV. Good son to help him.
I rebuilt the overhead cab on my 1998 Winnie about a year and a half ago. Great video and I started using the adhesive you recommended, thanks! I replaced the sleeper board over the cab and used your adhesive to glue new fiberglass to my new green-treated plywood. It worked great. I eventually used Sikaflex 291 adhesive because it came out of the tube easier and was water resistant. I also found that two of my marker lights were leaking not only between the base and the fiberglass, but also between the lens and the base. I used Sikaflex to glue the base to the fiberglass and that fixed all leaks. I believe more water came through my marker lights than the window. If anyone else is doing this, don't use silicon caulk because the bases will flex and water will get in. Adhesive will keep the base and the fiberglass from flexing.
I know this is almost 2 years old, but thank you SO MUCH for documenting and sharing this whole process. I have a Coachmen Catalina and I'm sure your video will be help many many Class C owners during the repair/rebuild process. -Asphalt Adventurer
Also have a Catalina, have been looking for a video like this for days
A real craftsman indeed, hope you guys did something nice for him no RV repair clinic would do that quality repair.
All RVs have rot in 2 years if not sealed 2 times a year or as needled, a 20 year roof warranty is just the materials labor
Won't make it 1 year without re calking with something other than silicone . Well done.
Great video, this is exactly what I needed to find, my pops too has bought a Class C with the same problem, we will use this video as a guide! Thank you!
Finally, someone from Michigan! Yes!
I bought a 1987 coachman same problem but it is 32 years old. However like Reify life said once they get cancer you can get a decent deal. Was watching U tube and some people got them for free at least that’s what they said. This one feller got a real old Dodge class c for 250 and it looked like, it ,but if your a little handy you can bring then back to life again .
I'm doing the same thing to mine now. It sucks. The deeper you dig, the more deep you find you have to dig. It never ends. Water entered and shloshed to the back. I had to replace entire roof , front over cab like you, and entire back end. It sucks. What is so bad is that they didn't even use any tape on the seams when they built it. Plumber's putty was all. Every seam leaked. Run, don't hide if somebody says "it leaks a little." I wish I had your skills cutting those irregular pieces in the front.
Glad to see you got rid of the front window. That's where ALL rvs get water damage and you'd think all manufacturers would eliminate them but there are those who still install them.
Been there done that. 2000 sunseeker rebuilt 3 times. Last time removed bunk and front wall panel with window, stripped down to the aluminum frames, replaced all foam insulation, epoxy bonded azdel to both sides of the frame and epoxied all new fiberglass sheeting on both sides. Azdel is a new composite sheeting used in the rv industry in place of the wood sheeting previously used. We had a new bunk frame welded up from heavier gauge aluminum structural members, and eliminated all wood and cellulose material in the front cab. Took 6 weeks and about $5000 in materials to rebuild. No more water issues with the front cab. Kept the front window as it was not the problem. Frankly, the problem is using wood in the construction because as wood is a cellulose product, once it gets wet, it will rot and develop black mold.
Good video. I think crank out windows are far superior. The screws actually rust from the inside from wet wood and the rust goes out. Rusty screws are the first indication of water damage. Nice work on the repair to all you guys.
I’m a boatbuilder and I approve of your dads work
getting ready to do the same job
How did it go, I'm also about to begin a repair
Yall did a very good job and had the right tools to get it done.
Part of what you say is true . They do use some sub standard stuff . But if you build an RV the way you are wanting it , it would be 300K instead of 150K . So you have to find a happy medium . A lot of water comes in from running lights , That would be the first place to seal a brand new RV .
If you get one with no windows in the bunk and a fibreglass shell you're probably gonna be ok as long as previous owners have taken care of it. Mine is a 1989 and it's good as new.
No, you don't have to take water damage seriously nor do you have to run away if you see water damage. You should however make sure you pay a price that takes water damage into account. However rebuilding a motorhome is about as easy as it gets. It was built shitty from the factory..you can only do better.
You really engineered the heck out of this. You are exactly right. I rebuilt a 1993 c class and the overcab was a freekin mess. I didn't take it as far as you did and mine had steel beams across the loft area. But you make valid points. Thanks for sharing.
We are going through the same thing, so we are learning what to do about it..
there's two kinds of RVs. ones that leek and ones are going to leak
Loooooool that's optimisim for you....
Great repair video. Looks well engineered. Your right on about most of the RV / Motor Home and Trailer manufacturers.
Great video, we are going to do the same job this spring we reinforced the surface now u gave use the great idea to remove the front useless window
Those front windows don’t help as the cab flexes at opposite angles the window frame will eventually pass water. On the plus size that over bed can now be used as a battering ram as it’s now built like a tank.
well done
I 've seen a number of comments re: doing this "fast" We did all these repairs in three days. This is a full week job, this was indeed done in a record time! I would like to have had more time to do a cleaner job, some other supports could have been put in but this was a good repair done in record time. Everyone in the video worked their butts off A lot of whining happened...but then that's what friends are for
Awesome. And cool dad.
Thanks for the warnings.
"Good luck finding a piece of mahogany in an RV ! " Lmfao 😂😁😀😃😂
we put mahogany in this one!
awesome repair job, nicely done!
I know your pain! I just found this video after I did the same repair on my 1989 Damon Escaper Class C two weeks ago. Wow! What a project that was. I used 3/4" ground contact pressure treated plywood for my new overcab floor. It is one of those projects that leaves you wondering whether all the effort is even worth it. My advice? Cover it with new paneling and sell it. LOL.
It also depends on how the over cab is built. There are some that have a solid fiberglass shell without seams. That's what I would like to have. Although I really love class B RVs I actually need a class C to fit my needs. This leaking issue is one of my big concerns. It was interesting to see how you repaired it. Thanks for sharing. 😊
Great thank I have same problem thank you
They’re definitely built cheap, but they’re disposable toys for rich people. You can buy them cheap once they get water damage and for a little money and a few hours, you can have yourself a nice RV for cheap.
I’m completely rebuilding one and the shoddy construction only gets worse the deeper you go.
I see it every day
I built them for a living....hahaha/ Trust me. THEY ALL ARE COVER UP JOBS (One BS feature covers up another BS feature)and They all leak. ;)
Simple way to deal with water damage is to have maintenance done every year. You should use the dealer make of the trailer if not a qualified RV dealership. With that kind of investment. You should have had it checked out.
I agree with you if you don't know what to look for take someone with you that does!
My in-laws have the same Class C (Coachmen Leprechuan) and had a very similar repair done. Front window is gone on theirs too. We're borrowing their RV and so far no leaks since. Ty for sharing b/c I was curious what the process & materials were incase we need to patch anything.
Beautiful job!
I agree with you totally!
Great video. Thank you.
Awesome videos! We've owned three motorhomes-an older Coachmen and two Fleetwoods, all class A's, and currently live in a 2015 Jayco Destination trailer. Have to agree will your statement about the quality of RV's. Our Jayco is a nice trailer but definitely lacks in quality materials!!!!! Although both of our Fleetwoods (1993 Bounder and our current 2000 Flair) were/are quality RV's-tough as nails! They still have the potential to leak but my opinion is Fleetwood makes a quality RV, atleast with class A. I can't give an honest opinion to the quality of their class C as have never owned one as I'm not a fan of class C at all. BTW love the African Queen!!!!!
Great job!
Great Video! Great repair work!
Good old Michigan roads! LOL!
Hate to tell you but Class A's that have a front cap rather then continuous roof do the same blasted thing. If the have a recessed AC roof unit, it'll leak as well. It is quite frankly an unending battle to delay the leaking. But anyone that's grown up around RV's could have told you RV Manufactures are ripping people off. Easiest way to tell from the outside if you got leakage is look at the screws in the trim and run your hands on the outside, check for delamination or squishy gives of even just a smidge, you'll feel that before the inside shows anything. Corners are your enemy in RV's as are windows. Get out and caulk every seam EVERY year, do it at the start of camping season and check over as you winterize, recaulk at that point if necessary.
I can't believe I just found this video! Well, as they say, "Better late than never!". concerning this vid. anyway. You helped me make my decision, no Class C's for me. Thanks so much! Great video. I appreciate your honesty.
Video begins at 5:20.
I have just got one free and yes it has water damage but it is likely most class C's do I had one in England which was water damaged. I do have some woodworking skills and aim to fix it within 6 months and then ship it back to UK only because motorhomes in the Uk are so expensive it will be worth it.
I am with you,,,about how they are building those RV class C....and how expensive is $$$
June 23, 2017 - Great job! Best I've seen. I live in a 32' Bounder but am downsizing to a Coachmen 195 (22 ft) that needs the same job you just did. I'm wondering if your guy there might be available to do the same job for me?
Well his shop is a piano shop so idk if he would. He's a long time friend so he helped us out. But I can ask. Email me: RamblinMichigander@gmail.com
Since most RV's are parked and do more sitting than driving I would cover the front top area to prevent too much water from entering the roof area. I would not want to undergo this process.
Tarping is always a good idea. If you watch my "Town Tour" video you'll see my dad went so far as to build a car port for the Princess to keep her from getting wet lol
You're only the second video I've found to even get an idea of how to get rid of this useless window! Where can I find the exterior sheet???
When new small motorhomes are more expensive than many houses yet built cheaply wow it is just insane. They are cheaper in Canada in England some new C Class motorhomes are 100 thousand pounds like $200,000 for a small vehicle that only sleeps at best 4 and possibly 6 at a push. The advantage of a small motorhome is roadside in UK some large motorhomes you would not get down some roads or even onto some campsites. Here in Canada roads are bigger generally very straight.
Noble effort and approach but sadly too much metal equals lack of flexibility overall that leads to ALOT of other problems ie offset weight ,uneven balance ,cracking/breaking of other joints and so on and on for example ..Chain , its only as strong as its weakest link !!! food for thought .RVs are just Land Yachts (BOATS ) which stands for BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND .In the RV repair industry we call all of them the FIVERs (5 yrs of fun after then its done) !! Thats the shelf life period ...THE END, but sadly this isnt .
It was never taken care of if you buy new you must make sure you take care of it your RV front was bad ,but your friend hooked you up saved you close to 3 grand if you buy used push on all the walls open cabinets spongy floor walk into corners push everywhere if take care of the roof and windows and remember they are mostly junk if you're handy well you are in for it ,I bought one 200 bucks a 30 foot turd and there is 10,000 steal screws and OMG Staples I did try to do the floors first that's right 20,000 Staples it was impossible so I tore it down to the frame kept windows , doors and cabinets and I made 700.00 and burned alot.
What a Job Just shout out to your Friend Love his shop and Patience Your going to owe him a lot of nice steak Dinners But wish I would have seen your vid Before I bought my class C I wish other do Before they invest
Good job I have done this to every class c I have ever owned they all seem to develop leaks. i agree the manufactures do not care and just throw them together. Something else I do now is buy the roll metal roofing just like what they put on the cargo trailers. They will cut it to fit your measurements and it is not that high. I paid eighty nine dollars for a a 32 ft x 8 ft piece for my current 27ft class c. It is not that hard to install it right over the junk rubber roof they put on from the factory and charge so so much to replace. It will stop all the leaks and last for a long long time. I also arch it while i am at it so the water will not just sit on the roof even the ac causes water to stand on the flat roofs another really bad design from the factory.
How do you arch it?
@@489graves I run a treated 2 x 6 all the way down both sides of the center 14 inch roof vents. One on each side all the way from the front to the rear and do the same thing on top side edges with 1 x 4 this gives you the arch, then i install half inch osb or plywood over them sideways you will only cut a few inchs of a 8 ft board due to the rvs width . Then I roll the roofing down the whole rv from front to back. You leave about 2 and a half inchs hanging off on both sides and you bend that down over the side all the way down.then re install the side top trim and thats about it just reinstall all the vents and ac no more leaks ever. Any questions hit me up.
Excellent job. It cost me $4000 to redo mine 4yrs ago in Florida , now I have to do the roof I got estimate $5000 plus tax I havenot taken out RV in 3yrs discouraged I have the same RV as you . Cannot find parts like a shroud for AC on roof etc.
That’s why people are buying school buses and building campers out of those.
I have same exact model mines did the same
Hey what do you think that would cost to fix by a pro. I was going to buy one today with water damage she told me the estimate was 2K to fix. Looks like it would be around 3500 to 4000k to get someone to do that. I guess it was a good thing I ran
I watched this video and the guy that made the tubing for your dad's class c . I need the same thing made for mine. I would like to know if he is interested in making the same thing he made for you. Would you relay the message to him. I liked your video very much. I am having the same problems.
I own a 1989 Sterling Class C built on a Ford chassis. My bunk rotted out form a leak in the top right corner. Didn't know how bad it was until one year, the entire ceiling over the bunk collapsed. My repair was twice as bad as this one, because it included re-doing the entire bunk, including the roof. LOTS of money to re-build.Another area to make sure is sealed up properly is the amber clearance lights. Water was getting thru there too.Also, I'd suggest using a Dewalt Impact driver for the screws. Much easier. And for the record, the work looks awesome!
So far replaced the back wall on class c water seemed to get in by the awning and seems connected to rear siding. Corners so rotten that was not necessary to unscrew the moulding you just had to pull it off. The cab over has been damage by low trees and I like this video cause it needs complete overhall.How far back k did you overhauled the Cab over to have a good support
That's what Camper Van Kevin said 🏃🏃🏃
Also look for ants and bugs of any kind. They love rotted wet wood and is a sure sign you have some.
good move on the marine caulk, but why no stainless screws or epoxy coating on the new wood?
we used stainless where needed and I am not a fan of epoxy. Just use good wood and you shouldn't have issues
Great job and great video! You are correct about RVs - they are a cheaply made POS, that's for sure. Question: did you use any treated wood? Thanks!
No, we used mahogany and white oak. I come from a ship carpenter background and we use things that don't rot there
I have the very same issue and I would like to eliminate the window as well. where can i buy a new skin for the cab overhang? how did you apply the glue?
thanks
I am in the same situation. Where did you get the skin & what kind of glue did you use to secure it?
How much am I looking at to have someone do a job like the one you showed. I am unable to do the work my self.
i build mobile homes and have remodeled motorhomes. you would not believe how cheap theyre built, and most of the people building them have no real construction experience. you get what you pay for, and most factory employees make around $10 an hour.
As you stated the build is cheap so in a way rebuild is best as you can add personal touches and make a better job of it
Come to NC to camp..😃
Sorry it happened but it is designed for cost not structure. The first thing I did was put eternabond tape on all the seams especially the front and rear cap where those screws are
Is Michael for hire? I need this done haha
I am not for hire to do this. I work on antique pianos, wooden boats, and antique wood framed cars. Oh and friends RVs.
Yes, and you are right about "piss poor " design and workmanship displayed in Class C RV 's. The amount they get for these RV's regrettably does not reflect the basic building of these "motorhomes ".
Doing one right now. In full, New it sucks
They still build it cheaply even the brand new ones because weight is not your friend
Maybe ordinary wallpaper might be better to show problems up sooner.
I wanted to see the unit after it was completely finished (inside and out), all tape removed, interior restored.
We just finished the inside a couple weeks ago. I’ll show it in my next video where we travel together.
Great vid. I watched a Chanel called RV roof install They had a rig that was worse than yours. The replaced the whole front.
Hey, you are from my home town!
I thought Coachman uses Azdel. Looks good now.
Coachmen does use Azdel but their cab overs are still only rated for like 350 lbs which worries me. Jayco's cab overs are rated for 750 lbs so I wonder what they're made of.
Alot bigger to drive then the Queen
But still smaller than the semi I drive every day lol :-p
I have had problems with every camper/RV I have ever owned. More problems with rot in Coachmen products..
Gonna add alot of weight to the front end of the chassis
We removed the foam in the deck area and replaced it with 3/4 inch plywood adding about 20 pounds, removed three wood strips and replaced with steel adding another 5 pounds.but then we removed a 20 pound window and replaced it with 1/4 inch marine plywood actually cutting weight at the furthest forward point. I think the net gain will be about 30 pounds....+- Not to mention all the soaked wood that we removed had to add at least 5 pounds....oh my God was it wet up there!!!!!
.
Even if it added 200lbs it would be worth while to prevent future
problems. It wont even make a noticeable difference on a vehicle that
big
Hey great video. Are you able to tell me what you guys used to cover up the front window? Is it a rubber sheet? Or something else?
Will greatly appreciate your answer!
It was a piece of plastic siding just like they used on the rest of the outside. Most RV supply places can get it.
they really put a penny where a dollar is needed. I agree
Now, what about those side windows?
That front window gets all the weathering when travelling might be handy in a fire though.
Is there a link or channel that shows how to remove the entire camper body the chassis. Have you ever seen that done? Would love to have a link that shows how it's done.
I just inherited a 19 yr old Class C with everything in the world needing help. I'm sure it has the very same issue this video is about. I think it is old damage but I'm going to have the roof looked at and replaced if needed.
I have already invested $4500 in chassis work. The only thing it had was newer tires with 8000 miles on them. The rest of the chassis is in what looks to be good condition according, to the truck service center that was highly recommended and I used.
++++How much do you estimate (ball park figure) a "crap load" of money is. to fix the bunk area?? ++++
This one I have has wall paper on the inside that is water stained and crisp so, know its got to be like this one after your explanation. I also have rear delam too but, want to work on the roof and bunk first.
P.S. I went to an RV show in Pa. a few yrs back and the head of sales for the Zion was showing me how the bed works and the thing fell apart in his hands. So even when they are using one in a show they make no effort to make sure everything is tip-top. Even a mobile home is made better as, they have to meet HUD standards. New is the biggest rip off ever.
Rain damage can only happen when one does not do regular maintenance!!
Not true, I have had delamination going on for years on my 2012 Heartland Road Warrior. Dealer declined to help, Manufacturer declined to help. Finaly tore it apart to try to do something myself only to find that the window frame was beat in with and destroyed in multipule locations either a hammer or a air chisel to make the window fit. Then they screwed a piece of wood and applied bondo to try and cover up their mistake during manufacturing. In turn the window never was sealed right and now the whole section has delaminated. not one bit of maintenance would have prevented this problem. Time for a lawyer because these manufacturers dont want to stand behind their products, 1 year warranty is a spit in the face to us that by brand new units. They know most problems wont happen in a year.
Hello. I'have a question.
I'have this model of motorhome and i need some spare parts.
I would like to know if you know any store where I can buy spare parts, new and / or used and that can send them to Spain.
I've searched Amazon but I can not find anything.
For example, I have the window latch broken and I can not block it.
Do you know any spare parts site where I can buy parts with shipping to Spain?
Thank you for your attention.
love the car shirt,wished i could fine one with 67 camaros on it,where you get your car shirt?
good vid,going to redon our chevy motorhome too
and your right ,they do build them cheap!but they cost a arm and a leg to buy
How did you tie in the 1x1 metal rods to the wood?
stainless screws
how do you get the padded trim off at the very beginning to start this whole process?
i think i would have just cut the whole front cap off and built a new one from plywood and fiberglasss
Did you glue the new piece of fiberglass over the existing filon, or did you remove it first? I'm wrapping up a re-roof and front cab rebuild on mine right now I took the whole front off and rebuilt it , I've had over 700 lbs up there and it hasn't moved at all while bouncing around up there, that wouldn't have been the case with what the manufacturer thinks is ok .
We just glued the new piece over the old one once we took the window out.
Pity doing all that work and loosing the window though, should have put it back with more expensive screws loooool
Almost all RV develop leaks due to the weather
Did you add back the insulation between the voids? If not, then you only glued the underneath fiberglass to the support ribs? Is this working with wind at highway speeds? I also noticed delam on the sides, near the nose, at the end when re-installing the edge trim. Did you not use the adhesive to glue that back while you had it apart?
We didn't bother with insulation because he doesn't use his RV in winter. As far as the delam. The adhesive takes days to set. So the side trim holds the skin on until then.
we did not replace the insulation, we did however put marine plywood in the voids and the skin is glued to that as well. Nothing flaps in the wind now
This isn’t a problem just with class c RVs -it happens with any RV that gets water damage. You also may want to actually check the rating on the class c you’re working on, as most of the cab overs (especially on older RVs) are really only rated for 150 lbs and are not actually meant for adult use. And you’re really kinda unrealistic on the quality of RV building. I mean, it’s not like you’re buying a house, with building codes and massive amounts of regulation. Of course they build them as cheaply as possible. And if you want quality building materials and workmanship, you have to go with a higher end brand like Airstream or one of the newer companies that do custom builds. In reality all mass produced RVs are produced by 3-4 major building companies and they just slap a different company brand and color scheme on it. It’s the reality of buying an RV. As with any major purchase , do your research before diving in!
The bill of sale on the coachmen I just purchased was originally $74,000 USD. He is right. They are screwing you.