Rotten Floor 2005 R-Vision Trail-Lite TT

[jennybean]

Please help. We just bought this hybrid trailer and have discovered extensive water damage and rot to the floor. It seems to originate from the front end and go back to the kitchen area. I have removed a section of flooring already and have exposed the rubber layer underneath. I can’t get the front cabinet out (beside the bed) as it has wiring through it and a false wall inside. I am also at a loss as to how to remove the water tank to replace the flooring underneath. Any help would be so appreciated. we have a 2 week trip booked in a month.

 

[donn]

Scrap it and move on. Once you have extensive water damage to the floors its a good chance you will find walls also have damage.
To fix it, if thats your choice, then forget camping with it this summer. Your looking at months of hard work. The water tank will be below the floor, so there should be no need to remove it. Strip the floow inside out down to the floor joists. Replace any rotten joists, maybe sister new wood to the rotten wood after applying wood stabilizer to stop the rot and contain mold. Lay new plywood, cover it with sheet goods. Somewhere along the way tou need to identify any and all places water has gotten in and seal them up

 

[regval]

One option is to temporarily lay and secure some 1/2" plywood sheets on top of the damaged flooring. Use some mold control on the rotted wood and do a good job of drying any moisture befor laying the plywood. Cover the plywood with some cheap rugs and make your trip. Deal with the repair after you return.

 

[OldMarine]

regval is right....throw down some plywood, take the trip...then scrap this unit. If it's your intention on trying to replace an entire floor, without having experience in doing it before.....well...just don't. Sorry, but it is a HUGE undertaking to gut a TT and do a floor.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The water tank will be below the floor, so there should be no need to remove it.

In some RVs the water tank is above the floor, e.g. under the bed or a dinette booth. Either a flexible bladder or rigid plastic tank. Removal is usually straight-forward; drain the tank, disconnect the water lines, remove any tie downs, and lift it out.

 

[jennybean]

In some RVs the water tank is above the floor, e.g. under the bed or a dinette booth. Either a flexible bladder or rigid plastic tank. Removal is usually straight-forward; drain the tank, disconnect the water lines, remove any tie downs, and lift it out.

Yes, our tank is located under the dinette. A lot of wires and hoses that I find intimidating. Also, I assume it’s the water heater wrapped in styrofoam under the kitchen that is attached to the tank?

 

[jennybean]

Scrap it and move on. Once you have extensive water damage to the floors its a good chance you will find walls also have damage.
To fix it, if thats your choice, then forget camping with it this summer. Your looking at months of hard work. The water tank will be below the floor, so there should be no need to remove it. Strip the floow inside out down to the floor joists. Replace any rotten joists, maybe sister new wood to the rotten wood after applying wood stabilizer to stop the rot and contain mold. Lay new plywood, cover it with sheet goods. Somewhere along the way tou need to identify any and all places water has gotten in and seal them up

Unfortunately, not an option to scrap it. We will have to deal with it. Rot extends from front end (fender is not attached at front left) to mid point of trailer.

 

[jennybean]

One option is to temporarily lay and secure some 1/2" plywood sheets on top of the damaged flooring. Use some mold control on the rotted wood and do a good job of drying any moisture befor laying the plywood. Cover the plywood with some cheap rugs and make your trip. Deal with the repair after you return.

You might have solved some stress for me. Temp fix so we can use it this season and then fix afterwards. Thank you for that.

 

[jennybean]

regval is right....throw down some plywood, take the trip...then scrap this unit. If it's your intention on trying to replace an entire floor, without having experience in doing it before.....well...just don't. Sorry, but it is a HUGE undertaking to gut a TT and do a floor.

I’m hoping to do the demo piece myself and then perhaps hire someone to lay the subfloor with additional cross beams as support. This type of trailer only has the outer Frame as support. I agree this is huge but I don’t have an option. I can’t throw away the money spent.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I agree this is huge but I don’t have an option. I can’t throw away the money spent.

Don't know whatyou have invested so far, but if you have to hire professional help to refurbish it, you may spend as much as the original purchase price. The things which are daunting to you aren't technically challenging, but they are a lot of labor-hours and take a variety of skills. Maybe you can find a handyman who can do it all, but make sure he/she is reliable and competent. We've seen too many reports here where a major renovation like this gets started, then abandoned when the going gets tough or the money dries up.

 

[jennybean]

Don't know whatyou have invested so far, but if you have to hire professional help to refurbish it, you may spend as much as the original purchase price. The things which are daunting to you aren't technically challenging, but they are a lot of labor-hours and take a variety of skills. Maybe you can find a handyman who can do it all, but make sure he/she is reliable and competent. We've seen too many reports here where a major renovation like this gets started, then abandoned when the going gets tough or the money dries up.

I appreciate your advice. This may just have to be a slow project so it will be done well and right. Thank you.

 

[OldMarine]

you are potentially in for a serious mold contamination too...could cause severe health issues. If the floor is rotted, then most likely the walls are wet too...that's where the mold will be growing after you do the floor. As an insurance adjuster, I almost ALWAYS total any RV that has water intrusion to interior, due to potential mold. Good luck whatever way you go.

 

[steveblonde]

Stupid question? Why cant you scrap it? Are you sentimentaly attatched? Or monetary attatched? If you owe say $5000 on it and it going to take $6000 to fix your now upside down $11000 and its worth $9000 you get the idea, sometimes its just not worth chasing bad money

 

[JayArr]

Go look at the pictures in the first post of this thread. I had to replace a large section of the floor and some wall structure as well.

Check your HW heater for an anode!

We bought this trailer in the spring of this year. It's a 1992 and in decent shape, the inside had all been painted, reupholstered and spruced up. New floors etc. We took it on a one month trip across the country and had a blast. I noticed while winterizing it that there was no anode rod in the...

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This is a medium job for someone with some construction experience but maybe too much for a novice. You need to tear out everything that is wet/rotten or moldy. Pay attention and take lots of pictures. Draw out how the construction looks on graph paper and take measurements. Then replace all the rotten framing, put some plywood back down and I bought some random tiles from home depot to replace the linoleum I had to cut away.

The floor wasn't too hard for me, I had it all apart, replaced and sealed back up in a weekend but I have a pretty good wood shop with a radial arm saw, table saw etc. It's all built with common wood that looks like 2x2's but is actually a little bigger. I used my table saw to cut 2x4s down to the correct size for repair.

You may need to remove some of the bottom rows of aluminum siding to get access to the wall studs that may have been damaged. I rebuilt everying on mine with western red cedar, it's a lot more expensive but it resists rot and lasts longer in the elements than spruce/pine/fir.

Mine was caused by a leaky hot water tank, you would do well to check to see if yours is leaking.

JayArr

 

[steveblonde]

Go look at the pictures in the first post of this thread. I had to replace a large section of the floor and some wall structure as well.

This is a medium job for someone with some construction experience but maybe too much for a novice. You need to tear out everything that is wet/rotten or moldy. Pay attention and take lots of pictures. Draw out how the construction looks on graph paper and take measurements. Then replace all the rotten framing, put some plywood back down and I bought some random tiles from home depot to replace the linoleum I had to cut away.

The floor wasn't too hard for me, I had it all apart, replaced and sealed back up in a weekend but I have a pretty good wood shop with a radial arm saw, table saw etc. It's all built with common wood that looks like 2x2's but is actually a little bigger. I used my table saw to cut 2x4s down to the correct size for repair.

You may need to remove some of the bottom rows of aluminum siding to get access to the wall studs that may have been damaged. I rebuilt everying on mine with western red cedar, it's a lot more expensive but it resists rot and lasts longer in the elements than spruce/pine/fir.

Mine was caused by a leaky hot water tank, you would do well to check to see if yours is leaking.

JayArr

Pictures???

 

[jennybean]

Go look at the pictures in the first post of this thread. I had to replace a large section of the floor and some wall structure as well.

This is a medium job for someone with some construction experience but maybe too much for a novice. You need to tear out everything that is wet/rotten or moldy. Pay attention and take lots of pictures. Draw out how the construction looks on graph paper and take measurements. Then replace all the rotten framing, put some plywood back down and I bought some random tiles from home depot to replace the linoleum I had to cut away.

The floor wasn't too hard for me, I had it all apart, replaced and sealed back up in a weekend but I have a pretty good wood shop with a radial arm saw, table saw etc. It's all built with common wood that looks like 2x2's but is actually a little bigger. I used my table saw to cut 2x4s down to the correct size for repair.

You may need to remove some of the bottom rows of aluminum siding to get access to the wall studs that may have been damaged. I rebuilt everying on mine with western red cedar, it's a lot more expensive but it resists rot and lasts longer in the elements than spruce/pine/fir.

Mine was caused by a leaky hot water tank, you would do well to check to see if yours is leaking.

JayArr

Thank you ~ is there a way you can link or send me your pictures? I’m not sure where to find them. I have not yet removed the water tank or heater but there is significant water there so it is possible this may be the cause.

 

[jennybean]

Stupid question? Why cant you scrap it? Are you sentimentaly attatched? Or monetary attatched? If you owe say $5000 on it and it going to take $6000 to fix your now upside down $11000 and its worth $9000 you get the idea, sometimes its just not worth chasing bad money

No, not sentimental. We just bought it. Not an option to return. I understand we may have to put more money into it but I’m not in a position to scrap it unfortunately. When we originally looked at the trailer the floor was not soft and we looked to make sure we didn’t see any water, leaks or mole, etc. After having it in our driveway for 2 days the floor was so soft that we almost went through it.

 

[Seon]

After having it in our driveway for 2 days the floor was so soft that we almost went through it.

Wow, after two days the floor went south (pun intended)? LOL

 

[steveblonde]

So you bought it for X and its going to cost Y to fix it x+y=Z when fixed can you sell it for Z
I feel for you i really do if it were me i would be heart broken, its one reason i prefer to buy new ( my choice i would rather take a hit on depreciation which i rarely do because im i total jackass when negotiating)
But now your stuck
My BEST advice look for a retired fix it man who will take on the fix, everyone know one, ask family and friends - its usually a father in law that knows how to and will fix everything perfectly

I needed a couple cabinets built for my new 5er i have a buddy who just spent 2 days building and color matching 2 cabinets for the bedroom - they are perfect cost me very very little pizza beer and a few bucks.

Call everyone you know to help you, there are good folks out there but they hide

I wish you all the luck in the world

 

[JayArr]

My bad, I forgot the link.

Pictures in the first post of this thread:

Check your HW heater for an anode!

We bought this trailer in the spring of this year. It's a 1992 and in decent shape, the inside had all been painted, reupholstered and spruced up. New floors etc. We took it on a one month trip across the country and had a blast. I noticed while winterizing it that there was no anode rod in the...

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