Hi folks I've had to remove quite a lot of battens around front windows due to rot. I'm wondering if the new battens should be glued to the abs front panel when I replace them? As well as being joined back to the original structure?
Yes. Wood framework in caravan should be fixed to both outside and inside skins. I use "no screws" from a tube and this works fine. You need to be sure that any rot has not spread further than the window framing as this should also be removed and replaced with new wood together with the insulation (usually polystyrene).
May be a bigger job than you ancipated yet is do-able and well worth it to avoid future problems.
Good luck.
Thanks for the tip queensmessanger. Do I need to prep the abs plastic bits before sticking the wooden batons to it? And also should the bottom batons of the window frames be glued and screwed to the interior front shelf? The shelf feels very flimsy.....
Just make sure the abs is clean. Not sure about front shelf as I don't know how it is constructed, although a search on other repair forums (wizards) could give some help on this. It should not be flimsy so a secure fixing is required. Will look around for pointers to this and if I find anything will come back to you.
Regards.
Plenty of projects their with diy instructions and other adhesives. Loads of reading but hope you find the answer. Shelf could well be fixed by screws ton inside the front gas bottle holder. Worth checking but maybe someone else has done this if you say what make your caravan is.
OK thanks for your help. I seen one with similar repairs on the wizard website. Caradad repair of his Fleetwood garland. Check it out. Mine is a 93 Fleetwood Crystal. Take a look at his shelf. Not much to it.
Thanks for the information. I'm new to caravaning and don't want to go out until I have it repaired. It's great to have someone to guide on such repairs.
Welcome along to the Forum.
I'm afraid neither of the two posters have been back for a few years, but I'm sure someone else will be along to help.
------------- XVI yes?
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Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
those batons around the front window rubbers are not overly structural..
their main purpose is too fill out the window rubbers and provide the right spacing.. the main thing of importance is to find where the water was/is coming in and stop it..
i would glue any wood you put in to the plastic front of the van.. it all end up being hidden by whatever you put on the inside.. i used thin white plasty card..
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