Extra support? well first you need to determine what the problem really is. It could be a combination of both. I think you said on the other post that the saggy bit was near a hole in the floor, so that might have weakened the floor. Are there any joins in the floor nearby?
I think I have heard of people strengthening the floor by fixing extra metal pieces between chassis members.
I think you need advice from someone more expert than me!!!
we had our old/last van repaired professionally. this was a few years ago now. i just felt the floor was rotting and i would fall through it.
the person who did the repair said you do not need to have it repaired. unless you are really worried, he took me to let me see another caravan that he was repairing. if i had seen this before paying to have our van repaired i think i might have left it. the floor looked new it just had a slight bow in the ply. he said ours was the same . i think we paid about £900. have you had advice from a professional caravan repairer.
hi,delamination...frightening no if you set out your stall and take your time.this is not a two hour job as stated,when you have finished you will know why they charge so much at the caravan repair shop.i have just done ours a few months ago.i will go through the steps best i can.ours had gone in two places,next to the door entrance and next to the sink four feet away.you will find that delamination is where the floor is used most.ie next to the sink and the door entrance.first decide how much delamination you have,ie.2 feet (old school) or 6 feet,this information is required when you go to order your epoxi resin mix.one mix will cover about 3 feet by 3 feet.got mine from barrons £25 for both tins.you also need a large syringe to inject the mixed epoxi resin.this will also sell.also the chemicals (glue) are called apollo 1 and apollo 2.i think the code is A8136.the small tin is the hardener and must be used in the time on the tin.the first thing is to remove all carpets or lino.second(must) tape up all joints and the cowls under the caravan .use a good tape.ie brown packing tape,3 in wide.if you dont the glue will run out on to the ground outside through all the seams.you will not know until you see a pool on the path..third ,support the floor under the van in some way so it cannnot bend when pressure is placed on top,do not push up the floor.you can damage the fittings inside.use wood blocks stacked up just touching the floor on the underside in the same place as the delamination.fourth find a sharp 10mm drill .you need to buy 10 mm round wood to cut and plug the holes,sold in 6 foot lengths.this needs cutting into plugs,half inch long and sanded down at one end to make it go in easy.the next step is to do a test hole,find a place that has no gas pipes on the underside.slowly drill one hole until it only just touches the plywood at the bottom.DO NOT DRILL THROUGH.tape up the drill at this depth,use plenty of tape to stop the drill going deeper than it should.mark out the area of delamination,black marker,in a square grid pattern of 4 inch each way .when finished you will have a large square full of holes to the size of the delamination.ie.3 x 3 feet.clean away all and any dust or shavings.have a large polythene bag ready to put over the square,the glue does not stick to polythene.you need a tin or old pan to mix into of the correct size for size of mix.a clean strong stick to stir the mix.only mix what you need within the time allowed.start at the rear end injecting the holes one by one until it flows out then plug with the wood plug.when finished ,place poly bag over all holes.put a heavy weight on top ie.wheels and tyres or gas bottles.leave for 24 hours to dry.sand down all plugs until smooth.you must wear a mask for the fumes and open the windows when you are doing the job.rubber gloves are handy too.CHECK UNDERSIDE FOR GAS PIPES BEFORE STARTING.wish i could type. thought this may help
Post last edited on 04/11/2006 22:17:48
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
If the movement in the bottom sheet of ply when someone walks on the soft bit is slight then that indicates delamination, if there is a lot of movement then the floor may need more support. There may also be delamination.
Mixing part packs of Epoxt resins is never a good idea as they will not cure properly if you get the mix ratio wrong. The 'Pro' kit from www.theglue.co.uk has a mix ratio of 1.07 to 0.43 and can therefore be a problem to gauge exactly. Try using their standard kit as there is a 60 minute pot life which gives you plenty of time to work. Standard kit is 2:1 mix.
If you are using it outside in the cold weather, use the 'Pro' kit as it will cure, albeit slowly, at very low temperatures (as low as 1C)unlike most epoxy resins. Very cold weather will also extend the pot life, as long as you haven't been storing it in the airing cupboard prior to mixing it.
Mixing part packs of Epoxt resins is never a good idea as they will not cure properly if you get the mix ratio wrong. The 'Pro' kit from www.theglue.co.uk has a mix ratio of 1.07 to 0.43 and can therefore be a problem to gauge exactly. Try using their standard kit as there is a 60 minute pot life which gives you plenty of time to work. Standard kit is 2:1 mix. hi cannot remember the mix but did follow the instructions to the letter on the tins/containers.if you have never done it before its a problem.i do know i had a large area to do and if i had mixed all the lot at one go i do not think i would have had time to use it all before the cure time.filling was easy it was the plugs that took time up.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
Have a look here, www.theglue.co.uk The instructions for repair can be downloaded. You might find this useful as an aid to understanding what is involved.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.