Need Reco for Floor Repair/Replacement

[Spacepod Ps]

Hi Everyone,

I've got a 22' 2003 CCD that is in need of some serious repair/replacement of the flooring. Does anyone know a reliable source to get this done in the Portland, OR area?

I'm trying to get second opinions because the dealership quoted an outrageous amount to have it done. Granted, I know it's really labor intensive, but what they're asking is going to break the bank.

Long story short, we were getting her ready to go for the season when I noticed a soft spot in the floor about the size of a dinner plate under the desk in the back.

At that time the alarm bells went off and I took her straight to the service center. They called me back and said that the rot was more extensive then they originally thought and was making its way around the entire perimeter.

They're saying that it was caused by the wheel wells not being sealed properly and water getting in through the years and leading to the rot we have now.

I've been through contacting Insurance and Airstream, but neither of them want anything to do with it because it's technically a "maintenance" issue. Although, when I asked the service guys, the insurance agent, and the Airstream rep if they've ever seen anything like this, their reply was they hadn't ever seen or heard of anything like this before.

So, terribly frustrated because nobody wants their hands in it and we've done everything we could to keep her in great shape; yearly checkups, covered storage, etc. And, when I asked the service guys if this would be something they would normally check if I were to have brought it in and asked them to check all of the seals, his reply was no, it's not on anyone's radar.

Feeling a bit lost at sea and any help would be greatly appreciated!

[aquinob]

Wow. Thats a ten year old trailer and that looks like quite a bit of water has gotten in. Are they sure its coming in by the wheel wells?

Even though it's stained, I would look to see what part of the subfloor is actually rotted vs what is just discolored. You may have less to replace. It really sucks, but I doubt you are going to get Airstream or the dealer to do anything about it. So either you pay to have somebody fix it or you do it yourself. If that were a 40 yo trailer, most folks would take it in stride and dive in with the repairs. You might be able to remove some of the exterior trim, and the lower sections of interior aluminum, cut out the rotten sections from the inside and then screw down some cleats or some bridging wood from the top and then patch in new subfloor from the inside. That would probably be my plan assuming the rot is not that extensive and most of that damage is just staining.

[RM66caravel]

Wow! I would do the poke and probe to see just how bad the floor is then if it is actually soft all the way through then you got some work to do if not then the resin patch and start looking for the leaks! Yes leaks because the way the floor looks you have more than one or two leaks something did not get sealed and from the looks of the floor either the whole trailer or you had a broken water pipe that was let go for a while! Or maybe a lot of little leaks! Dry it out some then go to lowes or dh and pick up a roll of the brown paper used under wood flooring the light weight type and put it on the floor along the edge of the trailer (inside) where you can get to the wall then from the outside in that area hose her down (low pressure no nozzle) and check to see if it leaks (want to see just how bad the sealing is) you can fix the damage but first you must find the cause! Good luck I hope that the floor is salvageable.
Cliff

[Foiled Again]

Get your google search going on this topic.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...nal-48105.html

On edit I went back and found the link to the big issue - sorry about this - be prepared to be sick... but read the whole thing. This was probably the low point as far as Airstream's failure to caulk properly - especially around the areas where the walls join the floor. Floor rot is still an issue, but less so than it was. When I bought mine (a 2005) I was told that the problems from the earlier 2 years had been addressed. I sold it thinking it was a good deal, but the new owner eventually had frame and floor rot issues. (She was very gracious about the whole thing. She did find a welder to fix the frame and I don't think her floor rot issues were as bad as yours. )

The issue is also the frame - which was underbuilt, especially in the earlier years - AND the OSB (chip board) floor instead of plywood. You probably have outriggers getting ready to pop through the skin. Airstream responded to fixing a few units that were within warranty or a few months out, but beyond that they haven't been helpful.

I had one of these in a CCD model - and it's a wonderful layout for a weekender. I'd almost be tempted to get another one just as a "sparestream" for short trips because it towed so easily and had so much counter space. Basically you'll need to have the frame seriously reinforced (or even do a frame-off replacement, then replace all or most of the floor).

How outrageous is the dealer quote? There is a lot of work involved in fixing this right. And if you want it fixed to keep for 20 years I'd consider getting an aluminum floor plank system or else a marine floor in a non-wood product.

Paula

[Spacepod Ps]

Thanks Everyone for taking the time and replying with help.

It's all been very much a shock and surprise, and the more we delve into it the worse it gets

I'm not sure how much of the floor will be salvageable, but we'll try and save as much as we can.

I feel like the extent of damage is too extreme to be just the wheel wells leaking, so it was really good to learn about the frame issues and the role they may be playing in all of this. I'm having the shop look at the undercarriage and get the reinforcement kit from Airstream.

In order to replace the floor and lino, they're quoting $10-13,000... ugh

So, looking for any recommendations of a good reliable person/shop that might be less expensive in the Portland, Salem, Eugene, or Vancouver area.

Thanks again for all your help!

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Spacepod Ps

Thanks Everyone for taking the time and replying with help.

It's all been very much a shock and surprise, and the more we delve into it the worse it gets

I'm not sure how much of the floor will be salvageable, but we'll try and save as much as we can.

I feel like the extent of damage is too extreme to be just the wheel wells leaking, so it was really good to learn about the frame issues and the role they may be playing in all of this. I'm having the shop look at the undercarriage and get the reinforcement kit from Airstream.

In order to replace the floor and lino, they're quoting $10-13,000... ugh

So, looking for any recommendations of a good reliable person/shop that might be less expensive in the Portland, Salem, Eugene, or Vancouver area.

Thanks again for all your help!

The wheel wells are the tip of the iceberg. There was NO caulking under the trim where the body is joined to the floor - it's really bad around the rear bumper because water is funneled into the floor. Pull the furnace or look under the desk!.

This sucks but your could actually be looking at a frame-off - or frame on restoration. Once the belly pan is off and the frame is inspected - frankly the frame kit from Airstream may be inadequate. You could be looking at major welding on the frame to the point where it might make sense to have a new frame made. The frame isn't that old, but apparently the metal used to make the frame is brittle. If you read that thread, there were several people who had repairs done more than once... only to have the breakage reoccur.

IF the dealer is considering that the whole floor may have to be replaced and if that figure includes whatever frame repair is needed... And if the new floor is a good grade of plywood not chipboard (aka sh**board) Grit your teeth and keep saying - it's cheaper than a NEW Airstream and this is a fantastic layout! It really is a great layout, AND if you wish you could upgrade the dinette to a banquette. I actually LOVED the wet bath - the sink was perfect for a GI shower, and the shower was BIG. Since the whole thing is fiberglass, 2 minutes with a squeegee and voila - clean.

This is one of those things that would be a lot lower cash outlay if you could do the labor yourself. OTOH you'd have weeks of unpaid labor to get it done.

Wouldn't it be lovely if this could be done like a communal barn raising?

Good luck, it IS worth saving. Paula

[Mark Wiltrakis]

Spacepod -
My condolences! This clearly should not be happening in a trailer this new. I've had very good experiences with repair work at RV Pro in Vancouver, WA, just off of I-5. At minimum, they could give you a second opinion.
Best of luck!
Mark