Rotten Punky floor in 2003 CCD HELP!

[Canuks]

Just discovered a spot 6in by 6in just to the left of my door. Just below the dinette seat that backs to the door. Its rotten and very soft. Water has been silently hiding on this spot for a while. I looked at the underside and its very punky in the same area. I poked around and it seems to be only in this area.( on the floor between the door frame and the wheel well cover)The black woven cover on the underbelly seems to be holding the moisture in. Mold has already started to show thru on the laminate sheet flooring. Thats how I was alerted to the damage to the sub floor.
Can anyone help with repair. I am still trying to figure out where the water is coming in to cause the rot. No signs of interior water leaks. Its a 2003! I should not have to tear up the floors and do a full subfloor this early.

[HowieE]

My first thought is pull a wheel and get in the wheel well and look for a spot that would pass water off the tire into the area in question.

There is not much you can do other than replace the floor once you stop the leak.

Good Hunting.

[wkerfoot]

Canuks,

A 6X6 area is small enough to patch by flooding with epoxy, if the floor is plywood. If the floor is MDF or something like that, then you are probably stuck with cutting out a larger area and replace with plywood.

Sounds like a question for the panel of pros on Welcome to the Frontpage - The Vintage Airstream Podcast.
Good Luck.

Bill

[Canuks]

Wheel wells seems to be fine. I have found a couple of other spots now. No idea where water is coming in. Im taking it to Jackson Center tomorrow.

[HowieE]

Wheel wells are hard to see things in. I would spray all seams in the wheel well with auto undercoating. It won't hurt anything and just may solve the problem.

[DEITZ645]

Canuk,
If the spots aqren't too large you might be able to get away with some Minwax Wood Hardener, available at Home Depot.

[Canuks]

Deitz645, thanks,I will have to pull up the flooring under the dinette this week and take a look. I dont think it would hurt to try the Minwax or maybe Git-Rot. If it doesnt work I'm not out very much. It could save me a ton of labour. I will keep you posted.

[Canuks]

HowieE, At Jackson Center last week the Tech said the wheel wells looked fine. But I will still seal all the wheel wells before it leaves the driveway. I was wondering if the auto undercoating would bond to the plastic well? Great idea. I might do the whole bottom if it works out.

[Tim A.]

Just a slight reminder that water usually flows downhill and your floor is much above the underbelly of your trailer. In another thread, which I will not try to find at the moment, I pointed out the utility of drilling a few strategic and small (1/8" or so) drain holes in the underbelly in order to let any trapped water out.

Back to my first point, I would look for a leak at floor level or higher, particularly if the wheel-wells are fine.

[Canuks]

I forgot to mention that I did have the CCD water/presure tested while I was at Jackson Center. No leaks below the windows. I suspect the leak is coming from the rub rail.

[JimWeilhammer]

Do you have a TV antenna around the area on the roof of your AS? When you travel down bumpy roads these roof antenna vibrate and often leak on older models. I'm not sure about the newer AS. Water often travels from the roof into the walls and down to the floors. The antenna and vent gaskets were leaking in my AS and ruined the floors. AS was using marine grade plywood 3/4 " thick when I toured the factory a couple of years ago. It is good stuff.