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STLRooster · 01-05-2014, 03:49 PM

Hey everyone,

Just curious if anyone has experience with this. I have just gutted the interior of my 71 Overlander and I am trying to decide whether I should re-insulate. The second half of this, is that I want to have a few extra sockets for misc items, as well as microwave, coffee maker etc. Does the old wiring need to be updated? Can I just add wiring to the panel and run appropriately?

I don't really know if I want to go through all the trouble of pulling the panels and re-riveting the entire thing! That being said, I only want to renovate this once, and I want to do it correctly the first time. Measure twice, cut once...

I will also add that there are a few sections where the floor has water damage and I suppose it would be from exterior lights or panels that need a little sealing. I don't know where it came from because I just bought the airstream, so I have not had experience with it on the road, etc. This leads me to think that perhaps I should pull all the panels and just give it a once over?

Should I go the route of pulling the interior panels, what have you insulated with?

Thanks in advance!

Minno · 01-05-2014, 04:51 PM

We re-insulated with pink insulation, others have used Reflectix or Prodex. If you do a search, you will find many threads on insulating and the pros and cons of different methods. Any wiring you change will probably require pulling the interior panels to do it. While you're at it, might as well re-insulate... I don't think you want to go without any insulation in your trailer. They can get might hot inside with the sun on them WITH insulation.

Kay

Beaker63 · 01-05-2014, 07:14 PM

I don't think you will regret the extra electrical outlets or the insulation. Might think about some PEX water lines too. It was all so simple when you started this project wasn't it.
Tim

GoNomad · 01-09-2014, 08:16 AM

I echo what Minno said. If you are thinking about the Electrical system why not just do insulation at the same time. Sit down with a pencil and paper and draw out your wish list floor plan and I think you will see that it is not that much more work

to do the whole trailer. Past experience has taught me that re insulation is a very wise move both in comfort and discovering any issues hidden behind the walls. it also made refinishing the interior walls easier, taking them out side versus trying to strip and refinish while still inside.

Belegedhel · 01-09-2014, 01:46 PM

If your floor is rotten in the rear, then inspect very carefully for the dreaded "rear-end separation." If your floor is in bad enough shape that you need to replace entire sections of it, you will need to pull at least the lower interior skins in order to deal with the bolts that go through the C-channel. If you have to do this, you will have a chance to see how many mice have nested in your current insulation, and whether you want to go further. I don't really see much of an advantage to reinsulating just for the sake of replacing material. There may be better stuff available today than was available back then, but the real value in futzing with insulation is getting rid of the critters who may have taken up residency in there over the years. The floor in the rear of my '73 was quite rotten, the frame was disintegrating, and the rear end was separating. When I pulled of the rear inner skin, I found a habitrail in there as well.

Good luck!

Minno · 01-09-2014, 03:38 PM

We had mouse hotels and warehouse storage in our walls! Fortunately, they had all exited before we bought the trailer. The snakeskin in the water heater may have had something to do with that...

Kay

STLRooster · 01-10-2014, 12:15 PM

Thanks for all the input! I guess it's pretty obvious what I should do. We certainly had a TON of moose poo

in our trailer, so I can imagine they took residence there for at least a little while.

Another question to add to this: How did you keep track of your panels and placement when you pulled them out? I would suspect a diagram of some sort is necessary, along with labels?

Thanks again! Happy Airstreaming.

Belegedhel · 01-10-2014, 12:38 PM

I just tried to write on the back side of them a quick description of where they go back. I pulled all of my panels out, and there are a lot of wonky shapes. I'm expecting that the variety will help puzzle-piece them back together, plus if the rivet holes don't line up right, then I'll know there is a problem.