Visit our Popular Forums

artmomma · 03-12-2014, 09:12 PM

We just bought a '79 argosy 27. The bathroom floor is soft near the sink. Do I need to gut the whole bathroom to check the damage? I don't know how to get started. If not for the floor, I would clean and marine paint and be fine with it. We have a young family and limited money. Help please. I have been reading boards all night that end up with skins hanging and total re-builds. Praying that is not the only option for us before we can take the kids camping. So far I've pulled up some nasty rugs and sucked a dead mouse into the vacuum cleaner. The bathroom is daunting. Thank you for advice. This is our first camper.

RM66caravel · 03-12-2014, 11:05 PM

Hello artmomma and since it is late not many answers yet but don't be removing any skins yet. before you can fix result you should find the cause. look for the broken water line or leak that rotted that section of the floor and patch seal or repair then it is floor time. as for the cost it can be as much or as little as you hope by the level of your skills or since of adventure. what type of floor covering do you have? can you get a peek of the subfloor? We need some inside photos for more detail! Hopefully you just have a leaky water line and that is an easy fix then you deal with the piece of rotted plywood. First some more pictures please.
Cliff

artmomma · 03-13-2014, 06:57 PM

Oh great Cliff thank you. I will get some pics tomorrow and figure out how to post! The floor is vinyl. I have tried to pull it up but it is hard to do. Looking down under the sink doesn't look too good. The good news is the camper was cheap.

perryg114 · 03-13-2014, 07:17 PM

I don't want to upset you but most likely the water is coming in from the rear where all old trailers leak. Try to get to the floor in as many places as you can. Many folks use an ice pick to probe the floor. If the ice pick goes through the floor you have a problem. Removing the lower skin might be easier than removing the whole bathroom. From underneath you can pull all the old wet insulation out and quickly see what the problem is and how extensive it is. I purchased a rear bedroom trailer made in 81 and it had rear end rot but it was not too hard to fix because the floor was much easier to get to. It was still a two month ordeal. The ones that don't have the rear end rot are usually the ones on the west coast or ones kept covered.

Perry

RM66caravel · 03-13-2014, 07:37 PM

The bathroom has issues because the use alone spreads water and yes a screwdriver or ice pick would tell you what we know but the extent and repair are best done with the visual inspection. You can replace the the floor covering with a remnant from the box store lowes or Home Depot so cut the floor with a sharp knife and look at the wood. A drill and an 1/8th inch drill bit will remove most of the rivets and since they are pop rivets they are cheap and easy to replace. Mark the panels if you remove any of them so you can put them back where they came from. You can do any and all of the work your self and that will make it cheaper. DO NOT use treated wood to repair the floor instead use ply wood and thompsons water seal. Cheaper and looks much better and the treated marine grade plywood has non aluminum friendly chemicals in it. If you have questions ask and take those pictures for you and us.
Cliff

artmomma · 03-14-2014, 01:07 PM

I need to spend some time this weekend pulling up more orange rug but maybe this shows something? Should I remove all those styrofoam pieces? She was used for a hunting camp in the woods of GA for a while. I dont know if the styrofoam is holding up the pipes or replacing the floor. Some lizards are now hanging out in there so there are some holes somewhere. The floor in the main parlor looks ok to me. What do you think? Not sure how to get the vinyl up yet. Thank you!! katie

perryg114 · 03-14-2014, 02:05 PM

I don't see anything bad yet but the photos are too small to tell.

Perry

artmomma · 03-14-2014, 02:39 PM

I went under. Apparently styrofoam plays a big part of Pearl's makeup. July 2014 is looking a little less like a feasible set sail date!

artmomma · 03-14-2014, 02:42 PM

should i send bigger pictures? i dont see anything too bad inside, no black wood. should i remove the styrofoam? maybe we need to spend some time with the manual. look at the underneath.

perryg114 · 03-14-2014, 03:34 PM

That Styrofoam is not factory. Looks like a real duct tape and bailing wire fix underneath. It looks like it needs some TLC and cleaning up of the rigged underbelly.

Perry

RM66caravel · 03-14-2014, 07:15 PM

Short answer yes remove the foam. And make bigger pictures.
Cliff

artmomma · 03-22-2014, 03:07 PM

Hello! I've read the whole renovation of the dump and sergei's argosy. i laughed, i cried. i bought fabric. because mine will happen too! i've cleaned sanded and primed much of the interior, removed the bed frames. bought flooring, removed another mouse nest, 10,000 turds and a lot of dirt. these are things i can do while my kids take nap. so its the weekend again... back to the bathroom floor-

we pulled out the styrofoam from under the sink and the sun came shining through. Which explains the lizard in there that looks at me like i am the intruder.

There are rusted pieces hanging straight down in the back. Part of rusted out belly pan? Or??

There is a lot of spray foam at the union of the walls and the floor in the bathroom. the floor seems to be comprised of one piece of plywood and one layer of styrofoam insulation blocks. It feels pretty sturdy except in the one soft spot by just prior to the bathroom vanity. it is obviously 'not right'. but is it ok? or will the bathroom fall out on the highway? my husband got under there today, said 'i have no idea what this is' and came in for a nap. I will now try to add some better photos. Are their any kind airforum friends that live near me? We'd offer a beer and eternal greatness for someone to come take a look.