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Old 10-09-2011, 08:03 PM   #1
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1981 31' Excella II
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Belly band sealing

I was wondering the proper way to seal the belly band between the trailer outter walls and the banana skins. I just finished a rear floor repair due to the dreded rear bumper plate leak. I have not installed the belly band and banana skins yet. Originally the belly band was only sealed at the top. I am trying to decide if this was good or bad. The bad is water could get underneath is while towing in the rain. The good is water has some place to get out. There are several places where the banana skins are on the outside which can funnel any water that gets under the belly band into the subfloor. I have thought of putting Vulkem under the belly band but this is going to get messy. I have eliminated the rear bumper plate and I plan on having a gap there so water can shed away to the ground. With the belly band installed there is no way to maintain the seal between the bumper plate and the back of the trailer. The seal is under the belly band. I may make a banana wrap type arangement where the old bumper plate use to be. Then there would only be the area over the frame than would be a potential problem.

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Old 10-10-2011, 09:19 PM   #2
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the outside walls skin should extend below the floor, water would drain out behind the band or go inside the belly pan an drain.

Therefore, no sealing should be needed.

Have a pic?
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:02 AM   #3
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or go inside the belly pan an drain.

Therefore, no sealing should be needed.
Seriously?
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:07 AM   #4
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yes
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:10 AM   #5
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I would be sure outer wall skin is outside the banana skin, seal that lap joint and rivets. install the belt molding, seal those rivets, install plastic trim and seal the top of the molding to the skin. I believe in leaving the lower edge not sealed for drainage. If you do a good job of the skin seal, the molding acts like an umbrella.
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:45 AM   #6
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You mean no sealing other than at the top edge of the belly band?

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Old 10-11-2011, 11:49 AM   #7
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You mean no sealing other than at the top edge of the belly band?

Perry
No, I said seal the lap seam of the wall skin and the banana skin, and its rivets. Then just seal the top of the belly band molding and its rivets. In other words, seal everything EXCEPT the bottom of the belly band. "Other opinions vary." OH.....are you talkin' to LIPets or me?
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:50 AM   #8
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To me... water in the belly pan + pink insulation = rusted frame + rotten floor.

Am I wrong?
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Old 10-11-2011, 11:53 AM   #9
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To me... water in the belly pan + pink insulation = rusted frame + rotten floor.

Am I wrong?
Nope, keep as much out as humanly possible. IMHO If you're going in, I'd get rid of all pink stuff down there and use reflectix and other non-absorbing materials.
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Old 10-11-2011, 12:34 PM   #10
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I have not finished putting the rear of my Excella back together yet. I was not able to get my aluminum in time. Right now, I have no belly skin or banana wraps behind where the bal jacks attach. I have temporarily sealed the belly band area with silver duct sealing tape to cover the rivet holes. What I did not want to do is put things back temporarily and end up drilling more holes in that area that already has too many holes in it. My sub floor is sealed with poly so if it gets a little wet it won't hurt anything and all the pink fiberglass is gone. Eventually, I am going to pull the front skins and pull out all the pink stuff.

The pink stuff will eventually dry out if it does not keep getting wet. I don't think I would want something like the bubble wrap that does not have a way to drain water from under the sub floor. I was thinking of putting in some spacers between the sub floor and some 2" foam insulation. The insulation would not be in so tight that water could not drain off of it and the gap will keep water from being trapped between the insulation and sub floor. Sooner or later you are going have a leak either from a bad seal on the outside or some sort of plumbing issue on the inside.

I am leaning toward just sealing the top lip of the belly band. The most vulnerable areas for water penetration are the end cap areas where any water than ends up under the belly band will be exposed to the end grain of the sub floor and soak up any water that is there. As long as you seal the end grain of the wood in the end cap areas you should be ok. Along the straight walls, the lower C-Channel covers the exposed edges of the subfloor making is less prone to water damage.

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Old 10-11-2011, 01:43 PM   #11
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Yeah, Perry, I wouldn't put the Reflectix directly against the wood either, like AS did on my unit!!!!

I'd glue some spacers, tapered in height (high in the middle, low on the outside) so the reflectix is sloped. There should be some air gap between the floor and the bubble wrap anyway.
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Old 10-11-2011, 06:13 PM   #12
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Arrow

The problem with the pink stuff is it drops down after time, hits the belly pan and wicks water, gets to heavy and falls down completely into the belly pan and get like a heavy sponge.

Yes then you're on to rusting the frame, depending where you live may never dry out.

when I dropped my belly pan all the pink stuff was in a big ball wet and heavy having zero benefit.

What I did was pull it all out, paint the frame with POR-15, closed it up with a few ventilation screens.

I then put the 1/4" foil insulation (inside) on top of the floor then put pergo on top, works great- last six years.

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