cracked wheelwells

[Chas]

Has anyone found a good product to seal up cracks in their plastic wheelwells? My Overlander has a couple of 3 inch cracks, probably caused by unbalanced running gear but that is a entirely different discussion!! It needs to be something that will stick to the plastic and be able to flex a bit. I was thinking maybe some Plumber's Goop, a horribly sticky, flexible almost non-removable substance. Any other ideas?

Chas

[Creampuff]

Chas
There is a latex caulk called "Big Stretch"which probably would work.It comes in a standard size cartridge at better building supply stores and you can get a color close to the original plastic.It smoothes out well when you let it set a couple of minutes and work it with a sakiva-moistened thumb.

[3Ms75Argosy]

Chas, I was thinking that maybe you'd want to seal some cut out innertube to the inside of the wheelwell with the goop to ensure rain doesn't come up through the crack? I know someone else was repairing their wheelwell, but I can't remember the thread.
Marc

[Inland RV Center, In]

Repairing cracked plastic or metal wheel wells is done very easily.
Remove all the dirt from around the crack. Add an aluminium plate that's about 2 inches wider and longer than the crack. Drill all the holes.
Remove the plate and place a generous amount of "vulkem" sealer on the back side of the plate. Reinstall the plate with aluminum pop rivets, using #48 pops.
Add more vulkem sealer, to the completed installation, both over the complete plate, and, past the edges of the aluminum by at least an inch or two. Again, use a generous amount of vulkem.

Let the vulkem set up for a day or two.

Spray a generous amount of "underseal" on and past the vulkem.
The repair is now complete.

However, get the running gear properly balanced, so that it doesn't happen again.

Also while your at it, check the interior wheel well. You may find that it is also cracked and/or separated from the wall. It can be repaired the same way as the exterior wheel well.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

[Chas]

Thanks Andy,

It may be trcky to get the aluminum plates to match the curvature of the places I got cracked but agree it is needed to give it more strength. I found a shop here that will balance everything on the trailer, I guess they have the tire spinner and a strobelite? Are the aluminum wheels less problematic when it come to balancing issues? I have the original mags on mine.

Chas

[Inland RV Center, In]

Charles.

Mag or aluminum wheels, by their very nature, are indeed, much closer to being balanced.

However, they are not in fact, "in balance."

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

[Chas]

Here is a patch on one of my wheelwells.

Chas

[john hd]

chas that should seal it well!

nice work.

john

[John]

Chas,

Good job!!

Sounds like you're almost road ready !!!

John

[loechli]

I have a similar question about wheel wells,
After replacing old tires on my 72 27' international with Goodyear trailer 225's my door side wheel well has worn thru by the wheel rubbing against it.

The other side is tight too but does not rub.

It looks like the side that has rubbed is bowed out a bit while the other side is not.

Any suggestions on resolving.

[robertsonmd]

Originally Posted by loechli

I have a similar question about wheel wells,
After replacing old tires on my 72 27' international with Goodyear trailer 225's my door side wheel well has worn thru by the wheel rubbing against it.

The other side is tight too but does not rub.

It looks like the side that has rubbed is bowed out a bit while the other side is not.

Any suggestions on resolving.

I have a 71 overlander with the same condition. The plastic seems to have warped and cracked and is now affecting the shape of the wheelopening/body. I'm going to try Andy's repair and install some heavier material to stiffen the edges.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by robertsonmd

I have a 71 overlander with the same condition. The plastic seems to have warped and cracked and is now affecting the shape of the wheelopening/body. I'm going to try Andy's repair and install some heavier material to stiffen the edges.

Some of the early 70's trailers had a frame that was pushed to one side, because of the method of construction.

Adding an oversize tire will usually result in rubbing a hole in one of the wheel wells.

Your lucky, as that rubbing tire could also set the plastic on fire.

Next item to check is the axles. If the axles are shot, the tires can wear holes in the top of the wheel wells, something not easily seem.

Exterior wheel wheels can easily be repaired by plating the hole with aluminum that has been pop riveted in place, followed by several coats of underseal on top of it.

It is not wise to increase the width of the tires beyond 225's but still being aware that they may touch the wheel wells.

Replacing an exterior or interior wheel well takes many many hours, starting with furniture removal.

Andy

[Janets Husband]

Originally Posted by Chas

Has anyone found a good product to seal up cracks in their plastic wheelwells? My Overlander has a couple of 3 inch cracks, probably caused by unbalanced running gear but that is a entirely different discussion!! It needs to be something that will stick to the plastic and be able to flex a bit. I was thinking maybe some Plumber's Goop, a horribly sticky, flexible almost non-removable substance. Any other ideas?

Chas

Andy's fix should work. I have a different method I will be using though, only because I have the inside stripped out. I have total access to the wheel wells and will be covering them in from the inside of the trailer with fiberglass to reinforce them. I figure one layer of woven glass cloth with epoxy resin should do the trick.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Janet's Husband

Andy's fix should work. I have a different method I will be using though, only because I have the inside stripped out. I have total access to the wheel wells and will be covering them in from the inside of the trailer with fiberglass to reinforce them. I figure one layer of woven glass cloth with epoxy resin should do the trick.

Gary.

Make it two layers.

Just in case you hit a "BIG" bump.

Andy

[Aerowood]

Here's a couple of pic's I took when I had my wheelwells out. The repairs are a sandwich type with .040 2024-T3 Aluminun shot together wet with MS20470A-5-X rivets and sealed with PRC 1440B1/2

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by Janet's Husband

covering them in from the inside of the trailer with fiberglass to reinforce them. I figure one layer of woven glass cloth with epoxy resin should do the trick.

Right on

Works great, takes 2 minutes

[Aerowood]

If I were going to use fiberglass, I would most likely use Polyester resin due to it being more flexible then the epoxy resin.

[maccamper]

I know this is an older thread, but I thought I would ask a question anyway. Is everyone talking about patching wheel wells because replacements are not available? I just discovered that we have an interior wheel well that is in really bad shape. Thanks for any reply.

Laird

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by maccamper

I know this is an older thread, but I thought I would ask a question anyway. Is everyone talking about patching wheel wells because replacements are not available? I just discovered that we have an interior wheel well that is in really bad shape. Thanks for any reply.

Laird

Wheel well replacements are available.

A very small number of dealers have them.

Andy

[CanoeStream]

Laird, what is "bad shape?" The wheelwells in my Argosy had a few 6-8" straight cracks. Until better options might come along I formed some strips of aluminum sheet, sealed it with Vulkem and pop riveted them in place.