68 overlander restoration, insulation

[hof]

Im restoring 68 overlander frame off . Flood survivor. My question is has anyone ever used closed cell blow foam insulation insted of battening ?

[skyguyscott]

Short answer: yes.

You will find insulation material, tires, and tow vehicle fuel type are subjects of near religious conviction on this forum.

I will point out, however, that no matter the type of insulation you choose 1) there is only so much R value you can get out of 1.5 inches, and 2) much of that gain is lost via a)single pane windows and b)thermal bridging between the outer skin/Al ribs/inner skin. The key in the latter is to break the thermal transfer. Modern AS trailers add a thin foam tape between the skins and ribs. It helps, but AS trailers will likely never be 4-season trailers.

[mikextr]

Yes. Just had a company spray the inside of my 67 Overlander with closed cell polyurethane foam. I estimated the DIY cost to be about 800 dollars and application appears to have a pretty steep learning curve. A local company gave me an estimate of 850 including the necessary prep and masking so I gladly let them do it.

Pros--
1. The foam adds a lot strength to the shell
2. Great sound deadening
3. Best R value per inch
4. Finally, something I did not have to do myself
5. Secures the wiring against movement and vibration
Cons—
1. Expensive. Probably cost at least double the amount for other insulation
2. It seems to be difficult to get an even application even with pros doing the job. I’ve spent a lot time cutting down the high spots to get my end caps and skins to fit correctly.

The guy that did the job said I should be able to heat this trailer with a candle and cool it with a block of ice. While I’m sure he is exaggerating quite a bit, I’m happy with the results so far and can’t wait test it out in the summer heat. Just need to find a good solution for window insulation.