29BHBP Problem

You guys with this model, check your rear "garage" door in the area of the latch for the lock/dead-bolt. As I was setting up the camper this past weekend and getting my electrical cord, hoses etc. out of the rear storage area, I noticed that the luan in the bottom area behind the locking handle was buckles. I started to investigate and found the area totally rotten: Water was leaking in through the door frame because the area for the lock was never sealed. The 2"x2" piece of wood running along the bottom of the lock is gone, the luan where the fiberglass is laminated to on the bottom is gone (got the fiberglass with glue and one layer of luan left). I'll take some photos when I have some more time, but it is a mess. I think that I can fix it by removing the "garage" door, remove the remaining luan on the bottom, remove the rotten 2x2 and install a new 2x4 and fabricate a sealed area for the lock/dead-bolt with a drain.

Shooter, thanks for the heads up. Will have to check mine. Please do send pics.

Let us know how it goes shooter.

No photos, yet, It started to rain yesterday - so far I have just put tape over the entire length of the bottom door frame.

Shooter, thanks for the advice. I haven't really looked around in mine in quite some time. Just open and close the door all the time. One question, does your door open up completely? Or does it angle down just enough to catch you in the head? I can see where the dealer or manufacture had moved the screws around on the shock. I've always wandered about how far everybody elses opens up? Thanks.

Our angled down as well but not enough to hit my head on (I'm 6'2").

OK, here are some photos, finally:

Door latch on outside of seal area.....left unprotected, brilliant design, should have caught that earlier:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2448074450056654887XycBcz

Photos of damage:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2997472140056654887bzdIis

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2808134200056654887WuZODf

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2313957760056654887FqVDxH

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2922422460056654887goqrAv

This is where the water entered:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2572711410056654887EFmibi

That is unreal! Talk about a bad design. Think I'll throw a bead of silicon around the latch plate on mine, maybe that might help. Sorry bout all that water damage. Best of luck on the fix up!

Do all the philips head screws as well, I don't think they seal either.

I have everything taped up for right now.

What about the gapping hole in the middle, is there anyway to seal that?

moo2613 wrote:What about the gapping hole in the middle, is there anyway to seal that?

Not really. My plan is to install a new 2x2 or 2x4, carve out an area and install a small plastic tray (the ones you get for a lock-set for your home), install a drain tube of some sort and seal everything with sealant. I might have to make a small stainless metal "funnel" and weld on a tube. I'll keep everybody posted once I get the time to start this project, which will not be too easy (and I hope not to find more damage). The door has to come out and I have to finish cutting out the bad wood. The bad thing is that it will never look like the original since I don't know where to get that type of laminated luan.

Is there no way to save the Luan by scraping off the rotten wood?

It's all buckled. If you look close at this photo you can see it:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2808134200056654887WuZODf

The laminated luan I already pulled out was totally gone. I might do something different, there is a gap between the rear wall and the floor (about 3/4" wide) and I am thinking of bending a piece of aluminum (90°) and screw it to the back wall and make it high enough to cover the luan that was removed.

I can see the warping from that picture, but when you look at the previous one, it doesn't show from the outside. Is it visible from the exterior? I think a nice aluminum Diamond plate section would look good on there.

It's only visible from the inside. I have to use 2 pieces of plate, my break is only good for 4 ft.

Hey, I'm just impressed that you have a break!!! Maybe you could find somebody close that has an 8' that you could use for 5 minutes.

That's OK, I used to have connections to a local shop about 40 miles away, but the guy I knew there retired.

What about after putting whatever type of luan you can get over the area once you fix it and covering that with the black carpet like the stuff used for the bottom of all the storage areas. 3M makes a good carpet/fabric glue ....

cooksvillewildcat wrote:What about after putting whatever type of luan you can get over the area once you fix it and covering that with the black carpet like the stuff used for the bottom of all the storage areas. 3M makes a good carpet/fabric glue ....

I was thinking about this as well, have to see when the time comes. I have some 3M glue in a spray can, it's good stuff. The aluminum is free though...