Bolted Panel on the Fleet 2017 with Dinette

Bootboiler

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Joined
Mar 1, 2022
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29
Hello all, I am an infrequent visitor here. I am working no fixing some Dry rot on my fleet and I think I need to remove this bolted panel on the drivers side and behind the battery compartment. Can anyone tell me what I will find, I don't want to remove it if it will cause an issue, Thanks for the help.

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I believe what you are looking at is a piece of aluminum siding over the plywood with edge trim around it with the intention to protect the wood from weathering since that isn't as shielded by the truck bed. I'm not sure if they used adhesive to stick it down and off hand I don't know what on the inside of your camper is through bolted (two center bolts).
 
Pods8 is right. It’s just a protective facade over the plywood bottom of the camper. It’s the same plywood material that is in the grey area around your turnbuckle port holes.
 
Thank you! The bolts and studs were for the battery straps. I pulled it and there was a little more rot in the corners, you can see the mycelium in the pics, so I am going to RandR the area and treat with borax. then use penetrating poly resin on the small area left, fill with bondo where needed, but will be 95% all new when done, will post some more pics. I know what caused it and everyone should check their drain tube. It was either not sealed correctly at the factory or a replacement was not sealed, I think the latter. The drip from the connection to the drain petcock was very minor I think but over 8 years, it was enough to rot it. It ran down the inside of the aluminum square frame to the corner, that along with it being the corner and the part that hung out the back end of the truck started the rot. time did the rest. In short, don't leave water in the tank when not in use. cheers!

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Coming along. Now all bad stuff removed and penetrating epoxy applied. Then covered in bondo liquid resin. After than will buildout with bondo Short strand fiberglass Note the 32mm is the thickness of the ply and mine was 18x2. Hand planned two layers off one board to get to 32.

And yea. Don’t just do a new petcock with haste.
 

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Great info on the root cause! Protection from moisture needs ventilation or sealing.
 
I fixed the petcock. I was extremely careful, but I am still guessing myself. I am going to fill it with water and let it sit for a couple day, but not likely to see anything, the amount of the drip could have been ridiculous slow. I guess I could put a drain into that aluminum joist.
 
Appreciate these postings and the detailed photos. Good work with penetrating epoxy. It is amazing stuff following and replacing the moisture. I used it on a house window frame that had similar rot from bad seal. It works! An ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure! Well done.
 
Thank you, I am on to using the short strand bondo. It is harder to use than the regular stuff, but it is coming along. used a countertop cutting board to get a nice smooth surface!
 

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Thank you Jon R. I have now finished the bondo efforts. I am very happy with the outcome. Next will be mounting the slides and trim.
 

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