Making Lemon-Aid out of a Lemon

[yugogypsy1963]

Okay Everyone

I goofed :blush:. When I looked at my trailer before I bought it, I looked UP, where most leaks show up, along the top of the wall seams and in corners. I didn't look down and the floor seemed solid

Well after we took out the cracked blackwater tank, we found out that Prowler DOES have floor issues. It was parked in a campground last winter and the person using it, let it freeze. when it thawed, the water all ran into the bathroom and the boot closet, resulting in a very rotten floor, because from the look of things, its not the first time its happened. I have a sneaking suspicion part of the problem in the bathroom is the shower as its not fully enclosed. We'll build in something to fix that. 

I just did a reno on my bathroom 4 years ago and I have paneling left from that and RV ceiling panels I got for another project and didn't use

I'll need some lumber and more plywood for a sub-floor and I have JUST enough wood laminate flooring and underlay to put in a new floor after we check everything else

Everything is doable, its just going to take time, so I'm not going to get away from here for maybe another year--depending how fast this project goes. Can't paint it in the winter, so that will have to wait and I'll have to wait to put the awning on and save my $ for an anti sway kit

Also have to get converter (?) so that when we're driving, the house battery charges.

Got to find a canopy for the tow vehicle too, 2010 Ford F250 4x4 so we have storage for our bikes etc. My travelling partner is a carpenter so he'll build some storage bins in the truck bed

We live 120 miles apart and have to get together and talk about my lemon and get out a few maps to plan our first trips--which will be local so we're sure we've gotten rid of all the "bugs" in the system

So Lois is feeling rather foolish, but will do her best to make Lemon-Aid out of a lemon

Cheers
Lois

 

[rm.w/aview]

Good luck & all the best in your quest. Are you keeping the cracked black tank? If so this video has some product info... For storing the bikes in the truck bed, there's notches on the sides of the truck bed down low to receive a 2X4 or 2X6 (any larger and it gets in the way mostly). I've always had a 2X4 in the notches at the back to prevent things from sliding forward during store runs or gas cans, so on the side facing forward & near the top (but low enough for top clearance) I mounted these on each side about 8 & a half inches from each end https://www.saris.com/product/traps-fork The bikes are very close to the wheel wells which leaves the center wide open. Measure from the bike's front axle to the back tire or fender, which ever sticks out the furthest, to see if this'll work in the truck bed. I have an 8' bed so no need to measure if you do too. Maybe with the bikes in the bed & ready to travel you'd be able to see the room left, I wanted to relay this before he built the boxes should you go this route. Happy Trails!

 

[rm.w/aview]

While I have the chance, I came back to ask if he's going to bolt down or tie down the box(es).

 

[yugogypsy1963]

Thanks for the advice on keeping things from sliding around.

I don't know exactly what his plans for the storage boxes are until we can get together and talk. Trying to plan a Nomad life when you live 120 miles apart is a little difficult

Not keeping black tank, its going to the dump. I'm investing in a Luggable Loo

BUT, on the up side, I got a FREE canopy for the truck yesterday. It needs windows because some kids shot the windows out with a pellet gun. (why can't people teach their kids to respect other peoples belongings?)

Canopy needs paint too, to match it up to the truck. I'm going to spend part of today sorting out more of what I want to take and what I'm leaving home

Cheers
Lois

 

[rm.w/aview]

Do you know what make the topper is? https://www.4are.com/ & https://www.4are.com/ are two common ones, though there's more. It'll need some sealing tape for the truck/cap joint. Good Luck & Happy Trails!

 

[yugogypsy1963]

No name on the topper, looks like someone may have painted it before, its a mud brown colour
Have to fix the lights on my utility trailer before I can take it to the glass shop and have the windows replaced and to the locksmith for a key

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

And remember....if God gives ya lemons......go find someone with a bottle of vodka !!

 

[yugogypsy1963]

I don't drink any more or I'd be tempted to do that

 

[Dingfelder]

Good luck, Lois!

Taking more time to do things isn't always a bad thing. You may wind up doing things better or at a better price now that you have longer to get it done. And you'll have more time to thoroughly test out what you've got.

 

[yugogypsy1963]

IF I can get cooperation, Rob doesn't want to do the plumbing before spring but Rick & Tyler are still working on the bathroom.

When we finish the bathroom we'll be moving the counter and putting new insulation behind it, then we'll move the dinette and insulate behind it, we'll be taking out the wall and ceiling panels and insulating everything actually. I want to be warm enough when we finally get to go camping.

I found a place we can boondock for a couple of days and I'm hoping my travelling partner isn't too scared. He's used to campgrounds that are gated and the gate gets shut at dark (wimp)

I'm looking forward to getting away

Cheers
Lois

 

[closeanuf]

If you look real close at the lock there may be a number on it. If so that should be the key number and you should be able to buy a key at a key shop or online.

 

[yugogypsy1963]

I looked, there isn't

 

[yugogypsy1963]

Well folks, the decision has been made, EVERYTHING is coming out of that trailer and we'll start over from scratch. The floor is too damaged to risk using it as is.

I don't like it but it has to be done. Rob still being lazy and refusing to help. Tyler said he'll do the whole thing a lone if he has to

And its looking like he'll have to.

So Lois is grumpy. All I wanted was to have that trailer the way it was. I'm going to hate it any other way

 

[yugogypsy1963]

The further we get into this project, the more rot we're finding. Plus some idiot who didn't know how to back up a trailer smacked the right rear corner into something and did a repair we'll have to do over and that's where most of the rot is because they didn't seal some leaks they created.
The panel between the bathroom and the clothes closet will have to be replaced as its rotted off at the bottom and there are holes in the aluminium flooring that will have to be patched, good thing we've demolished other campers and trailers so we have material to fix it.

BUT the lumber and insulation are going to coast me at least half of what I paid and I'm now swearing that $800 was too much to pay.

I'm not blaming the person who sold it to me as the damage occurred when he had loaned it out, so I don't think he had any idea of the amount of damage that happened to it.

I am going to go get him and show him what they did, so he can give them hell for wrecking the trailer, I don't think he's going to be pleased

 

[Smitty716]

Sorry to hear about that, hope you get it all straightened out and fixed .

 

[yugogypsy1963]

Its gonna take time Smitty716, I'm on a limited income so I'll be buying the materials I don't have, a little at a time.

I lost some help yesterday when Tyler pinched a nerve in his back so that will slow things down for a while.

I'm determined to fix the shower my way, I don't want water on the floor again and to be pulling the floor again in a year or two!

The flooring I've got will make the trailer seem a little darker but I'm in a position where I have to use what I've got because I can't afford to buy anything else.

Sure glad I have a wonderful electrician who will change a light fixture and let me pay him later. I need him to put a 12volt fan in the bathroom too

I am going to do everything possible to keep that end of the trailer DRY from now on and that means putting a tarp over the back end when we aren't working on it. I'll get Rick to do that in a short while.

Overcast here and I think its going to rain, don't need any more wet in that trailer

 

[yugogypsy1963]

Oh boy, haven't found any more rot but its possible that the frame is bent on the right corner where it was damaged, the walls aren't attached to the frame in some places and I'm just about ready to throw that trailer on the junk heap.

Found the latest damage AFTER going to hardware store for different flooring as the wood laminate is too thick to fit under the door sill.

Maybe its better this way as my buddy who was going to tow it is losing interest, think he's found another woman who is less serious than me.

On top of that, I've had a stomach "bug" for 3 days and don't have the energy to work on the trailer anyhow.

To add insult to injury, one of my meds for anxiety is not allowed into the States so I'll be staying North of the border and not able to attend the WRTR or RTR and meet everyone

I'm going to bed now, feeling frustrated and depressed over trailer and the damn fool man who claimed to love me :-(

 

[Smitty716]

Sorry to hear about your troubles , Hope you get feeling better.

 

[yugogypsy1963]

Thanks Smitty716,

I paid a visit to the guy I got the trailer from and got some more information about it. Apparently all the damage I'm finding happened long before he got the trailer and before the previous owner prior to him.

So no wonder its got "issues" , the damage that wasn't repaired when it should have been has slowly been eating away at the trailer for quite a few years. Especially the water damage, which he felt started with the hot water tank developing a leak. We've taken the tank out and I'll borrow my friend Rob's Coleman hot water on demand unit

Rick says when he looked underneath, the frame is okay, so I can stop worrying about that. the bumper brackets are cracked and will have to be welded, which our village garage can easily do without too much expense

And, surprise, surprise, my reluctant tow driver simply had some concerns about towing the trailer until the repairs are done and he's been watching YouTube videos on fixing the floor--he is a construction worker and understands what will have to be done to make it safe.

So I'm feeling better about the trailer now, hope this darn stomach bug quits soon so I can help the guys with some of the repairs. I'll have more help by tomorrow afternoon as my friend Norm is coming to pitch in and help as well. He's done a trailer restoration before and will be a big help.

My friend Bud in Emmet, Arkansas has been lending advice by FB messenger as he has fixed several trailers too, including the full size mobile home he lives in. (I see you are also in Arkansas, I have a friend in Lewisville too and my friend who lived in Hope passed away this year.)

So I think we're back on track to having a safe and properly repaired trailer. After we pick Norm up from the ferry tomorrow, Rob and I will go and get some of the lumber we need and we'll get started on fixing the worst section of wall.

When we've re-done the framing there I'll get the insulation for it and we'll move on to the next piece of wall that needs help.

I was right about the walls coming away from the frame so we'll be VERY CAREFULLY replacing the 2x4's around the base of the whole trailer, got to get new bolts for some areas as some are missing and some are extremely rusty.

Once the base is repaired, it should be smooth sailing to get the rest of the trailer insulated and replacing the flooring.

Then I will go to our provincial motor vehicle registry about the papers, that's only $7, which will be the smallest expense of the whole project, Lol

Take Care everyone
Lois

 

[Smitty716]

Sounds like things are falling in place nicely . Sometimes all it takes is a good YouTube video to calm the nerves about a project. Take plenty of pictures, looking forward to seeing them .