Every Problem has a source.....and a solution

[Tina]

I found the reason that the cabover damage was so extensive and mainly in the corners of the front. The ceiling is dry, the windows are dry...but those bottom corners...what a mess! Both sides of the outside has buckled seals right at the bottom curve. The water was running right down into them and staying trapped there. Rusted screws and seepage was inevitable. I pulled it out, and will get some new sealing strips, install new screws and silicone around them.
Not sure what those strips are called or where to get them?

Dang this thing is dirty! LOL

So, the inside...I got to thinking. I might just cut a slice out of each end of that "floor" up there and from the front of it. Lay out some new 2x2's where the old ones are rotted halfway of their length, and then secure some new wood "floor" in there where I had to cut sections out.
Whatcha' think ya'll? Taking that whole thing out is really going to be a problem, and because it is 90% in good shape...I think I can leave it by cutting out the bad stuff.

[david craft]

On the vinyl insert, I use camco brand when replacing...its the softest I've found. Sounds good on the clamping and then screwing the molding. If your more concerned with function than appearance, they have these little buttons with a washer that goes under the screw head and then a cap snaps on to cover. You could always add screws to the side if your worried about the glue failing. Especially if you've got the metal siding. Or, you could just add flat molding with more insert. But now I risk running afoul of the purist that may abide in the group..hehe

[Tina]

So, when I get all of the rotted 2x2's out of the cabover, should I glue the new ones on with the liquid nails first, then drive in the screws from the channeling? The machine screws they used looked to be about 1 1/2". I haven't measured one, but it's what it looked like from my recollection.
I'm trying to be sure I have these in there securely.
It's drying up quite quickly now, I have two window fans directly on the bad areas.

[Tina]

Russ is the hero of the day! That vice grips idea is working. I've been able to remove several of the screws in the channeling/molding with those, and a couple that the heads were half rusted off I was able to get a really small hammer to the top of them inside and tap them down enough to pull out with the vice grips.
Slow going, but it's going. Thank you!

[Tina]

Lakota, thanks for the tip on getting the stripping not so stiff. I had to do that with some plastic tubing for a different project recently to get it to fit over a connector.

I left the whole length of tubing out in the sun for a couple days too, it made it very pliable to work with after that.  :)

[david craft]

I like lexel from ace instead of silicone. It's just a preference

[david craft]

If your not pulling the corner molding, and the screws are rusted, just punch new 3/16" holes between the existing and get the #10 x 3" deck screws and run them. You'll get a feel for how much meat is left as you run them. If too little exists, then pull the moldings and get more wood.

[Lakota Wolf]

Thats the stuff Tina,, and FREE shipping,,, cant beat a deal like that,

Quick hint,,,, if its real stiff you can put it in warm water and it will soften a lil and ya pinch it with finger and thumb and it goes right in Not quite folding it,, just enough to get between the channel edges,,, Just dont try and slide it into place,,,  It dont slide well and can stretch.

[Tina]

That works!  I believe this is what is in there now, and there's a 100 feet of it for about twenty bucks.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-x-100-ft-WHITE-Vinyl-Trim-Molding-Screw...

[Russell E Johnson]

Hi Tina, I just did some guessing and let google do the work. Here is a result that took me to eBay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/items/?_nkw=RV+Marine+White+Screw+cover+mol...

[Tina]

Thanks Russ, I'll try the vice grips idea.  These are machine type screws, hopefully there will be enough of a head on them to get a pair of vice grips tightened on them.

Do you know what the sealer stripping is called that goes in those aluminum channels outside?  Apparently they shrink up with age, even if I pull them back where they are supposed to be I have two to three inches of channel that will not have the strips in it.

I do want to get some dicor, it's expensive so I have to budget that in when the time comes.