2088-L. My first Hi/Lo project

Well getting started on this project. There has been a leak in the past and some of the wallboard around the window over sink is damaged so I'm starting there. Anyone know where a person can still buy this type of wallpaper board? Can't find any at the chain stores. I would like to change it all the way around the inside so it all matches and is more up to date. Any input would be appreciated!

Repairing HiLo

The good news is that no matter how much damage your wall has it can be fixed by you. You will not find an exact match for your wall board. We had extensive damage in our 1990 25ft. Classic HiLO. We found some 1/8th paneling with the wall paper on it at ACE hardware that wasn't a bad match for the rest of the walls. It had to be ordered in at about $30.00 a sheet. All the windows need to be removed and resealed with butyl tape and Lexel caulk. Search for the instructions in a back post. It is not that the wallpaper needs replaced. The damage is probably to the extent that you need to rip the wall out until you expose the interior fiberglass. Your HILo looks to be in great shape on the exterior with no ripped or faded decals. Go to photobucket.com thensearch for 3samtlpx's library. Then look at the photos and word descriptions of wall repair. Keep us posted. We are here to answer your questions. Many of us have done water damage wall repair.

Thanks for the info.

After looking at it some more, I have a little damage (not from water) on all the walls. Places where curtain brackets and some spots where the wallpaper has begun to come loose from the wall board. Plus being an 88 model it's a bit dated. I believe I will tackle a major overhaul project and replace it all. But after tearing out the bad piece, I have discovered a few things. First, I don't have fiberglass. All the insulation is styrofoam blocks. Also, it appears that the wallboard was attached with screws to a square steel tube frame and then wallpapered to cover the wallboard and screws so the screw heads were not visible. So I am thinking of doing all new 1/8" fiberboard (like the stuff pegboard is made from), countersink the screw holes so the screws go flush with the wallboard, and then wallpaper over all of it with a washable, up to date wallpaper.
As for windows, I would like to take them all out and reseal them. But I would like to go a step further and actually refurbish the windows themselves as I have found one that is leaking around the seals. I need to replace the plastic pieces that hold the panes in as some of them have shrunk over the years and also the fuzzy stuff that seals between the sliding sashes of the window. The water is actually coming in so fast during a heavy rain that it is pooling in the lower window channel and splashing up and over the lower section of the trailer and getting the sofa wet. It's not a problem when the trailer is lowered. Hasnt done any wall damage cause it just leaks onto the ground. But a major problem when in the up position. So I have a bit of work to do to make this trailer right.

I am pulling everything from my 81 FC in a few weeks for same water leakage issues. My caps are leaking too at the seams so off they come too.

I am not sure how to rebuild the window seals yet but thinking of glazing them in with gray sillicone.

The fuzzy stuff... not sure yet but planning on spending a few hours at an upholstery supply place with some material in hand.

I will post as I progress.
In the meantime I am helping a buddy build what used to be a small popup frame into a 4' tall by 6.5' wide and 10' long camping trailer. NOT a teardrop but along that idea.
It all started off with "can I park this in your back yard for a few weeks". LOL
Rick

Good luck with that. Looks vaguely familiar. 5 x 8 teardrop type that I built from a frame. Looking to sell it now that I have the Hi/Lo.

WELL DONE!!!
I tried to sway him to a hilo but...
Now I am trying to convience him to build cabinents in the front like you did. He is chewing on that idea. He is a good student though.

Rick

I've been a carpenter for about 25 years and the little trailer was a challenge. But the Hi/Lo restoration project is gonna be a job I can see. This wall board is all glued to the frame and foam insulation below. I also have uncovered some of the steel tube frame that is so far gone I can push my finger through it. Only a small section but pretty much impossible to change without removing the outer skin. Not quite sure what to do other than cover it back up. Removing and replacing all the wall board may be out of the question under the circumstances. May have to just try and remove the wallpaper and install new. Getting this wallboard off is a real struggle as it come apart in layers like paneling. I'm having to use a chisel and drive it underneath the wall board a little at a time to get it off. It's not much fun that's for sure.

wall construction

We did extensive restoration/wall rebuilding on our 1990 25ft. classic HiLo. DH used a multi tool to cut the 1/8th paneling off. Next comes 1/8 laun then 1inch foam then the inner skin of the fiberglass. Yes the work is tedious and time consuming. Tomorrow my daughter will post the link for you of our photobucket restoration. Keep in mind that these trailers are no longer manufactured. If you could buy a new one it would be thousands of dollars. We didn't realize that all our windows needed to be taken out and resealed. This is where the water came in and traveled to do the damage.

talk to J & R they have close to matching wallboard that they have had made for them, also they can help guide you through the wall removal and rebuilding process, If you do it, do it right so it lasts , doing it twice is a real bummer!

Found the culprit leak today once I got most of the wallboard removed from the bad wall. It was leaking around the electrical connection for the 120V power to the top half. The water from the AC just happens to run down the exterior wall right over the connection box. There was a piece of wood in this area instead of foam insulation. The wood was so rotted that there was no solid piece left so it has obviously been leaking for years. Made a new piece and installed a new a new electrical box. Completely sealed around the new box with silicone and installed the cover with silicone also instead of the foam gasket that was the culprit to begin with. It will never leak again, or come apart since everything is glued together with silicone. LOL. But I shouldnt have to ever go back into that so should be fine. Treated all the rusted frame tubing with Ospho to stop the rust, but not sure what to do about the areas that have rusted completely through. Fill it with bondo? Any suggestions welcome as I will probably be about ready to close this wall back up next weekend.

wall damage

Here is the photo bucket link to our 1990 25 ft. classic restoration. the pictures aren't order. Some pictures have word descriptions. We also had a bad leak at the upper electrical box for the ac cord to plug into. 3SamTLPX's Library | Photobucket If my memory is correct we also sprayed foam insulation around this area of repair. DH is a sheet metal fabricator(no on the job welding). He is sleeping so I can't ask him about the frame rot/repair. The wall is too close to weld. Just a guess on my part. Could you fabricate a patch and pop rivet it in? My brain just spit out what DH did with our broken tubing by the rear door. He got some round tubing that would fit in the rotted out pipe and shoved it in. He used some stainless screws to complete the repairs. We learned how to do our repairs by talking with our HiLo dealer and JR in Ohio. Please do this critical step. We purchased this at a specialty store that sells to body shops. Later I saw this at AUTO ZONE. I'm thinking that any auto parts store would have this. You would put this on any exposed interior wall/fiberglass. Polyester Resin by Marson. Thick sag resistant resin. It is 3M Bondo. www.bondo.com. You will need an industrial respirator and every window and vent open. Apply with a throw away paintbrush. This will dry to a hard finish. It seals up any holes that you see and can"t see. We only had two panels that were ripped back to the fiberglass. It has been three yrs. since our resto and we have been in some heavy downpores that lastedfor hrs. Please take the time to remove your windows and reseal with Lexal caulk(ACE hardwear) or the internet. I believe some have used sikaflex at HD. It is located near roofing supplies. Yes, the Lexal is $8.00 something a tube. Worth every penny. I did a back post on window resealing. You would 2inch butyl tape. The roll is heavy . Maybe a RV store would have this. Shop the internet for some good prices. Take some pictures and post.

wall damage

Read all the directions on the polyester resin can. DH applied 1 coat. Keep posting with any more questions.

Just looked at the pictures. Very nice job. I hope mine turns out as well as this one. Still a long way to go. Thanks for sharing.

wall dammage

Take your time and do it once and do it right. We spent many afternoons and Saturdays to complete round one of our repairs. #2 repair was the passenger rear sag from the door to the back. Only took a few pictures as we had a Sept. campout deadline. Correction:#2 repair was replacing the seal between the halves. #3 was the rear end sag/broken frame. Maybe a two ft. section of our seal replacement didn't work out. We need to use heavier siding wrap. White on one side and silver on the other side.