Floor repair

[tderouchie]

Hello everyone!
I had a tire blowout recently and it puncture a fair sized hole in the floor. Our floor is the foam type (2012 Cougar 27rks xlite) and I’m wondering if anyone has attempted or experienced a repair/patch? It’s a low traffic area, but I’d still like to fix it properly. Thanks in advance

[JRTJH]

The first question I'd ask is: Do you have insurance on the trailer? If so, you might want to file a claim.

That said, repairing the wheelwells on XLite trailers is an exercise in frustration. The structure is barely adequate to prevent moisture intrusion while towing (tire spray) and certainly won't (as your photos reveal) protect against damage from a blown tire. I'd suspect that the DARCO material (black plastic tarp-like covering) under the wheelwell area is filled with pinholes caused by rock chips flying into the wheelwell. Over the years, I'd suspect that the entire 1/8" lower luan sheeting has rotted away. That has exposed the Styrofoam insulation layer (which has almost no structural strength) and water may have wicked through the cracks in the Styrofoam to damage the top layer which is, at best 1/4" thick luan.

To repair, you're probably going to have to remove the entire wheelwell surface, from the trailer frame rails outboard. You'll notice that there are 3 or 4 outriggers that are "in the way" of repairing the floor from below, so most of the repairs will need to be made from inside the RV. My guess is that you'll find damage inboard as well as outboard of the frame rails.

[busterbrown]

The biggest hurdle to getting the floor repaired "properly" is water proofing inside the wheel well, where the darco was shredded. Darco has no structural integrity. Once torn, shredded or perforated, it becomes a threat for water damage to adjacent wood panels. If you can find a good way to waterproof that wheel well, I bet you could patch the interior floor with styrofoam and 1/4 inch panel board and cover with the floor of your choosing. Of course, it depends how ambitious you are.

It maybe easier just to fill an insurance claim, pay the deductible and have it repaired professionally.