Delaminating Issue

TheBigPig · 06-20-2022, 09:52 AM

Hello all,

I apparently had a small leak in my camper which has caused delamination. I had a local RV place seal and UV coat the roof, they also pulled the corner bead coming down and resealed everything. He said he does not fix delamination issues but the water issue should be solved.

While pulling the camper at 70mph for 4 hours, the delaminated skin moved around enough to be pulled away from the front right corner bead. I pushed it all back into place and resealed with silicone, but I'm looking for a more permanent fix. Does anyone have any ideas on how to address this? Can I somehow screw right thru the skin into the frame using a sealant or rubber washers to keep it from moving around? I attached some photos, you can see the vertical line where the delamination starts forward of it.

**chuckster57** · 06-20-2022, 11:52 AM

That vertical metal trim should hold the wall edges. If the trim isn’t tight enough then you might try longer screws or more screws between the holes after taking the screw cover off.

wiredgeorge · 06-20-2022, 12:06 PM

Chuck, My eyesight isn't what it once was but I saw no delamination. Did you see it?

**chuckster57** · 06-20-2022, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Chuck, My eyesight isn't what it once was but I saw no delamination. Did you see it?

It was hard to see on my iPhone with readers.

Socaldave · 06-20-2022, 02:15 PM

I can't see it on my 32" monitor.

TheBigPig · 06-21-2022, 05:00 AM

Sorry fellas. It is hard to see in the photos. If you look close, you can see almost a perfect vertical line on the side of camper, that's where the delamination starts. Not sure why my photos orient sideways, but I attached another picture marking the area.

After calling numerous body shops and RV repair shops, I finally found someone who has experience fixing these delamination issues. He said it won't ever come back perfect, but he'll pull back the skin, dry it all out and glue the skin to the substrate beneath before sealing everything back up.

Rocketsled · 06-21-2022, 06:19 AM

Just wanted to add that I’m experiencing the exact same thing on our trailer, I just haven’t gotten around to doing anything about it yet.

**JRTJH** · 06-21-2022, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBigPig

Sorry fellas. It is hard to see in the photos. If you look close, you can see almost a perfect vertical line on the side of camper, that's where the delamination starts. Not sure why my photos orient sideways, but I attached another picture marking the area.

After calling numerous body shops and RV repair shops, I finally found someone who has experience fixing these delamination issues. He said it won't ever come back perfect, but he'll pull back the skin, dry it all out and glue the skin to the substrate beneath before sealing everything back up.

The FILON exterior sheeting is glued to a luan (plywood) base, and that is vacuum bonded to the aluminum frame/styrofoam insulation with the luan interior wallboard on the inside surface. That luan base is 4x8 sheets of material, laid end to end. Quite often, when the factory assembles the walls, there is a slight gap or a thicker end on one of the luan sheets and that's what causes the vertical "ridge" that you see. My trailer, a 2014 model was bought in 2013, so it's almost 9 years old. Those same vertical ridges are visible in several places on my exterior skin. They are also visible on the roof where the plywood sections were pieced together. The "luxury brand FILON trailers use a double luan backing with staggered sheets to prevent the visible lines. That is apparently more expense than Keystone is willing to put in building the lower priced trailers.

They do not present a structural deficiency, they are cosmetic and Keystone will deny any repair based only on the "visible ridge presence".... I'd suggest that you not spend any money on repairs since it's going to be "tossing a lot of vacation money at a "cosmetic issue" that's very likely to show up several other places on the trailer exterior over the years.

Talk to your dealership service department, have them look at the trailer. Chances are they'll consider it cosmetic and not a structural problem.

Rocketsled · 06-21-2022, 06:17 PM

I believe I’m seeing similar behavior, I’m not sure how many layers have detached from the wall, but it’s unlike any other surface on the trailer.

https://youtube.com/shorts/tSHHk8zpPv4?feature=share

I’ll be asking the company that’s restoring the trailer after my China Bomb incident. I figure I’ll have them do what they can, at that time.

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