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Old 05-10-2020, 09:07 AM   #1
Lee
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Wheel well protection modification question

Hi,

I am in the process of installing wheel well protection over the Dicor as I have read many horror stories of floor water damage due to pin holes in the Dicor.

First off,... TT is a 2013 RBSWE Cougar.

I am using aluminum flashing material as it is easy to cut,... and it bends which makes it easier to install.

Before installation, I applied a bead of RTV onto the Dicor around the perimeter of the aluminum. Then I will apply some Geocel 28127V Pro Flex RV Flexible Sealant to the exterior of the metal and the screw heads,... once it arrives from Amazon ;-)

I have installed the first piece and have ran into some concerns,... thus this post. See picture.

I am using 1" self taping large head screws I picked up at the local HD to attach the aluminum to the wheel well.

My concern is..... when I install these screws,... I don't feel much "meat" that the screws are biting into and they easily strip.

From researching floor construction,... I am guessing that this is what I have.... from the bottom up,... Dicor, then very thin layer of what looks like plywood, then an inch or so of foam insulation, then a layer of Lunan, then plywood, then vinyl or carpet.

The 99 dollar question of the day is,.... how long of a screw can I safely use to attach the aluminum in the wheel well without penetrating the inside finished floor? and get enough bite that the screws don't strip??

Thanks to this wonderful forum for all the help it has provided to us all,
Lee
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Old 05-10-2020, 09:12 AM   #2
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Just a thought, would spray on type bedliner work for what you are trying to accomplish?
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Old 05-10-2020, 09:16 AM   #3
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You should be okay with all the adhesives your using. BTW its not dicor. Dicor is what is used on the seams on the roof, what you have underneath is DARCO fabric. No big deal, but if someone else were to read this I wouldn't want them looking for the wrong stuff.

Spray on bed liner probably wouldn't provide the protection against frame/Floor damage in the case of a tire blowout.
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Old 05-10-2020, 09:20 AM   #4
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Hi,

There have been many conversations concerning that product and this is the problem that has been discussed.

While spray on bed linear would be a great solution,.... it is being sprayed onto the Draco fabric covering,... the Draco covering is only attached on it's parameter and sags in the middle.

By applying the heavy bed liner material... the fear is that the Draco fabric would eventually tear and droop due to the shock, vibration, and added weight while driving down the road.

Also, as Chuckster57 (Thanks Chuckster 57!!!!!) states there would be minimal protection upon tire blow out.

Lee
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Old 05-10-2020, 09:40 AM   #5
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Not being familiar with this problem, but from the pic the Darco fabric is only on the top of the wheel well, if so personally I'd remove the fabric & using some sort of adhesive to bond the aluminum to the plywood, rather than RTV, then add the screws with the Geocel sealing all the seams, then if needed spray the headliner.
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Old 05-10-2020, 11:15 AM   #6
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As I read Lee’s post, his intent was to address pin holes and resultant water damage. No mention of flat tire protection was made. I was suggesting the bedliner addition to what he’s already done as a possible sealant. It looks like the Darcor has already been removed, he needs to finish sealing what he has. I’m not sure that aluminum skins and the still present siding on the RV will withstand a flailing steel belt. Better than nothin I suppose. A lot of good ideas here.
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Old 05-10-2020, 12:10 PM   #7
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Hi all and thanks for the reply's.

I am only concerned with water damage through pin holes in the Draco as I have a TPMS for the tires.

Lee
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Old 05-10-2020, 02:33 PM   #8
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you done good but I've never had an issue with water on the floor. oh well, we do what we do during this time.
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:18 PM   #9
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you done good but I've never had an issue with water on the floor. oh well, we do what we do during this time.

If you have Darco in the wheelwells it will get water penetration at some point from my experience. When it does you don't know when, or how, it will affect the flooring but it will. Looking in a wheelwell with Darco as the only barrier to keep water from creeping into that thin luan layer you can see that bad things will happen if it does. Far too many folks are having trouble from soft floors due to water penetration to accept that the Darco lining is ideal IMO. Having experienced that I will be covering the Darco on this new trailer and won't pull it in the rain until I do.
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:57 PM   #10
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Pull one of the floor registers or look where pipes go thru the floor to see the thickness.

I plan to put treated plywood in the wells to protect against blowouts.
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Old 05-10-2020, 08:44 PM   #11
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Hi all and thanks for the reply's.

I am only concerned with water damage through pin holes in the Draco as I have a TPMS for the tires.

Lee
Well a TPMS is NOT a guarantee against a blow out, a shredded tire is a very destructive thing! Aluminum diamond plate will give some protection, but needs to be about 1/4” thickness to be effective!
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Old 05-11-2020, 04:06 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
You should be okay with all the adhesives your using. BTW its not dicor. Dicor is what is used on the seams on the roof, what you have underneath is DARCO fabric. No big deal, but if someone else were to read this I wouldn't want them looking for the wrong stuff.

Spray on bed liner probably wouldn't provide the protection against frame/Floor damage in the case of a tire blowout.
Thanks for clarifying. I was a bit baffled by how he would use Dicor.
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Old 05-11-2020, 05:27 AM   #13
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Our 5er bottomed out before I upgraded the suspension and added a 1" spacer to the suspension. This in turn tore the Darco fabric to shreds. Adding 6000 pound springs (and wheel bearings) and that 1" spacer stopped the bottoming but it didn't fix the darco. I used 16 ga steel plates instead of aluminum then used truck bed coating over the entire wheel well area. Of course the other thing is, why did Keystone put 5200 pound suspension on a 38 foot, 12K 5er (and why wasn't I smart enough to see that before I plunked down my dollars )

I didn't use raw aluminum sheet stock as my experience with it in the past was bad. Using steel fasteners with aluminum and the road salt that never 100% goes away in my part of the world creates a bimetallic galvanic action and that aluminum failed with holes where I installed each fastener.
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Old 05-11-2020, 07:10 AM   #14
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Aluminum flashing, from HD or Lowe's is typically 32 gauge (0.0097" thick).

Structurally, it's ideal for underlaying asphalt shingles or for protecting the edges of eaves on a permanent structure.

It will provide some "waterproofing" in a trailer wheelwell, but it's not a lot more "impenetrable" than heavy duty aluminum foil. When you consider the galvanic corrosion potential, I'd suspect that it probably wouldn't last much more than a year or two. Towing the trailer on gravel roads or even on "asphalt roads with a "pea gravel top coat" will probably pit the aluminum flashing enough to cause deformation of the aluminum sheeting, setting up even more issues with corrosion.

I'd watch it closely for the first towing season. My "concerns" may not be as detrimental as I suspect. Who knows until the actual use occurs.....
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Old 05-11-2020, 10:58 AM   #15
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All,

Thanks for the replies.

I am now little nervous though after reading some of the comments.

I checked on the thickness of the Aluminum flashing I have. It's .011 thick.

HD also carries rolls of galvanized steel 14"x25' that are .018 thick. I guess I could use this,.... but I already have completed 1 side in the aluminum,... hate to pull it down,.....

In researching this site I found where others used a 1/4" thick plastic material. I can't find it in sheets,... just squares or rectangles. I need pieces that I can cut to size of 14"x42" to cover both wheels on each side in 1 piece. Don't really want to scab together 2 pieces per side as that's just another seam for water to get in.
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Old 05-11-2020, 12:22 PM   #16
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All,

Thanks for the replies.

I am now little nervous though after reading some of the comments.

I checked on the thickness of the Aluminum flashing I have. It's .011 thick.

HD also carries rolls of galvanized steel 14"x25' that are .018 thick. I guess I could use this,.... but I already have completed 1 side in the aluminum,... hate to pull it down,.....

In researching this site I found where others used a 1/4" thick plastic material. I can't find it in sheets,... just squares or rectangles. I need pieces that I can cut to size of 14"x42" to cover both wheels on each side in 1 piece. Don't really want to scab together 2 pieces per side as that's just another seam for water to get in.

I know you've already completed one side but it wouldn't hurt if you swapped to something a little thicker on the other one. Here is a link for a supplier of uhmw material that I plan on installing on this trailer when I get back home.

https://www.eplastics.com/sheets/uhmw
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Old 05-11-2020, 12:47 PM   #17
Dave W
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All,

Thanks for the replies.

I am now little nervous though after reading some of the comments.

I checked on the thickness of the Aluminum flashing I have. It's .011 thick.

HD also carries rolls of galvanized steel 14"x25' that are .018 thick. I guess I could use this,.... but I already have completed 1 side in the aluminum,... hate to pull it down,.....

In researching this site I found where others used a 1/4" thick plastic material. I can't find it in sheets,... just squares or rectangles. I need pieces that I can cut to size of 14"x42" to cover both wheels on each side in 1 piece. Don't really want to scab together 2 pieces per side as that's just another seam for water to get in.
I've bought closed cell foam and neoprene from these people and a t a reasonable price but it has been several years: https://www.foambymail.com/

If you decide on steel, Metal Supermarket will cut to size:: https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/albany/
We have one locally where I have bought lots of odd sizes steel and other metals, some cut to size, other as raw stock.
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Old 05-11-2020, 05:32 PM   #18
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wheel well repair

Hey all, when I had to repair tire damaged wheel wells I used white plastic sheet FRP. HD & Lowes both carry it. 3years and still going strong.----Lou----
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Old 05-12-2020, 07:54 AM   #19
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Hi Lou,

Thanks for the reply,.... I notice in the description that the FRP is listed for interior use only,..... but hey, if it works ,.. it works!!!
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Old 05-13-2020, 09:19 AM   #20
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On our old TT I added extra water protection by applying a few extra layers of the Darco repair tape you can buy. It comes in 6" wide rolls in think. If I remember right it doesn't have the same pin holes. And that adhesive sticks like $&@# on a blanket if the surface is clean. Won't stop a tire, but not much will.
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