I cant understand how the snow caused your front rail to come off, espescially as you have resealed it. I have just resealed my van last year, and I know how hard it was to remove the rails, and that was after all the screws were removed.
I would maybe investigate further to check there are no underlying problems, such as the timber you are screwing into might be rotted and screws no getting a grip.
Fresh wood underneath, you can see where it has ripped out. I did a complete frame overhaul last year when I got out of hospital. Nearside, front and back, everything out down to the skin, not just a reseal, but a rebuild. The railing is bent outward by about three foot and downward by a foot. On reflection, I do have a suspicion it was helped. I cannot see ice, even a foot thick bending it out by so much, or indeed down by so much. I tried to bend the rail up a bit and it won't without damaging what is left screwed on.
That must be really distressing after all your hard work! After seeing ours smothered in icicles last week, I'm beginning to think a cover might be a good idea.
Ive had many caravans stuart but never ever heard of snow evan though we did get it heavy doing that kind of damage are you sure someone was not trying to get up on the roof some yob or someone.
I've just been out to remove the railing. Some of the screws are sheared off. They are stainless steel ones I replaced the originals with. As Jeff says, it seems a bit extreme for snow and ice. I reckon some cretin has come up the drive to get the pretty icicles. I kow where the next one is going if it happens again.
Ive saw snow on vans like the picture implies but still have not heard of the damage to yours stuart,a rail is so thin considering and what you say about icicles seem a good bet shove one up for me too.
I don't think it would ever be possible for dampness getting behind the rail to ever expand with enough force to shear the heads of stainless steal screws that are place at about 8" centres. There just isn't enough surface area. Now I know you get frost heave that will lift slabs etc. but that is because the slabs are held in place by there own weight, and when the saturated ground below expands due to freezing it takes the route of less resistance.
While we are on the subject of frost, this thought crossed my mind last year when we had the big freeze, If anyone has dampness/water ingress in there van, can you imagine what damage could happen when the trapped water freezes within the panels. It damage could be quite frightening as this water is trapped with nowhere really to go, and would surely lead to delamionation problems.
Just wish the winter was over and I could get back out with my caravan. The trouble with winter is you have to much time to think about all the things that could go wrong.
I have saw that one Ian at ducans last year there was a bulge on the side of a van and the workshop guys said it was frost damage water was frozen between the panels and as well as bulging out it pushed the interior panel in as well.
Much the same when a copper pipe freezes, the pipe bulges then splits along the length as that is the weakest part. Its amazing the pressure that's involved when water freezes and expands.
Was it a newish caravan? as most of the an I have saw up at Duncan's are less than 6 years old. Was it for sale?
Quote: Originally posted by iain.morrison3 on 14/12/2010
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Much the same when a copper pipe freezes, the pipe bulges then splits along the length as that is the weakest part. Its amazing the pressure that's involved when water freezes and expands.<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Was it a newish caravan? as most of the an I have saw up at Duncan's are less than 6 years old. Was it for sale?
It was a trade in ian email me..youl find my email address in my profile.