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Topic: repairs to lunar caravan

ro88o

04/11/2013 at 4:44pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: lunar solar 615& citroen c8 hdi

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hi all,
we have just come back from our last holiday of the year and have found that the front end is dodgy.
we are lucky and have a barn that we can store the van in. as we have to pay to use the van we are going to reseal all the ali trims and do any repairs needed on the way.
after further investigations we found that the front handles are atatched to the bulkhead shelf, but the shelf isnt attached to the bulkhead. so when we try to move the van via the handles, all that happens is the front panel moves.
i have started to strip the van and have found that the front bulkhead has gaps either side, so the walls dont join to the bulkhead, also there is a gap between the floor and walls at the front.
We are going to remove the trims with the hope that the floor is screwed to the wall at lower trim level. then i will use sikaflex 512 in the gap and screw the walls to the floor (repairing any rotten wood found).
this should pull the walls together at floor level.
next i need to use 512 between the bulkhead and walls and then somehow push the walls together the secure the bulkhead to the walls.
i then will bond a piece of wood to the underside of the shelf and fix the bulkhead and the shelf together with ali angle and 512.
if this all works and we resael all the ali trims, i will have a go at repairing the cracks in the abs front panel.

Questions.
1. how far will sikaflex go in a 6mm bead?
2. sikaflex or sealent tape on awning rails?
3. does anyone know how the bulkhead is fixed to the walls of the van as i cant see any sign of a screw anywhere?
thanks in advance
ro88o0

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robbo

vulcan7

11/11/2013 at 10:30pm
Location: Wigan
Outfit: Lunar Premier 415 a

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Hi robbo
I have uses the tape on my awning rails but its not that easy and it never sets.
If I was doing it again it would be sikaflex faster and less tricky. Only might put spacers washers under screws between rail and van to make sure sikaflex wasn't all squeezed out when screws are tightened but not sure. Thought about using plastic washers used on number plate screws that plastic caps that clip on if you know what I mean. Would check out though as they could be to thick. Masking tape would help with clean up too.
Don't try to do all rail as it dries quite fast just front end on one side should then have good idea how many tubes you will need.
Bulkhead if its like my lunar has little angle brackets and screws that you access inside front locker and they always seem to work loose, could be another job for Sikaflex !
Best of luck and remember its all in the preperation everythings got to be clean.

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vulcan7

Al+Mel

12/11/2013 at 12:52pm
Location: Hants
Outfit: Fleetwood Heritage 640 EB & ML270

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I would go with Sikaflex alone, no spacers, just don't do the screws up very tight (put a dab of Sikaflex on each screw though). Clean up well with meths or Sika cleaner before application, and clean off the excess before it cures.

ro88o

15/11/2013 at 4:31pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: lunar solar 615& citroen c8 hdi

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hi all,
just an update,
well started the repairs,removed the trims from the door side, awning skirt rails took about and hour each to remove, awning rail took a lot longer.
i was surprised at the amount of sealant that wasn't connected to the van (mainly on the the rear awning rail).
then found more jobs.
the floor had actually come away from the wall, on inspection the front two or three screws had sheared off.
i then went to my local caravan dealer.
they sold me caraseal, not sikaflex as they only use caraseal on all their caravan repairs.(bailey insist on it apparently)
i then did some research and it is a similar product to sikaflex.
i then undid a few more screws on the floor/wall joint, i then used hand force to push the wall away and inserted the caraseal in it, i screwed the walls back up and replaced the screws.(all removed screws were not rusty).
the bulkhead will be done in the same way.
i intend to make new brackets to mount the handles onto the bulkhead to help spread the load.
this weekend i'm going to replace the rails and turn the van round to continue on the other side.
got to get some wallboard, anyone know what design was fitted on 2002 lunar caravans?
also brought a digital damp meter and was pleased that the walls were ok.
the damp repair at the front was about six inches from the front edge and the plywood was very good and dry, so it looks like i got this very early
thanks for reading
ro88o0

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robbo

AndyDW

15/11/2013 at 5:00pm
Location: Lincs
Outfit: Coachman Wanderer 19

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Unless I've got it badly wrong, Caraseal is non-setting mastic and not PU adhesive like Sikaflex.

If you're going to rely on it for adhesive qualities then youve got it wrong, Caraseal is NOT what you want.

I'm sure some of the more experienced caravan restorers on here will comment soon.

ro88o

15/11/2013 at 10:11pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: lunar solar 615& citroen c8 hdi

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hi andy,
yep i got it wrong after looking at the cartridge.
it is acually soudal soudaseal pv61. pu adhesive and sealant.

thanks for the reply ro88o0

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robbo

AndyDW

15/11/2013 at 10:19pm
Location: Lincs
Outfit: Coachman Wanderer 19

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Quote: Originally posted by ro88o on 15/11/2013
hi andy,
yep i got it wrong after looking at the cartridge.
it is acually soudal soudaseal pv61. pu adhesive and sealant.

thanks for the reply ro88o0

Soudal gets quite a few mentions when this subject comes up, it seems to be held in quite high regard as a good one to use.

redheads

16/11/2013 at 9:45pm
Location: kent
Outfit: 2004 Abbey freestyle discovery 2 td5

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hi all being new to caravanning only a few months after reading the posts on this thread it appears I'm not the only one with the failing awning rails and seams and a leaking Thetford toilet door frame I didn't think I would be having this trouble so soon but decided after finding this letting in water at floor level going to do the whole caravan including battery box and wet locker box and in the summer will do vents and hatches on the roof the sealant recommended to me by a caravan work shop is the Simson 70-03 I have already started using this sealant resealing toilet door frame and so far very impressed with it.

AndyDW

17/11/2013 at 12:37pm
Location: Lincs
Outfit: Coachman Wanderer 19

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Quote: Originally posted by redheads on 16/11/2013
hi all being new to caravanning only a few months after reading the posts on this thread it appears I'm not the only one with the failing awning rails and seams and a leaking Thetford toilet door frame I didn't think I would be having this trouble so soon but decided after finding this letting in water at floor level going to do the whole caravan including battery box and wet locker box and in the summer will do vents and hatches on the roof the sealant recommended to me by a caravan work shop is the Simson 70-03 I have already started using this sealant resealing toilet door frame and so far very impressed with it.

Expensive though Redheads, at £11 a tube it costs more than Sikaflex.

Andy

Sheff

19/11/2013 at 9:34pm
Location: Kettering Northants
Outfit: Volvo V40 & Sprite

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HI,

If you go on to ebay and put Simson 70-03 in the search bar there is one that comes up on an auction starting at 49p with a postage of £15.40 for 2 tubes would not think there would be to many biders. Might well get it for about £8.00 a tube if this what you want to use.

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Always Be Lucky

redheads

22/11/2013 at 8:19pm
Location: kent
Outfit: 2004 Abbey freestyle discovery 2 td5

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hi all that's what I thought as I am going to do every seal on our caravan I will need a few I bought 4 tubes from the caravan place I got very good advice even showed me what to do they put the tape on back off rail and apply the simson 70-03 to the wall of caravan then apply rail they recommend this way so in the event rail does get damaged you could remove rail with out destroying your van in the process.
I have found a company on line that does the simson 70-03 for £6.68 a tube but you have to buy a minimum of 12 as I am doing the whole van the only down side there is a 10 day wait for order still waiting my self looks like it will be 3 weeks until I receive my order but the savings you make is worth the wait and the weather at the moment is crap anyway.

happy caravanning

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