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Topic: Rusting Pop Rivets holding Fiberglass around Bay Doors (Read 562 times) previous topic - next topic
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Rusting Pop Rivets holding Fiberglass around Bay Doors

Yahoo Message Number: 68348
I discovered today that many of the pop rivet heads around the perimeter of my bay doors, which secure the fiberglass to the metal frame are rusted away. I had observed that a narrow panel in front of my duals was loose, and rusted out rivets were the culprit. I also noted that someone else (I am the second owner) had made the same discovery and used some sheet metal screws to re-secure the panels. I had a few of the right size and they did the trick.
You may have problems with the holes where part of the rivet is still in the hole. Otherwise, easy to check and fix.

Lee Zaborowski

07 Intrigue 12153, Cat C-13

Re: Rusting Pop Rivets holding Fiberglass around Bay Doors

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68353
Lee:

The situation with these rivits has been in existance at least since 1999 when Intrigue 11021 was built.
Now you say rust. Was the actual rivet rusty or did it just rust on it? I ask, as all my hatches were attached with Aluminum Pop Rivets.
That was dumb. Aluminum reacts when in contact with steel and corrosion sets in with time.
Most of mine fell out and have been replaced with 3/16" Stainless steel.

My recomendation:

Go to a commercial supply house and get 3/8" long X 3/16" diameter SS pop rivets and if you don't own one, a good sturdy Application tool.
You will need to drill out the junk and it will be the last time this issue will bother you.

James M. Green Intrigue 11021 130,000 miles+ "Rollingghetto"

If they changed to plain steel from aluminum that was no better.
They have steel members directly behind the fiberglass except for the hatch under the drivers seat. I found that out by mistake when mine was ripped off as a result of a front tire blowout.. I.E. no reinforcement

Re: Rusting Pop Rivets holding Fiberglass around Bay Doors

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68354
Jim, I assumed steel.

I will look closer, could be aluminum, everything was of course dirty. Could have been rust on the surface from the steel.

Thanks for the good information. I will follow up.

Lee

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Re: Rusting Pop Rivets holding Fiberglass around Bay Doors

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68375
Lee,

Your rusting pop rivets brought back to memory a very exspensive lesson I learned buying a piper aircraft a few years back.
Is your coach by any chance near high humidity and salt water air like the east coast. I had the same experience except it was with an airplane I bought down in Florida a few years back and that turned out to be a very expensive annual the following year. The Piper aircraft was always hangered and about 5 miles inland near merrit island FL, but that did not stop the inside of the tail, elevator and wings from deteriorating. A $15,000 repair.
I often wonder if it makes sense to buy a motor home that has had a history of being on the lower east coast extensively without doing an extensive survey of the frame and under carriage. That salt air can get inside the hollow square tubes and with the condensation that builds up through cold nights and hot days would not be good for aluminum or most forms of steel. Some rivets are steel and some aluminum. Mixing then with the metal they go through might also cause electrolysis.
I have read other post where others have found their under carriage to be compromised by rust from the inside out. Is it possible that this is linked to motor homes that spend a lot of time on the east coast? Mine is 2004 CC and except for the one time that the previous owner took the motor home on Pismo Beach and cause a bunch of surface salt to be on the frame (that I washed off) I have not seen any surface rust on coach except for around the battery bay tray which is now painted. This coach had spent it life parked in and around Palm Springs and San Diago with low miles. I had a choice to buy the same year (used) motorhome in Georgia but thought better given my previous issues with one of my airplane purchases.

Dallas 2004 intrigue ovation C12