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Paint Bubbles At Hot Water Heat Door

Yahoo Message Number: 7194
I've got paint bubbles around my Hot Water Heater Door Frame. Do not know if that is a related problem. I was going to have a body repair guy look at it what I have my little disagreement I had with a concrete wall on the bumper fixed. How about cracking at the joint of the mid body molding? All four of my joints have been cracked since I bought the coach in 8/02..
Lee '01 Intrigue x 36 ft. #11219
"rvrobert2003" rkumza@...> wrote:

Re: Paint Bubbles At Hot Water Heat Door

Reply #1
Yahoo Message Number: 7196
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Lee:

The problem you stated (As noted below) stems from the stress on the fiberglass from the door suspended below to the basement storage areas.
If you open a door(hatch) whatever you want to call them slowly and carefully watch that joint you will see the movement. On our Intrigue #11021 36ft. we had the same problem at all four locations.
Upon close examination I discovered that many of the pop rivets they used on the hinges had even fallen out. Why anybody would use an aluminum pop rivet to attach a hinge through fiberglass an then into steel is beyond belief. You guessed it electrlysis betweed the rivet and the steel. By the way the hatch to the hydraulic bay under the driver seat hinge is just pop riveted to the layer of fiberglass above it. No steel reinforcement above it.

I now have drilled out the small aluminum rivets and replaced them with Stainless steel of a much larger size and now no more movement in the "joints"

James M. Green Intrigue 11021

How about cracking at the joint of the mid body molding? All four of my joints

have been cracked since I bought the coach in 8/02..
Lee '01 Intrigue x 36 ft. #11219--......................................

Re: Paint Bubbles At Hot Water Heat Door

Reply #2
Yahoo Message Number: 7199
Anytime you have three things present, moisture and two disimilar metals on the galvantic chart that contact each other, you will likely have corrosion. The many military aircraft I have worked with the past 37 years, we constantly fight corrosion problems. Steel fasteners holding aluminum parts together and areas that trap mositure are just some of the corrosion problems associated with aluminum structures. The only way is to try and isolate the two metals. We often use sealants and coatings and even tape between contact surfaces to isolate them. Aluminum is used for its reduced weight and steel is used for its structural strength. Yes, there are some aluminum alloys that are nearly as strong as the steel, but it is expensive and begins to have its own problem characteristics.

Normally, if an area can be kept dry at all times, there will be no corrosion problems. Once corrosion process begins on aluminum, it must be arrested. Otherwise, it will continue until the conditions are changes. If corrosin is allowed to continue, corrosion stress cracks can develop and you end up with total failure of the aluminum part. If you remove corrosion from aluminum you will likely remove the alclad or other surface protection coating. Use a brass or bronze wire brush, aluminum oxide sand paper, Scotch Brite, flap brush or some other mechanical means. Never, never use anything containing steel such as a steel wire brush to remove corrosion on aluminum. On aircraft we use sand blast type equipment using glass bead media to remove corrosion. Once corrosion is removed, the bare metal needs to be protected using a chemical conversion coating such as Alodine and a good zinc chromate primer. Once dry, the surface can be painted or some other means to isolate the two dissimilar metals. A sealant can be injected into fastener holes for added protection when installing the sheetmetal screw or pop rivet of dissimilar metal as well. Finally, seal the area to keep the moistur out and the area dry. Otherwise, you will fight the problem again.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: rollingghetto

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Lee:

The problem you stated (As noted below) stems from the stress on the > fiberglass from the door suspended below to the basement storage

areas.

Quote
If you open a door(hatch) whatever you want to call them slowly and > carefully watch that joint you will see the movement. On our

Intrigue

Quote
#11021 36ft. we had the same problem at all four locations.
Upon close examination I discovered that many of the pop rivets they > used on the hinges had even fallen out. Why anybody would use an > aluminum pop rivet to attach a hinge through fiberglass an then into > steel is beyond belief. You guessed it electrlysis betweed the rivet > and the steel. By the way the hatch to the hydraulic bay under the > driver seat hinge is just pop riveted to the layer of fiberglass

above

Quote
it. No steel reinforcement above it.

I now have drilled out the small aluminum rivets and replaced them > with Stainless steel of a much larger size and now no more movement

in

Quote
the "joints"

James M. Green Intrigue 11021

> How about cracking at the joint of the mid body molding? All four of > my joints

have been cracked since I bought the coach in 8/02..
Lee '01 Intrigue x 36 ft. #11219--
......................................

 

paint bubble

Reply #3
Yahoo Message Number: 7210
About two months ago we noticed electrolysis bubbles on our galley slideout- we will have it repaired in camp JC.
Another issue- We are planning a trip to Novia Scotia or Newfoundland and would like to travel along with other motor homes, but not necessarily a guided tour. We are interested in making this trip next summer.

Stan and Joni Vander Ploeg

Intrigue #11556 Full timing, now in Denver and headed for AZ