Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Cracking fiberglass (Read 678 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Cracking fiberglass

Yahoo Message Number: 26467
Has anyone experienced cracks in their fiberglass siding after having electrolysis in slide trim repaired?

Our elecrolysis was repaired in Septerber 2005. In January 2006 at the Ft Myers Class Reunion, we discovered a large crack running from the corner of the slide all the way down to the trim belt. National RV in Lakeland repaired the crack last February - did a fantastic job. The only time I could even see the repair was when the coach was wet and I looked at it at exactly the right angle. Essentially the repair was invisible.

Now less than a year and 7,500 miles later, the crack is coming back.
Seems to me that something structural has changed with the electrolysis repair.

I know a lot of owners have had the elecrolysis problem repaired. Has anyone experienced cracking in the fiberglass siding?

Thanks

Bob Amory 2002 Allure 30760.

Re: Cracking fiberglass

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 26474
Hi Bob,

I have 4 years experience building one type of an experimental all fiberglass airplane. An automotive approach will not work for repairing a crack. Following is the approach to fiberglass repair: About 6-10 inches either side of the crack is ground off on an angle such that the outboard is a feather edge and material is completely removed at the crack - from a side view it looks like a shallow 'V'.
Next 'layups' of fiberglass cloth are epoxied as follows: Assume the ground off width is 6" either side of the crack. First layer of fiberglass cloth is 12" wide and the length of the crack. Aircraft(eg, West System) epoxy is mixed with a filler (cab-o-sil) and applied to the crack area, the cloth is applied and most of the epoxy is squegged off. Next layer of cloth is 10" wide with epoxy(no filler) applied to it and then centered over the first layer and the epoxy is squegged off. Each successive layer is 2" less in width with the last 2" wide for a total of 6 layers. Next, epoxy with filler is applied over the layups to buildup above the surface. The fiberglas cloth is bidirectional, 8.8 oz with 54L x 48W threads per inch. Sanding is next, reapplication of epoxy with filler, more sanding in preparation for the primer and finish coats. At least 5 days is required.
Fred Kovol

Quote
>

Has anyone experienced cracks in their fiberglass siding after

having

Quote
electrolysis in slide trim repaired? >

Our elecrolysis was repaired in Septerber 2005. In January 2006 at > the Ft Myers Class Reunion, we discovered a large crack running from > the corner of the slide all the way down to the trim belt. National > RV in Lakeland repaired the crack last February - did a fantastic > job. The only time I could even see the repair was when the coach

was

Quote
wet and I looked at it at exactly the right angle. Essentially the > repair was invisible.

Now less than a year and 7,500 miles later, the crack is coming

back.

Quote
Seems to me that something structural has changed with the > electrolysis repair.

I know a lot of owners have had the elecrolysis problem repaired.

Has
 

Re: Cracking fiberglass

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 26494
Hmm. No way National RV did it this way. They only had the coach 3, maybe 4 days and I know they didn't work on it the whole time it was there. I'm sending pictures to Larry Sherwood at CC.

Bob

2002 Allure 30760

Quote from: fredkovol
Hi Bob,

I have 4 years experience building one type of an experimental all > fiberglass airplane. An automotive approach will not work for > repairing a crack. Following is the approach to fiberglass repair: > About 6-10 inches either side of the crack is ground off on an

angle

Quote
such that the outboard is a feather edge and material is

completely

Quote
removed at the crack - from a side view it looks like a

shallow 'V'.

Quote
Next 'layups' of fiberglass cloth are epoxied as follows: Assume

the

Quote
ground off width is 6" either side of the crack. First layer of > fiberglass cloth is 12" wide and the length of the crack. Aircraft

(eg,

Quote
West System) epoxy is mixed with a filler (cab-o-sil) and applied

to

Quote
the crack area, the cloth is applied and most of the epoxy is

squegged

Quote
off. Next layer of cloth is 10" wide with epoxy(no filler) applied

to

Quote
it and then centered over the first layer and the epoxy is

squegged

Quote
off. Each successive layer is 2" less in width with the last 2"

wide

Quote
for a total of 6 layers. Next, epoxy with filler is applied over

the

Quote
layups to buildup above the surface. The fiberglas cloth is > bidirectional, 8.8 oz with 54L x 48W threads per inch. Sanding is > next, reapplication of epoxy with filler, more sanding in

preparation

Quote
for the primer and finish coats. At least 5 days is required.
Fred Kovol
>

> Has anyone experienced cracks in their fiberglass siding after > having

> electrolysis in slide trim repaired? > >

> Our elecrolysis was repaired in Septerber 2005. In January 2006

at

Quote
the Ft Myers Class Reunion, we discovered a large crack running

from

Quote
the corner of the slide all the way down to the trim belt.

National

Quote
RV in Lakeland repaired the crack last February - did a

fantastic

Quote
job. The only time I could even see the repair was when the

coach

Quote
was

> wet and I looked at it at exactly the right angle. Essentially

the

Quote
repair was invisible.
>

> Now less than a year and 7,500 miles later, the crack is coming > back.

> Seems to me that something structural has changed with the > > electrolysis repair.
>

> I know a lot of owners have had the elecrolysis problem

repaired.