Last week we shared the start of our interior finishes inside the Spotzmobile. This week we want show you more of the outside work that is happening!
The Spotzmobile, our Fifth-Wheel, is a 2008 Keystone Copper Canyon that we have owned for a couple years. It measures 34 feet and has a couple bedrooms with a den, kitchen and bathroom. It has two slides.
If you recall, we have already stripped off all the old factory stripes and graphics from the exterior fiberglass and then buffed the whole exterior. When we left you last, we had gotten the graphics and spots applied to the front and rear of the coach. We took advantage of the recent warm weather and finished up the remainder of the spots. We think it is perfect.... what do you think?
Next we moved onto our most difficult repair of the whole project.... repair of the rotted rear slide out. When we removed all the carpet in the coach, we discovered a pretty major leak in the rear slide out that housed the office and spare bedroom. Surprise! In one corner, the plywood floor was almost completely rotted through and covered in mold. Big Daddy went to work researching how to dismantle the slide and replace the floor.
There were many videos on YouTube of other folks who had made similar repairs to their slides, but all brands of RVs have slides that are assembled different ways and we didn't find a video of our exact brand. Using the basic knowledge from those videos, Big Daddy went to work bracing the slide upright, and taking it apart. He was very methodical and careful with each part he removed so he would know exactly how to reassemble it. There were a zillion pieces that had to be removed in just the right order. We even had to disconnect electric wires that control the ceiling lights within the slide. We were left with the walls and ceiling of the slide dangling from the braces we constructed and two large metal arms underneath that actually make the slide extend and retract. Here's a video of the removal:
Once the old wood was completely removed, we cut a new piece of 3/4" Advantech subflooring to the exact size of the original floor and beveled the edge that faces the inside of the RV at an angle. The wood had to be really tight so that the walls of the slide would sit exactly on the edge of the wood but not extend beyond the edge of the walls. Next, we wrapped the wood with plastic covering called "Belly Wrap" that we purchased on Amazon. (What would we have done without Amazon on this project??) The Belly Wrap keeps the bottom and edges of the wood waterproof and also helps it to slide in and out smoothly on the floor of the coach. We attached it with an industrial spray adhesive and made sure to wrap the extra up over the top edges too.
We slid the new plastic covered subflooring board onto the metal arm braces underneath the coach and wedged the end of the board up into the RV under the side walls of the slide. We reattached the subfloor with lag bolts to the bottom of the slide walls in the exact spot where the old one had been. Then we held our breath as we removed the braces. IT STAYED IN PLACE! Hallelujah!
After several leveling adjustments, we tested whether it would slide back into the RV as it should. IT WORKED! It retracted and extended perfectly. Big Daddy strikes again.... it seems he can figure anything out! Smart fella.
We can hardly wait to show you what's been going on inside the coach this week too but that will have to wait for next time. Until then, here's a sneak peek....
