QuestionI have a 1997, 25 ft. Coachmen Catalina 5th Wheel. The aluminum exterior siding is "bowing outward" on both sides near the front of the trailer under the bedroom windows. This is not occuring anywhere else on the trailer. It looks like the siding will soon split along the interlocking flange seam. What causes this? How is it best repaired?
AnswerWell Bud what has happened is the staples that hold the metal to the wall studs have either worked loose or have pulled throught the metal. This is a comon problem on metal sided trailers, depending on how many and how the staples are installed will lead to your problem. What you need to is to remove the metal and re-staple the affected areas. On rv's metal is started at the top of the unit then inter-locked on down the wall to the bottom. The easiest way for this repair is to:
1 Remove the front corner moulding, start at the bottom and only pull it off as far as you need to go up to access the panel thats bowed.
2 Depending on whats attached to the wall of the affected area will have to be removed to allow you to pull of all the panels till you get to the one that is popping out.
3 Now sometimes depending on the size of the panel below the popped one you can flex it out of the inter-lock with-out removing any of the lower panels which saves alot of time, just be sure to not kink the panel when flexing it out.
4 Once you got this far you can now staple the popped panel back into place and just reverse the order in which you removed everything and install all items making sure you clean off all old putty and install new putty and apply caulking on all places that presently have caulking.
Now a job like this will take you the better part of a day barring you have proper tools, screw gun, air compressor and stapler, caulking gun and putty and screws and whatever sealant you decide to use there are many on the market. I would suggest you visit an Rv parts store for these supplies.
I hope this helps Shawn out.
