Repairing RV Structural Damage

For the most part, repairing structural damage to an RV should be left to professionals.  They know what they're doing and usually have access to blueprints and schematics to guide them.  However, sometimes we can't afford it, or it doesn't seem cost effective to invest that much money in older units. Sometimes it is impossible to find matching replacement materials. If you have basic carpentry skills and tools you may be able to make some repairs yourself. I had two enclosed motorcycle trailers (toy haulers) that both suffered similar problems. I later learned that these units (both were 1970s vintage Journeyman "Smuggler" trailers, some of the very first "toy hauler" travel trailers) had a known weakness. In both cases the right front corner of the unit came apart. I accepted blame for the first one because I had mounted a shelf in that corner to hold my tool box and I figured the weight of the tool box was responsible for knocking the corner apart. A couple of years later I experienced the same problem on a second Smuggler without the tool box as a potential culprit. I subsequently learned that just the torquing of the the body over rough terrain and many years service caused the separation and that this was a common failure on these models. Following the advice of a friend who had been an RV engineer at Sportscoach and who had built his own personal motorhome from scratch I was able to make repairs myself. In both cases, I carefully removed the interior paneling to expose the structural damage. The framing was made of 2x2 pine, which had shattered or split at critical joints. I carefully measured and replaced the damaged sections and added steel angle braces at each exposed joint.   Note:  I had to bend the angles to fit because the joints in the trailer were not 90° due to the sloped front of the trailer.  To get the front wall pulled back into place, I replaced the standard pipe in a furniture clamp with one long enough to allow the clamp to grip the trailer from end to end. Then I tightened the furniture clamp until the front wall was re-aligned and installed additional angle brackets and bracing to secure the wall in place and to further strengthen the structure before re-installing insulation and the interior paneling. For the first unit, where I had the heavy tool box, I designed and had a local welder build an internal framework of 1" square steel tubing to both reinforce the entire front end of the trailer and hold the toolbox that was securely bolted to the frame. That may have been overkill, but I wanted to make sure my tool box didn't pound my trailer apart again and I never had any more problems.

I justified doing this repair myself because both trailers were many years old and had little market value (especially with the damaged front end). I had little to lose by attempting the repair myself and I could neither afford nor justify the expense of having them professionally repaired -- PLUS I had the advice of an expert to guide me, which was a big advantage.

In my case, the damage was structural, all inside the walls, and the cosmetic components (interior paneling and exterior skin) were salvageable. You may have cosmetic damage to exterior or interior wall or ceiling panels. Cosmetic damage is not uncommon, and, although it may not affect the utility or integrity of the unit, it is unsightly and will reduce resale or trade-in value as well as diminishing the unit in your own eyes.  Damaged external skin can allow the elements access into the walls which eventually causes additional damage.  Sometimes you may be able to match exterior surfaces and replace damaged sections yourself, but finding matching materials for older units may be difficult if not impossible. If that is the case, you may have to replace a lot more than just the damaged section to maintain a consistent and cosmetically appealing appearance. A quick and inexpensive solution I learned from an RV technician for many exterior repairs is to cover the damaged area with a furnace vent like the ones in your home.  You can buy them in various sizes at any home center or  hardware store.  They can be painted to match any color scheme and though non-functional, give a better factory appearance than using unmatched patches. A critical point in making any exterior repairs is ensuring that all seams are secure and sealed before installing any cosmetic covering. Many RVs have fiberglass exteriors and these can sometimes be repaired using fiberglass mesh and a plastic resin filler such as "Bondo".  Such repairs are usually a last ditch effort when replacement parts cannot be found.  Getting a "like new" appearance with Bondo is often attempted but seldom achieved by amateurs.  It is pretty easy to work with but getting a visually perfect finish requires a lot of practice and patience.

Damaged interior paneling is usually more universal and easier to match. Most RVs use common 3/16" luan plywood. In a pinch, you may have to replace more than just the immediate damaged area to make a cosmetically pleasing repair. You may have to redo a whole section or even a whole wall. Replacing damaged exterior panels or "skin" requires carefully removing the damaged section. You may be able to carefully cut out and replace only the damaged area by using matching "trim" to secure and cover the new seams. Or you may have to replace the entire original panel. Replacing interior paneling that has dry rot or has impact damage can greatly enhance the appearance and improve the re-sale value of an older unit. You might use pre-finished paneling,  Other interior replacement panels can be stained, painted, or wall-papered to match or complement the original interior. Sometimes you can install new paneling over old to achieve satisfactory results without taking things apart, but you usually get a better looking and better fitting repair if you remove and replace damaged panels. Covering up rotted paneling encourages further deterioration and may produce unpleasant odors from the old, rotting wood and damage the new paneling you install over it.  Whenever replacing exterior or interior panels, inspect the exposed area behind the panels for structural damage and replace or reinforce any damaged structural members while you have access to them. This is also a good time to check any exposed wiring for wear or damage or perhaps to add wiring for additional accessories (like speaker wiring or additional lights or accessories) you may have in mind or may want someday. All exterior walls should include insulation. Even if, by chance, your unit was not fully insulated, take advantage of having the paneling off to install insulation in the exposed area. Foam board or fiberglass sheet or roll insulation can be easily cut to fit to fill available spaces. Small areas and cracks can be filled with spray foam. You may want to insulate interior walls too, for noise control, if nothing else. If there are visible cracks or seams that could allow moisture or air to enter an exterior wall, seal them with silicone or spray foam insulation. Your goal is to keep the inside of the wall dry and prevent drafts. Moisture inside a wall can result in dry rot and drafts negate any insulating quality of the the dead air space in the wall. Interior panels may be glued, nailed, or screwed in place. If you choose to use screws, you will probably want to use plastic screw caps to make the installation more attractive. Finish the installation by staining or painting the new segment or covering it with wall paper to match or complement the existing decor and use appropriate trim to cover seams and finish any exposed edges. You might disguise interior damage using vent panels or installing decorative features such as mirrors, small cabinets, sconces, or shelves. Wall paper or just wall paper borders might be used to update an old, outdated interior and cover over unsightly walls.  I once made use of an unsightly hole in a cabinet front to install a battery operated clock.  You will find a variety of clock kits at most craft stores that include the mechanism, hands, and pre-glued numbers. 

Other areas that frequently need repairs are floors and roofs. With floors, you can usually take up the floor covering, cut out the rotten or damaged section, replace it with similar plywood or underlayment, then re-install the floor covering. I do not recommend particle board as it doesn't do well if it gets wet.  For best result use a marine-grade, exterior plywood. Roofs are more difficult. You may be able to patch tears in rubber roofs and small punctures in any roof, but internal structural damage requires major renovation. Sometimes you may be able to repair damaged ceiling panels but if the exterior paneling or the infrastructure has been weakened, repairs will be complex and are best handled by professionals since it will probably involve removing and rebuilding the structural components of the roof. It may also involve removing all the upper cabinets throughout the RV. Many RV roofs have all the layers from the ceiling surface to the outside surface laminated together. This makes spot repairs difficult and I would leave any major roof repairs to professionals. Punctures and cracks can usually be successfully repaired at home using materials and sealants that are compatible with the roof material. Dry rot and "soft spots" in the roof are probably best left to the pros. Whenever you make any dry rot repairs anywhere in your RV, make sure the area is allowed to thoroughly dry out before installing new material and closing it up.

Bent or damaged frames are, fortunately, fairly rare, but I have seen it happen.   I discovered a sagging rear end on one of my early Class C motorhomes.  A thorough inspection found that some places where the frame and been extended had never been properly welded into place.  We used jacks near the rear bumper to lift the sagging segment back into place, then reinforced and welded the appropriate joints.  I've also seen frames bent from inappropriate use of air bag suspension.  The air bags were installed per the bag manufacturer's instructions directly over the axle.  Turned out that was the weakest part of the frame and the new air bags became the single, primary point of suspension. supplanting the original design that put the weight at two points where the leaf springs attached to sturdy parts of the frame.  An analysis by a stress engineer I knew determined it would take only a 1" drop to bend the frame over the air bags!  The solution was removing the air bags, then propping up the back of the motorhome and letting its own weight push the frame back to where it should have been over several days.  The next step is to reinforce the weakened frame by welding 1/4" plates along the narrowed portions.  That kind of welding is best done using an arc or mig welder, not a gas welder and extra care must be used to avoid igniting any of the non-metalic components of the RV.  A frame that has been bent or twisted by an accident should be straightened by a professional frame straightening service.  On rare occasions, a frame might get twisted simply by driving the RV aggressively over rough roads and that too will probably require professional frame straightening.

Cabinets and interior walls will sometimes come loose.  While this is not as urgent as significant exterior damage, it is still something you will want to deal with before it gets worse.  You surely want to repair overhead cabinets before the fall on someone!  Try to determine why the separation has occurred.  Sometimes overhead cabinets are overloaded, causing them to pull away from walls and ceilings.  The first step is to empty the cabinets.  Then look for cracks in the interior framing and/or fasteners that have pulled loosed.  Sometimes you can replace loose fasteners with slightly larger ones that will find a grip in the underlying structure sufficient to effect repairs.  Sometimes you might have to add internal bracing that can be secured to the walls or ceiling to anchor the cabinet.  In a worst case scenario you might be able to add a support under the front of the cabinet.  If you use a decorative support like a stair railing baluster under each corner between the overhead cabinet and the counter top below, it can look quite cosmetically pleasing.  When you have completed your repairs, avoid overloading the cabinet again to prevent future damage. If interior walls have separated from the ceiling or from exterior walls, it may be an indication of tweaking of the the whole body of the coach and ultimately the cause of the deformation needs to be corrected.  If you cannot determine the cause of the deformation and simply want to correct the gap you will probably have to disassemble the wall and reinstall it to get a good fit.  To maintain original appearance try to salvage the paneling so you can reuse it.  Sometimes you can shift the framing back into place and secure it to floor, walls, and ceiling.  If the deformation is too great for that you may have to remove the framing and start over, building a frame that will fit properly.  Slight separations can sometimes be covered with moldings for a temporary repair.  Doing so without correction the cause will not fix the problem, but you might be able to get by with it for a while.  Some small gaps are actually quite normal and if they aren't getting noticeably larger with time its probably safe to cover them for cosmetic purposes.

Minor repairs. Normal wear and tear are going to take their toll on any vehicle. You can expect to accumulate scrapes and scratches and perhaps a few punctures in RV wall panels over time. Keeping up with minor defects can often prevent the damage from spreading. Tears in upholstery, drapes, curtains, or carpets should be neatly sewn. Some tears in vinyl upholstery can be effectively repaired with liquid patches or vinyl tape. For temporary repairs, you can use duct tape to close gashes and prevent dirt from getting underneath as well as reducing the chance the tear will get worse. Damage to exterior surfaces require quick attention to avoid dirt, moisture, or wind from causing further damage. A loose exterior panel can be temporarily secured with duct tape to keep it from blowing off and keep the weather out. A tear or puncture in the roof or a side panel can also be temporarily repaired with duct tape in dry weather. In wet weather you may need a special tape that sticks to wet surfaces. It is going to be more expensive and harder to find than duct tape, but it will be well worth it if you can prevent water from getting into ceilings and wall panels. Cracked or broken windows also need prompt attention. Duct tape isn't pretty for this, so you might want to carry a roll of clear packing tape. Cracked or broken mirrors inside your RV create a hazard and should be promptly removed or taped up to prevent glass shards from becoming projectiles during any unexpected violent maneuvers.

Some nicely done repairs may add years of life to an older unit, prevent further damage and even injuries, improve resale value, and give you a lot of personal satisfaction. Sometimes a repair becomes the stimulus for an innovative redesign that corrects defficiencies in the original design or just modernizes the unit and is particularly rewarding when it is complete.

Good luck and have fun!