Reseal The Curb Side

I was working on the generator of my 26 foot coach, and having problems with the points. When taking a break from cussing at the Onan designers, I noticed a slight gap between the rub rail and the side of my 23 foot Birchaven. Not thinking to clearly, I started poking it with my finger. (I had just got off a 12 hour shift....) Well, the rub rail just fell off!

I forgot to take pictures, but it was UGLY!

When cleaning up under the rub rail, I noticed that a few of the edges of the side panels had come loose from the ribs. Those should be addressed also.



I had cleaned up the PO applied silicone from the gaps and masked the area. (Always mask for ANY sealant.)

I filled the seams at the edge of the panel with a 3m product... "5200" or something. It is an adhesive as well as a sealant. (It is permanent, so be careful with the stuff!) They make it in several colors and they say it'll hold paint if painted. (not the same as "Paintable.") After working the sealant under the panel, I applied pressure to hold the panel against the ribs. The "5200" takes a few days to cure.



I removed the masking and cleaned up any stray sealant.




I primed the rub-rail... we had to make a trip.



While I do want to remove the rub-rails and paint under them body color, I am not ready for the full project. So... I painted a "rub rail" onto the side of the body.

This project was done in July 2010... The last paint was applied in September.

Total cost about $35... with about 3/4 tube of sealant left over. We'll see if the little rubber caps I bought will save the rest of it.