Crack appeared over the winter (1 Viewer)

[Antony bleasdale]

I started to get our autotrail ready at the weekend and was horrified to find a crack in the gel oat between a window and a locker. It can't get any bigger as it is in between two openings. I can only presume that water has passed the window seal and has been subject to the frost, expanded and caused the damage. Does anyone know if the gel oat is polyester and a real colour or somewhere that supplies gel oat for such repairs
Many thanks

 

[PP Bear]

Sorry to hear that, I don't suppose you have any pictures?

 

[Antony bleasdale]

Will take one tomorow, can't bear to look at it. I have talked to a body repairer but he needs to know what materials were used by autotrail in the construction in 2008. I know its grp and gelcoat but finding it difficult to pinpoint the type and colour

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[PP Bear]

Well good luck as I have an AT and I'd be gutted, so feel for you.

Can only suggest called them directly and asking AT themselves?

 

[PP Bear]

Maybe these can help?

 

[cornish boy]

I started to get our autotrail ready at the weekend and was horrified to find a crack in the gel oat between a window and a locker. It can't get any bigger as it is in between two openings. I can only presume that water has passed the window seal and has been subject to the frost, expanded and caused the damage. Does anyone know if the gel oat is polyester and a real colour or somewhere that supplies gel oat for such repairs
Many thanks

It will be a 'real colour' but gelcoat fades in UV light so the original RAL code may not be the colour you need.

When doing gel repairs you need to remove any oxidisation from the surface before matching using a RAL colour chart. You can then get some gel mixed up using the RAL code.

Will be interested in seeing the photos as it sounds unusual. Not always, but normally frost gets into a void in the GRP layup and tends to cause the gel to blow out rather than crack.

In terms of your question re: Polyester/Vinylester/Epoxy. I would guess that the gelcoat will be Polyester based on nothing more scientific than Polyester is the cheapest!

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[funflair]

I'm sure it will be Polyester, I would ask Autotrail about the colour and they might even give you some pigment or at least point you in the right direction. I'm with @cornish boy that the Gel shouldn't just crack without something stressing it. A while ago there was a thread about cracks in the sides of Autotrails because the opening for windows had been cut too tight, it sounds like your openings are close together.

Martin

 

[Antony bleasdale]

 

[Antony bleasdale]

I could understand a stress crack appearing in the vehicle first couple of years but 9 years without an issue is weird. I was going to get it polished but I will wait until the crack is fixed. I am going to get a quote for the polishing but I may do it myself by hand. Any pointers on the cutting compound, Polish and a good wax to keep it in good knick after the cleaning and polishing is finished
Many thanks

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[The Wino]

Looks odd to me are you sure the wall is sound in that area and not flexing?

 

[hilldweller]

Looks odd to me are you sure the wall is sound in that area and not flexing?

Yes indeed, that lower door will unscrew and give access to look at the framework.

 

[TheBig1]

given the design, there may well not be a frame round the window or door. just a bonded sandwich which can of course flex

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[tonka]

There were cases of this happening on some Autotrails in the past. From memory there was a problem with the manufacturer of the window changing the size and so AT were making the cut out to small / tight. So it may be worth researching this otherwise having a repair done on the gel coat may just end up with the same problem later on. If I find any links about it it will post them.

 

[funflair]

If I had to guess I would say that goes right through the composite wall not just the Gel-coat.

Martin

 

[tonka]

Here is one report on something similar..
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/autotrail-cracked-exterior-side-panel.21479/#post-260826

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[Antony bleasdale]

I haven't investigated the crack yet. Still crying. Will try a pin and see if the crack is all the way through to the insulation. If it is possibly remove the window and locker and possibly fibreglass from the rear before repairing the gelcoat,

 

[funflair]

I haven't investigated the crack yet. Still crying. Will try a pin and see if the crack is all the way through to the insulation. If it is possibly remove the window and locker and possibly fibreglass from the rear before repairing the gelcoat,

Good plan with the pin test, then the trouble is even with the door and window frame out you can't get to the back of the fibreglass outer skin, you might be governed by what framework there is but a patch on the back would be easier than trying to fibreglass it, don't forget that if the insulation is polystyrene it will disintegrate in contact with polyester resin.

Martin

 

[cornish boy]

I haven't investigated the crack yet. Still crying.

I feel for you, no-one would want to find that on the side of their motorhome.

I think I would want to try and make it waterproof even if it was to just cover the crack with vasoline while I was working out a game plan.

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[Antony bleasdale]

Will tape over it for now. Don't want to contaminate inside the crack which I fear will make the repair even worse

 

[funflair]

I feel for you, no-one would want to find that on the side of their motorhome.

I think I would want to try and make it waterproof even if it was to just cover the crack with vasoline while I was working out a game plan.

Could I suggest a tape or something that might make any ultimate repair a bit easier than cleaning off vaseline.

Martin

 

[cornish boy]

The only reason I suggested Vaseline is that most people have some around and being petroleum based, acetone will clean it up when required.
However, a waterproof tape would do the same job.

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[TheBig1]

the fix is
remove door and window
dig out a channel in the urethane foam
fibreglass patch behind crack
grind back edges of crack
fill and top off with gelcoat filler
inject expanding foam
trim off foam
refit window and door on new mastic

allowing for drying times it may just be doable in one day, two to be sure

 

[Antony bleasdale]

Thanks for your help, had a word with a body repair specialist in the area. Came up with same method but they tend to use epoxy glues and cements now rather than fibreglass matting
Many thanks

 

[Charlie]

Thanks for your help, had a word with a body repair specialist in the area. Came up with same method but they tend to use epoxy glues and cements now rather than fibreglass matting
Many thanks

Fibreglass has a very small amount of flexing in until it ages . Epoxy resin I feel sure doesent. If it were me I would stick to fibreglass .

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[Antony bleasdale]

I will pass your comments on, thanks for your info.

 

[Charlie]

I will pass your comments on, thanks for your info.

A division of my company ( I'm retired now ) did fibreglass roofing . So in the workplace it was my job to look at the technicalities of the material and the range of options. Being the anal type I looked quite hard ! My suspicions are that the crack is partially stress related but has appeared because the slight and I do mean slight elasticity has decreased with age.

I would repair it by removing the door as people have said and do a really strong repair using heavy grade 600 gram matting and high quality resin. There really is a gain by using high quality resin !

The surface I would cover with a home made graphic perhaps cut from some genuine carbon fibre sheet. It could be made to look quite trick and would involve nothing more than a wee bit of careful filling cutting the sheet and applying. It really is a very simple task ! To try and repair / paint / match that surface finish is going to be nigh on impossible !

 

[cornish boy]

Thanks for your help, had a word with a body repair specialist in the area. Came up with same method but they tend to use epoxy glues and cements now rather than fibreglass matting
Many thanks

Might be worth talking to a marine GRP specialist, the guys I work with perform miracles and you wouldn't know it was there when they have finished.
You will see the outline of the repair faintly in years to come due to the gel fade but only if you were looking for it.

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[Antony bleasdale]

Just had a message from a member saying that autotrail will carry out the repair, sent them a picture and a letter. Fingers crossed

 

[dally]

This happened to our 2007 Autotrail Mohican perhaps 4 years ago. As stated above it is a problem with the cut outs for the windows. The answer is to get in touch with Autotrail at their HQ in Grimsby. They are aware that this is a problem and fixed ours and others free of charge. They did a brilliant job, we could'nt tell it had ever been there. The only draw back is, you have to get it there and collect it, in our case a fortnight later. Oh, and they told us not to bother leaving a list of other work as it wouldn't be done. Good luck.