Rapido external panels uncovered (1 Viewer)

[Techno]

Not many people get to see under the skin as repairs are usually consigned to dealerships behind closed doors.
So as I have panel damage going back over two years I'd been keeping an eye out for the part I needed without paying Rapido prices and UK concessionaire mark ups.
Picture here of a longstanding wound.

Replacement corner found for £200 with some haggling

So the first job to enable removal is to take off the lower centre section.
All panels are held in place with "mushrooms" a trade term?

Sometimes they will pull out but to avoid damaging the flexible centre section I used a saw from below to relieve the 5 fixings

Then after removing all screws and disconnecting the wiring harness you can pull off the corner section

Lighting wiring harness transferred to new panel and new mushrooms fitted

New corner panel in place, this is quite fiddly and a point where one is likely to think I wish I'd left it to a specialist

Centre section brought home for a serious clean up and service of the number plate lights

To be continued........

 

[Just smiffy]

I'll be watching this with interest Andy

 

[Mr B]

Me too.
Couldn't you get your old damaged panel repaired?

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[Just smiffy]

Me too.
Couldn't you get your old damaged panel repaired?

Yes and keep it for a spare......

 

[Don Quixote]

Nice work Andy.

 

[Techno]

If I repaired it I'd then have to have it spray painted and then have to have the other corner at least painted too. Just not worth the effort as the rest of the panel is in poor condition anyway.

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[Techno]

Corner panel removed and refitted three times until I was as satisfied with it as possible. It pays to put some grease on the pins as they can be quite hard to drive home. Sikaflex behind fixing screw points to prevent cracking and vibration.

Wiring harness rejoined and number plate lights reconnected. ready to refit

Refitted

Replacement Chrome trim similar to Rapido but ebay

Job done

 

[Mr B]

Looks well mate. Good job

 

[Jagtazman]

Nicely done

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[StitchesnFluff]

Great job!

 

[Greenway]

Looks great, I've missed the regular modification threads of a couple of years ago.

 

[Techno]

A repair job to the LED side marker light
They had cut so much length off the wires and used through crimps that had corroded. Soldered on some new tails and heat shrink sleeving
Jokon replacements are about £12 delivered

EDIT these are not polarity sensitive

Source of replacements

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[Techno]

Along the bottom of the panels where they overlap Rapido use different methods to fasten them together including rivets but they're all a crap job.
I re drilled the holes and used these Citroen reusable fasteners

 

[wizzer59]

Along the bottom of the panels where they overlap Rapido use different methods to fasten them together including rivets but they're all a crap job.
I re drilled the holes and used these Citroen reusable fasteners
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CITROEN-RENAULT-PEUGEOT-WHEEL-ARCH-COVER-FASTENER-x10-CLIPS-/231153130626?hash=item35d1ccdc82:g:OCgAAOxy0NtTDPgr

From my experience with these cars it'll probly fall off then

 

[Rapido772f]

What do you use on your panels to get them so shiny Andy
Paul

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[Mici]

I know this is an old thread - But please can you let me know where you sourced the' mushrooms' from? we need to sort out our door trim on a 2008 Rapido A class.

 

[Crazy Grandad]

I know this is an old thread - But please can you let me know where you sourced the' mushrooms' from? we need to sort out our door trim on a 2008 Rapido A class.

Hi OldWoman here, did you find out where he sourced the mushroom clips from.

 

[TheBig1]

ebay usually has a few sellers although some ebay shops are closed at the moment

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[Crazy Grandad]

thanks for your help these clips seem very hard to get

 

[Mici]

Hi OldWoman here, did you find out where he sourced the mushroom clips from.

 

[Mici]

Hello oldwomen- my husband has scoured our old orders and can not find or remember where we purchased the mushorrom clips from, sorry. However he says look up awning or tarpaulin clamps on Amazon or ebay or check with Wokingham motorhomes ( Rapido Dealer) Have you joined the Rapido owners club as they are very helpful?- hope this helps.

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[Crazy Grandad]

Hi thank you so much for letting me know. I will look on there web site. If i persevere enough i will get there in the end. Thanks once again, keep motorhoming.

 

[Mici]

Hello again old women,
My husband thought I was asking about the awning and some clips we got for our sun shades , so disregard that sentence!!
He is looking for the few clips / rivets we had left and if they are still in their packet we can get a part number for you.- he remembers buying the rivets from a dealer , he thinks Brownhills - Approx £8 fro a handful.

 

[Mici]

Hello Old women- we do not have any left , only kept some off the used ones just in case and no part number. My Husband is sure that he phoned up a Rapido dealer ( Brownhills?) explained what they were and sent a photo , we then received the correct ones.
Again- hope this helps , sorry we can not be more accurate!
In hind sight I should have replied to my own post and let everyone know where we got them from at the time!

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[Crazy Grandad]

Hello again old women,
My husband thought I was asking about the awning and some clips we got for our sun shades , so disregard that sentence!!
He is looking for the few clips / rivets we had left and if they are still in their packet we can get a part number for you.- he remembers buying the rivets from a dealer , he thinks Brownhills - Approx £8 fro a handful.

Hi Mici,
If he can find the packet that would be fantastic, fingers crossed thanks once again.

 

[TheBig1]

if you measure one of the old ones, search ebay for fir tree clips of that size. There are hundreds of different sizes and types. If you can't find an exact match, there will be something that will work

 

[Techno]

Sorry everyone I never got any alerts to the question asked about mushroom studs.
Wokingham motorhomes dealer

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[Hydrocell]

Hi Techno I know it's been some time since you prepared the corner of the Rapido where did you manage to get the part from as I need the left-hand corner at the moment and I'm having no luck.
Regards Ray

 

[TheBig1]

Hi Techno I know it's been some time since you prepared the corner of the Rapido where did you manage to get the part from as I need the left-hand corner at the moment and I'm having no luck.
Regards Ray

What age rapido? I have a full rear bumper in the shed

 

[TheBig1]

I just found a right hand light pod on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29311559...d=link&campid=5338547443&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

The only other option is order one from a dealer like brownhills as rapido do not sell parts direct to customers

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