Side Wall Separation

[old fashioned]

My coach is built on the Kodiak chassis but believe construction the same on all Born Free units. The side wall on passenger side has come loose at the bottom where it joins the floor. This is from outside the coach. There is a seam cover which is also loose. Does anyone know how the sidewall is attached to the floor? Appreciate any ideas. Thanks.

[Roger H]

I have a Kodiak-based coach as well. Can you provide a couple of photos of the area you're concerned about please? That way we can see exactly what's going on and figure out how to fix it.

[old fashioned]

I will see if can figure out how to post photo. Having been to factory, think the sidewalls were framed in 1 x 2 wood. Believe the bottom frame which would be horizontal to floor might have come loose. Maybe a sidewall leak which was not noticed. Recently resealed driver side windows and above where the roof and sidewalls meet. At this point, thinking it might be easier to repair by removing inside wall which would be beyond me, but within ability of a tech I know. Will see if can post sometime tomorrow. But it is on outside passenger side where sidewall meets floor. Loose at that point. Can pull out about 1 1/2 inches.

[bfadmin]

old fashioned,

Please read the Photo Posting Rules & Hints section to help you with posting photos on this forum.

[Roger H]

I will see if can figure out how to post photo. Having been to factory, think the sidewalls were framed in 1 x 2 wood. Believe the bottom frame which would be horizontal to floor might have come loose. Maybe a sidewall leak which was not noticed. Recently resealed driver side windows and above where the roof and sidewalls meet. At this point, thinking it might be easier to repair by removing inside wall which would be beyond me, but within ability of a tech I know. Will see if can post sometime tomorrow. But it is on outside passenger side where sidewall meets floor. Loose at that point. Can pull out about 1 1/2 inches.

That's quite a lot more information. From working on Airstreams for years, it sounds likely that your sidewall and/or flooring is rotted and there's nothing left for the side wall screws to attach to. That will require a major repair job, and I'd suggest that you do it from the inside where you can get to the framing and/or flooring that needs to be replaced. You likely won't know the scope of the damage until you've got the inside wall removed and the carpet pulled up. That will, of course, require that the captain's chairs and pull out table cabinet be removed as well as probably the window on that side. You'll have to decide at that point whether the ceiling cabinets will need to come off the wall as well to repair or replace what's damaged.

I don't think it'll necessarily be a difficult task, just time consuming and tedious. I wouldn't care to do that myself any more.

[old fashioned]

Thanks Roger. That is probably the solution. The loose sidewall is also on the awning side, another potential source of a leak. Also thanks to Bill Hemme, but still too big a challenge to transfer photos from IPhone to laptop and then to website. The RV tech I know will be back in a week or so and will have him look at the sidewall. Sounds scary to pull off the wall covering but that may be the only way. Removing the dinette shouldn't be too bad. This coach has the convertible dinette passenger side front. Thanks again. Will update when possible.

[shilohdad]

I can’t help with your sidewall problem, but here is an iPhone/iPad app I use to resize photos:

Image Size by vsmedia.de
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/image-s ... 66542?mt=8

Pretty easy to use, and you should be able to then use your iPhone to access this site and upload any resized photos stored in the Photos app on your iPhone.

[old fashioned]

Upon further examination, instead of the entire sidewall being separated at the bottom where it attaches to the floor structure, it might be only the exterior fiberglass which has come loose. The seam at the bottom of the sidewall is separated, but the structure behind it might be OK. There is a lot of heat from the sun on the sidewall here in FL, so assume it has to expand but has nowhere to go. The fiberglass exterior skin of all Born Free coaches is floating, i.e., not laminated to other layers as in many RVs. But the top, side, and bottom seams anchor the skin to the coach. Anyway, more later, after an RV tech gets a look at it.

[perleys]

This is a reply to an older post. I took my BF in for pre-winter inspection and was told that my sidewalls have separated from the coach in many places. All along the top and bottom on most of both sides. The one area that seems to still be good is the nose cone and overhead compartment. They are quoting me about $3300 to repair with labor as most of the cost. Have anyone else had a similar repair and does that sound reasonable?

[old fashioned]

Born Free side walls are floating. You should not need repair. Old fashioned

[old fashioned]

As mentioned before on this subject, Born Free side walls are not laminated, i.e., glued together under pressure like many RVs. They are attached at the top and bottom only, so it is possible there is space behind the side wall when one presses on it. My coach sidewall had come loose at the bottom due to an interior water leak which rotted the lower attachment. Maybe the person who gave the estimate does not know how Born Free is constructed.

[perleys]

Thanks Old Fashioned, he indicated the problem areas that has pulled away are along the top seam and bottom. I did have some floor rotting in the lower one side of the BF and had the floor repaired. Have had several major issues making me regret the purchase but I still love the BF!