Frankieshome1 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I have some cracks on the rear of my motorhome. I did not notice them when I bought it, but there they are now, but don't seem to be deep. I think whoever had it before me hit something, and have tried to repair. Is there a way of repairing them? If not does anyone know a mobile repairer in the Northampton area who would take a look? I am not a DIY person so it needs to be easy what to do please. Any help would be great-fully received. Its my first motorhome and I want it to be one I remember for fun, so far its pay pay pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 What make/model/ year of motorhome is it? Do you have a photo you can post? If its wood framed its very important to keep damp out of the cavity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankieshome1 Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 Its a Peugeot Autocruise its made of fibreglass. I dont have a photo at the moment however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 If its a grp moulded panel then it sounds like a stress fracture. Easy gel coat repair and not huge money. My advice find a marine grp repairer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 You could do a repair yourself by going to a chandlers and getting some gel coat but colour match will be very difficult to achieve. Depending on were it is you could do your own near enough repair as above then cover it with a gb sticker or reflective strip or a false vent or similar. Pic required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankieshome1 Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 Thank you very much for the advice, however what is gel coat, is it something you can get from say Halfords? The GB sticker sounds a good idea as well, thank you. I will post a picture tonight as soon as I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Do they look anything like these gelcoat 'star cracks'? http://www.walshsurveyor.com/yachts/articles/gelcoat-cracks/gelcoat-crazing-2.jpg If so, the reason that you may not have spotted them at the time of purchase is that they can be made pretty much invisible by polishing away the dirt. I have some on my boat from minor impacts and they dissapear after the pre-season hull polish and then slowly re-appear during the season as the dirt gets ingrained. Generally star crazing is not important and can be left untreated as the underlying laminate is undamaged, but this is all conjecture without seeing at least some pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankieshome1 Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 Hi Steve, yes they do, I am very annoyed that it got past me I must admit, I have the wife going off on one as we paid a bit of money for the MH in the first place. I will post some pictures late, thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Ah OK. The only way to repair these is to grind out the cracks with a Dremel or similar and then fill them with new colour-matched gelcoat and flatten back to a smooth finish. It's a seriously skillful job though and personally I would just leave them well alone. Give them a good clean with a mild fibreglass cutting paste (e.g. Farecla Hull Cleaner from a marine chandler), apply a few coats of polish and learn to love them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankieshome1 Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 Thanks again Steve. I will post some photos later however if you dont mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Steve928 - 2015-04-08 12:32 PM Ah OK. The only way to repair these is to grind out the cracks with a Dremel or similar and then fill them with new colour-matched gelcoat and flatten back to a smooth finish. It's a seriously skillful job though and personally I would just leave them well alone. Give them a good clean with a mild fibreglass cutting paste (e.g. Farecla Hull Cleaner from a marine chandler), apply a few coats of polish and learn to love them!It's not a seriously skilful job at all. Google "repairing star cracks in gel coat" and you will find loads of advice. Or go to Marine Secol boatyard at Billing near Northampton and they will probably do it for you, or at least tell you what to do and sell you all you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 You don't say whether it is a 'genuine' Autocruise or a post Swift takeover Autocruise? If the latter mouldings may be available from Swift, if the former some of the moulds were bought up by O'Learys in Ireland when Autocruise went belly up. I seem to recall that some of the mouldings on the pre Swift era Autocruises we had may have been plastic or maybe a form of polycarbonate and if so repair methods may be different. Is it rough on the inside of the moulding with glass fibre strands visibly cast into in the resin or is it smooth on the inside? It's not hard to stop the cracks spreading or to repair it but getting a decent colour match and blend in may involve spraying part of or the whole panel and it will need the correct preparation which includes using flexible filler, special primer and a flexible top coat. I've never worked with gel coat as a topical application so cannot comment, but I have repaired and resprayed GRP mouldings using automotive materials in the past with good and lasting results. With respect, that you need to ask what a gel coat is suggests that you may not have any experience in dealing with this sort of repair so I advise that you think hard before you get too involved and I agree that a boat yard may be the best place to seek advice. That said any decent auto bodyshop should be able to repair GRP and it may be worth talking to people like 'chips away' SMART repairers or similar. Have you spoken to the supplying dealer for help and guidance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 You've had some good advice here. If needed this sort of GRP repair I would take it to a proper caravan repairer and let practiced hands do a proper job. I wouldn't expect a small area of these very superficial crack to cost much to grind out, fill and finish and with my guy I'd be expecting to pay no more than about £100 in total. Don't panic, this is easily repairable; it's just that there's a knack to doing it well. If you want to try it yourself have a go on a couple of bits of scrap GRP first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Tracker - 2015-04-08 8:09 PM You don't say whether it is a 'genuine' Autocruise or a post Swift takeover Autocruise? If the latter mouldings may be available from Swift, if the former some of the moulds were bought up by O'Learys in Ireland when Autocruise went belly up. ? Maybe an Irish sounding name, but they are still in BEVERLY, just north of Hull. !!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankieshome1 Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 Many thanks for all the suggestions and advice, great to know you are around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 You are welcome and thanks for the feedback. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron. Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 If you visit a boat chandler they sell a hairline crack repair product called something like "Captain Tooleys Crack Repair". It's a near invisible liquid in a tube which you simply touch on the crack and it seals into the crack by cavitation. I used it on our previous Frankia on the back panel and it lasted three years until I sold the vehicle without the cracks spreading further. I think the same might have been used on your van if you can hardly see the repair. I would keep an eye on the area concerned and leave well alone unless it spreads rather than involve yourself in costly repairs that might not be needed. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Captain Tooleys. does no "repair" cracks. It is supposed o SEAL them against water creep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 For info on what Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure does see - http://www.captaintolley.com/ and for a few reviews see - http://www.amazon.co.uk/CAPTAIN-TOLLEYS-CREEPING-CRACK-SEALANT/dp/B002UPK51C I've used it in the past on car, boat and motorhome windows and usually it works but not always but for the price it is worth a go at what it is designed for. Whether it would work satisfactorily on bodywork I do not know, but it might stop cracks from spreading although it's presence might make other repairs more difficult in the future so anyone wanting to use it on bodywork might like to do their research first. http://www.captaintolley.com/applications Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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