Camper Side Impaled By Tree Branch

[MarkBC]

Before I perforated my tire on my current eastern Sierra trip (I'm still out there), I managed to get a hole punched in the aluminum skin of my camper. The hole is a little over 1 inch across.

It must have happened when I was navigating through a grove of aspens in search of the perfect view-spot near Monitor pass, my first night of this trip. To the left of the hole you can see a groove scratched in the skin ending (or beginning) at the hole. I knew the aspens were rubbing against my rig, but I heard/felt nothing that told me we'd been wounded. I didn't notice the hole until the next day. I was a little shocked.

And it wasn't until another day had passed that I noticed that the inside wall was breached, too:

Any suggestions for relatively easy/cheap way to patch the hole in the aluminum skin? I'm the kind of guy that doesn't care if something looks perfect.

But if I wanted it to look perfect, I assume I could have the entire panel/strip replaced by a shop -- not the whole side of the camper, just the one horizontal strip....right?

This is a 2005 FWC Hawk.

 

[Darryla]

On the inside you could take a piece of wood and rub it back and forth until it was flat again. Then, I will try to explain it the best I can, buy a furniture repair crayon that matches the color of the panelling. I have some so I know it exists, You rub it back and forth and it will fill in the holes. Then spray on some furniture wax and buff it. It may not look that bad. I have done this a couple of times to furnature that has been damaged. For the outside, maybe call FWC or All Terrain and ask the for a piece of siding you could silicon glue it over the damaged area and then put a few sheet metal screws in. Ask FWC or All Terrian, I am sure they will give you a decent solution.

Good luck.

DP

 

[Lighthawk]

Then spray on some furniture wax and buff it.

Best Repair Advice Ever!!!

That sh*t will buff!

 

[Riverrunner]

I'd probably head home early too with the way the trip has been going... Sometimes you have to tuck tail, re-group, and make ammends to the travel gods!

Yeah.. a little bondo and you're good to go.

 

[lqhikers]

wish i had a picture of what i did when i was moving a piece of rebar in my shop to cut a piece off.
i backed up with it and put a gouge plus small hole.

after cussing myself and trying to blame the cat i came up with a easy out.

i took a outside electric outlet cover, they come with rubber gasket and mounted it
over the hole. since at the time i had a sat dish mounted on my rear ladder i used this outlet
to install a connector for cable,i had been feeding the cable through the turnbuckle access area.
(i was lucky as the hole was at the rear of passenger side)

i did not see where you had mother nature jab you but maybe this will give you a idea that might work.

let us know what you do to repair.

Les,lqhikers

 

[craig333]

Ah Les, I like your thinking. More than once I've "repurposed" a hole.

 

[cwdtmmrs]

Maybe a waterproof exterior 12v accessory outlet? I was going to add one anyway, but I think I will use my cordless drill.....

CWD

 

[Argonaut20]

Some sheet aluminum, polyurethane sealant, and pop rivets come to mind as a fix that would be weatherproof. Cut a rectangular piece of aluminum that covers the damaged area, form by hand so it fits the contour of the side, apply the sealant fairly liberally around the edges, drill 1/8" holes and pop rivet the patch on. Short rivets should do it. Clean off the sealant that gets squeezed out.

 

[Simpleman (shanz3n5)]

ok......i had a roof top puncture recently and repaired it with a self-leveling roof sealant. normally used in rubber roof skins and roof lap joints / over roof top fasteners. worked great.
this was also the advice from FCW. you could also add a small peace of thin aluminum.
fill the hole as it is. add the aluminum skin with just enough sealant to ooz out when u press down, dont press yet. blue tape around aluminum peace about 1/8" away. now press flush. smooth out ozzed bead with finger or plastic putty scraper. remove blue tape. if u need to paint the aluminum its an appliance grade white.
hope that helps.

 

[Lighthawk]

ok......i had a roof top puncture recently and repaired it with a self-leveling roof sealant. normally used in rubber roof skins and roof lap joints / over roof top fasteners. worked great.
this was also the advice from FCW. you could also add a small peace of thin aluminum.
fill the hole as it is. add the aluminum skin with just enough sealant to ooz out when u press down, dont press yet. blue tape around aluminum peace about 1/8" away. now press flush. smooth out ozzed bead with finger or plastic putty scraper. remove blue tape. if u need to paint the aluminum its an appliance grade white.
hope that helps.

Our inaugural voyage with our Hawk resulted in a hole in the roof due to operator error.
My fix was very similar to shanz3n5, but I used stick-back rubber flashing (used on roof for ice damming issues and also sold as window flashing in 6" rolls). I finished by pop riviting aluminum siding over the waterproof patch.
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/gallery/album/244-fwc-roof-repair/

 

[LuckyDan]

I'd guess a call to FWC and a couple bucks would get you a piece of scrap you could cut to cover the outside, then follow the goo and rivet approach as mentioned or if the idea of rivets showing is unacceptable then metal epoxy the patch on. Of course the repurpose idea is a good if you have a need for a repurposed hole.

The good thing about getting a piece of scrap is getting something that will match the contours in the metal and color. A guy may luck out at the hardware store and find siding that matches too. I don't think it's an FWC exclusive item.