inside paneling removal/re-installation

flipskid

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
27
I am interested in removing the white enterior paneling in my grandby to access the frame for some modifications and to also upgrade the wiring. I want to put some of those foot holds, a bike/chair rack, outdoor speakers, flood lights etc on my grandby. As i write this i was thinking of those garage track systems where multiple hangers can be utilized...hmm Can i just pry the panels off and then pinnail them back on? I would rather deal with the interior panels than the exterior. Any words of advice? thanks JR
 
Hi - I removed all my interior panels and it wasn't so difficult, however; they were in bad shape so I worked hard on installing new birch panels which I secured with narrow crown air-gun staples at the top and bottom. While I was at it, I reattached a few alum. frame members that had broken loose with "L" brackets, installed foam insulation, and redid the wiring. I used the old panels as patterns and the result with the finished birch is beautiful - even if I must say so myself. I even modified the rear to the left of the door with super solid alum. framing to make an AC mount. I'll post pictures when the work is finished. Keep in mind that the alum. tubing is real thin and only welded on one face so be sure you mount your hardware to the wider frame members. There is a mix of 1, 1.5, and 2 inch tubing running both vertically and horizontally. so you should have something to work with. Use #10 x 3/4" stainless steel screws and don't over tighten or you'll pull the alum. to the point where the screw will just spin.
Tom
 
My shell Eagle it was easy to remove the driver side panel. It was screwed on on the top edge and front and back edge, and airgun stapled into the aluminum tubing along the bottom edge. It was also under the support board for the overhead pull out bed which had to be removed. No fasteners for the panel except on the edges. The screws were visible and easy to remove, most of the staples were not visible and I had to carefully pry the bottom edge off, mostly pulling the staples through the panel which came off in one piece. I'll be reattaching only part of it back as a lot of the wall will have appliances, cabinets and such like against it. Won't use staples into the aluminum, it looks like each of the staples created a potential fatigue crack start location. Only use stainless steel screws, of which #6 or #8 are probably the appropriate size. Any of the original staples I run across I'm replacing as they are galvanized and many of them are rusting after only 5 years. For the most part I prefer screws in case I need to go back in again, but any staples I use will be stainless steel.

The rear panel on mine is under the lift system at the top, don't plan to take it off as only a little wiring to put in there and removing a lift panel and putting it back is significant work. Passenger side wall would require removing the window and overhead bed support. Again don't yet have justification for removing that wall yet. I'd have to remove the front sliding window to get the front off. Do want to trace the main wire into the camper there, though I have no plans to use that hookup and will put the hookup on the driver's side, which matches the wiring of my Ranger better.

The shell did not have much wiring, and little or none of that will be reused in my work. I'll be putting in a better grade of marine wire. And as much as possible making it more accessible for future repairs/modifications.
 
Thanks guys for your responses. Another question, is the wire routed through the frame or inbetween the paneling and the frame, and there are no attaching points other than the top and bottom? nothing in the middle areas? I began to wonder how i was going to run the wire after looking at the camper again. Keep forgetting about the pop up! It was easier on my boat, least it had top rails to run the wire under. I also noticed as mentioned that the lift support is mounted over/thru the paneling and the entire cabinet face and top would have to be taken out. More than i want to do right now, add it to the list for later. Do either of you have the foot holds on the outside? Aren't they thru bolted with the nuts on the inside of the camper and the outside of the paneling? Thanks again, JR
 
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