RudyH Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Howdy All - Renovating my 1986 Sunrader. Question about the ceiling over the sleeping area that is above the cab. From the outside, it appears that the fiberglass is not sagging. From the inside the ceiling is sagging a little toward the front edge. I'm removing all the interior siding from the rest of the coach but not removing the ceiling due to the many warnings at this site (I plan to just paint it in place). However, I'm thinking of removing the ceiling over the sleeping area to see what's going on. It doesn't appear to have any structural significance... is this correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Kayakthecoast redid his ceiling in his Sunrader in the front. Don't have a link but maybe he will see this and post it so you can see what he did Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 Trimming it back a little and finishing it off sounds like a good idea. I have a seam in the ceiling at about that location that might work for making it come back to a straight line. Follow-up question on the clearance lights... I did some reading about whether or not I need to keep them and you (Corbin) mentioning that yours doesn't have them made me wonder again what is legal. I'd like to just pull them and fiberglass over the holes. It looks like some previous discussions made it sound like you could go either way but I wasn't sure. It sounds like yours never had them... were you able to figure out whether or not you actually need them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 The current regulations are pretty clear in that anything wider than 80" needs clearance lights. I'm also aware that early Sunraders (with the 'taller' cabover windows) didn't have them. That leads to 2 possibilities, it seems. Either the regulations changed or early Sunraders were 80" (or less) wide. I suppose there might be a third: earlier Sunraders were non-compliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 Looks like I'm 82" wide no matter how much I stretch the tape. Guess the lights will be staying. Back to the ceiling question... I pulled the sidewall paneling from the sleeper area to check for rot and it looks like I'm going to be okay there (I had a big rot area under one of the big windows so I'm checking everything now). Anyway, once I pulled the side paneling out, the roof paneling (not the fiberglass) started sagging even more because it was only being held up by the side paneling on the driver's side. Any adhesive that was holding it in place on the driver's side front must have given up awhile back. I guess I'm at the point of thinking that the ceiling paneling is probably more of a liability than a structural support at this point since it's just hanging rather than supporting. Soooo... IF I pulled the ceiling paneling from the sleeper, what would I find? I'm looking at the pictures that Kayakthecoast posted about his renovation and I'm not seeing what I'm looking for... are there already some structural beams fiberglassed into the ceiling fiberglass or is it really just paneling with a couple boards at the seams to hold the paneling in place and nothing is actually supporting the fiberglass structure. What I'm hoping is that I can pull down the paneling and then maybe reinforce whatever structural support is already fiberglassed in (such as running a pre-bent strip of flatiron along the existing beam and screwing it into that beam if it exists). The shape of the fiberglass is currently good. I'm just trying to head-off any sag that may come in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajadulce Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 That section of the cab sure is flmsy We had similar issues and the fix was a little over the top and a bit homemade looking, but we really enjoy our large hatch. Great access to roof/clean panels too. http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=206&page=14#entry19573 check out the sag in the roof as demonstrated w/ level. I could hear the roof pop in and out sometimes while driving under the right pressure/situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 I fiberglassed over the two plexiglass window openings (that was a big job) and now I'm getting back to dealing with the sagging SIP ceiling in the sleeper area. Rethinking things a bit and I think I'd like to spray some adhesive up there between the shell and the SIP ceiling in the places where the SIP is sagging (mostly driver's side front corner) before getting too crazy with removing or reinforcing anything. Does anybody have a recommendation of a good spray adhesive to use in this type of situation? I won't be able to prep the surfaces with anything since it's not reachable. I'd just be sticking the nozzle of the spray can up there, giving it as good of an even coat as I can (without being able to see it) and then pressing the SIP ceiling up into place with some braces for a few days while it dries. The fiberglass shell is still in great shape and at this point it is only the SIP ceiling that has sag. Thoughts...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I don't think any spray adhesive will work effectively in this situation. I think you need something thicker that will spread between the layers when you shore it up. Might find something that you can stick a plastic tubing on the end to squeeze it into the area. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I redid my entire sleeping area ceiling by laminating new beams. The sag is gone. I found once I screwed my final panels in place against the beams the entire ceiling gained structural integrity. At first just the beams lost a little curvature but as soon as I insulated and added the panels tight against them. I found they worked well. If I had to do again I'd use metal and force a curve in the metal - this is how the rear beam is done. If you replaced your panels and made nice tight fits and perhaps added an epoxy laminate onto your existing beams. You might be good to go. I'd recommend epoxy and cloth for strength. I heard if you use glue like 3m 99. When it gets super hot as in a desert environment it can fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Look up 87 Sunrader front cab build in the improvements section. I'm not sure how to link it. It has some photos of progress if that helps before you dive in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Look up 87 Sunrader front cab build in the improvements section. I'm not sure how to link it. It has some photos of progress if that helps before you dive inLink to your build http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=6820&hl=%2B87+%2Bsunrader+%2Bfront+%2Bcab Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starbrightsteve Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I'd like to suggest some items that folks might find useful for repairs. I'm a retired insulation and sit sealing contractor and I know foams and adhesives. Urethane, one part foams are available for both insulating and as adhesives. If you google efi.org and choose the contractor catalog then choose product catalog and choose the area on low expansion air sealing foams. I have used a lot of the PUR fill low expansion foam that comes In a can that screws onto a gun. My gun of choice and the lowest cost one is the PUR shooter. There is also a PUR stick that is an incredible adhesive. The place I buy from is on the east coast but someone must provide comparable products on the west coast. One caution on using a gun. Once you screw a can on, you need to finish the can and not remove it from the gun until you are ready to screw on another can. Guns without a can are dead guns. Partial cans that have been removed are dead cans. These things are typically used by pros that are continuing to use can after can. If you buy the urethane cleaner you can clean a gun immediately after removing a can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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