New acquisition and newbie owners

[HappyCampers4223]

Hi everyone

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me navigate this new and exciting world! DH and I just acquired our first PUP - 2009 Rockwood 2514g- yesterday and we need some help! DH drove 3hrs away and back to pick up our new trailer while I occupied the toddlers. Needless to say he did his inspection, decided to proceed with the sale and brought her home. On my own inspection I have a few concerns I'd love your advice on. I should note that we paid $4500cdn for it, a good deal I think, and knowing that we would be needing a fix it up. I'm just hoping we didn't over step and let our rose coloured lenses cloud our judgement!
Here's a pic to start us off, and I'll post each issue separately! Many many thanks!

[007matman]

Depends on what issues it has but sounds like a good deal to me.

Post 'em up!

[flyerdp]

Given all our posts about what is wrong I do not know that I would have made that purchase.

Sounds like you need a new tent ~$1400-$1600
Sounds like you need new mattresses ~$400
Slide out boards ~$100-$200
Roof Repair if done by professional ~$250
Box Repair if done by professional ~$150-$250

You have another 2k in repairs on that thing if you make it right.

Sure you can clean and patch and try to seal for a lot less but that tent is the most important part of a "tent" camper so consider how much damage you have and decide if you may want to replace ?

[HappyCampers4223]

Sigh. Thanks guys. I was a little worried it was worse than it looked.
The body and walls and interior (aside from the mildew) looks really good, honestly.

I am going to try to get some good products and elbow grease involved and hope for the best. The vinyl outside is unstained and immaculate. It is just the canvas inside that looks sketchy.

My biggest concern is the mattress and wood end bunk. It feels solid, but would it know if it were problematic?

Optimistically yours

[flyerdp]

Originally Posted by HappyCampers4223

Sigh. Thanks guys. I was a little worried it was worse than it looked.
The body and walls and interior (aside from the mildew) looks really good, honestly.

I am going to try to get some good products and elbow grease involved and hope for the best. The vinyl outside is unstained and immaculate. It is just the canvas inside that looks sketchy.

My biggest concern is the mattress and wood end bunk. It feels solid, but would it know if it were problematic?

Optimistically yours

I doubt the wood integrity is compromised. My main concern for you and your toddlers is the mildew. You don't need them inhaling that stuff and mildew is nearly impossible to completely get rid of.

You don't just want to bleach it... you want it dead to never return but future moisture could re-activate it :/

[007matman]

Here is what I think.. just an opinion.

Toss the mattresses. It's just not worth it.

Contact one of those flood cleanup companies and see if they'd look at it. If you can't get one of those to resolve the issues then I'd be tempted to clean it up good as you can using a good cleaner and then maybe paint the wood with a stain blocker/sealer like Kilz.

I'd probably replace the Canvas too.

I sold a 2002 pop-up two years ago for $3500 US. Granted it was in near-perfect condition. However, it just goes to show what kind of deal you got there. Fixed up, I bet that camper is probably in the 8k range.

[Mike91]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Here is what I think.. just an opinion.

Toss the mattresses. It's just not worth it.

Contact one of those flood cleanup companies and see if they'd look at it. If you can't get one of those to resolve the issues then I'd be tempted to clean it up good as you can using a good cleaner and then maybe paint the wood with a stain blocker/sealer like Kilz.

I'd probably replace the Canvas too.

I sold a 2002 pop-up two years ago for $3500 US. Granted it was in near-perfect condition. However, it just goes to show what kind of deal you got there. Fixed up, I bet that camper is probably in the 8k range.

For a 2009 2514g, average retail is $6215 with Air Conditioning and low retail is $5170 with Air Conditioning.

[007matman]

Originally Posted by Mike91

For a 2009 2514g, average retail is $6215 with Air Conditioning and low retail is $5170 with Air Conditioning.

Interesting.. they've still got a couple of grand there though.

[HappyCampers4223]

Hi again.... So the downward spiral unfortunately continues... When we got home after our 6hr drive, we noticed the spare tire on the back was at an angle.... Looks like the bouncing from the road loosened the rack (said screws are lost) and the metal rack has torn thru/out a couple places on the outer body. We were very lucky that we did not have an accident.... I am thinking tho that we may now have pretty supportive evidence of dry rot under the body shell???? Would road vibration on a loose bracket alone cause that degree of damage?
I should note that the aforementioned roof crack is at the opposite end of the trailer, but the sketchy mattress is at the spare tire end.

I guess I feel a little sad BC the exterior and interior truly looked so good, no warping, no water marks, I really thought the mildew was superficial from being put away wet. How could I have known...

FML. :S

[HappyCamperCanada]

They paid $4500 Canadian ($3400 US). If they put another $2650 Canadian ($2000 US) into fixing all the issues, that's not bad for a 2008 2514g in good shape...$5400 US total. If $2000 US would be enough to fix all the problems.

...just saw your latest post...ugh

[flyerdp]

Originally Posted by HappyCampers4223

Hi again.... So the downward spiral unfortunately continues... When we got home after our 6hr drive, we noticed the spare tire on the back was at an angle.... Looks like the bouncing from the road loosened the rack (said screws are lost) and the metal rack has torn thru/out a couple places on the outer body. We were very lucky that we did not have an accident.... I am thinking tho that we may now have pretty supportive evidence of dry rot under the body shell???? Would road vibration on a loose bracket alone cause that degree of damage?
I should note that the aforementioned roof crack is at the opposite end of the trailer, but the sketchy mattress is at the spare tire end.

I guess I feel a little sad BC the exterior and interior truly looked so good, no warping, no water marks, I really thought the mildew was superficial from being put away wet. How could I have known...

FML. :S

Are you saying the two carriage bolts that hold the spare tire mount on the back wall of the trailer pulled through the wood and aluminum body shell and are wondering if there is wood rot...

I would expect you can see the wood through that size hole? Is it damp/moist and does it pick apart easily?

[HappyCampers4223]

Thanks Happy Camper Canada
We knew we were getting a "deal" and didn't expect it to be perfect, and I'm pretty good with creative solutions and elbow grease....
I just hope that that's all it'll be, I'm starting to have my doubts. On the other hand we could have spent going retail rate for another used unit and ended up needing to do some repairs (maybe less extensive) there too. Fingers crossed!

[HappyCampers4223]

Unfortunately these are the best shots I can get, being late at night and in a tight spot. The first pic shows where the bolts are pulling out, the bottom pic shows the slit/tear in the body wall.... Like the upper bolts pulling out allowed the bottom to impact into the body more and push it open. I'd have to force my fingers inside and make the hole bigger to get a feel, and right now I'm scared to touch it. Going to take it to an RV repair shop ASAP this week for an overall assessment and diagnosis.

[flyerdp]

Originally Posted by HappyCampers4223

Unfortunately these are the best shots I can get, being late at night and in a tight spot. The first pic shows where the bolts are pulling out, the bottom pic shows the slit/tear in the body wall.... Like the upper bolts pulling out allowed the bottom to impact into the body more and push it open. I'd have to force my fingers inside and make the hole bigger to get a feel, and right now I'm scared to touch it. Going to take it to an RV repair shop ASAP this week for an overall assessment and diagnosis. Attachment 211575Attachment 211576

Those bolts look unscrewed/very loose to me. I suppose it is possible the entire thing is pulling through out the back. They go through the back wall and will be visible under the rear bunk on the wall inside the camper as two round headed carriage bolts. If you don't see those bolt heads but instead see holes you know you have a problem. I'm wondering what all that "stuff" is that is fuzzy on the body around the metal of the tire mount that seems to go down the back wall. Is that adhesive?

FWIW I bought a used 2016 camper and had to tighten those screws up after a 5 hour drive. Didn't notice if they were loose when I started though.

[HappyCampers4223]

A bit of good news this morning I think. I managed to very carefully wiggle a finger into the hole created by the spare bracket and could just touch some nice solid feeling non-crumbly wood. I also got down on my back and looked up under the trailer and while the wood looks grey-dirty, I didn't see any weird patches, water marks or suspicious things. I even poked it a little near the bumper end and didn't feel any give. Fingers crossed!!!!

I don't think the whole canvas needs replaced as the mildew is only on the bunk ends, so hopefully just doing those wings will be affordable. And I can live with a vinyl patch on my bay window

Can't wait to get her into a dealer for an assessment though. I'll keep you all posted!

[Scrapper]

Looking at your picture I have to agree with flyerdp. The nuts are loose and should be an easy fix if you can get a wrench on the other end. If they are accessible you could replace them for a few dollars.

Just be glad you didn't loose the spare like we did. DW and I put over 4000 miles going to Glacier NP, then up into Canada to Banff and the Columbia Icefields, then across to Winnipeg on Trans-Canada 1, then home to Wisconsin. We got back home 5:20pm Friday . Everything was tight and fine when we left Regina at 7:30am. Around 11am, DW was driving towards Winnipeg when she yelled we lost a tire. She just happened to look in the rear view mirror and see it bounce higher than the truck. We were alone for quite a distance and lucky nobody was following us. We were pulling a 1998 Jayco and the tire bracket was lag bolted to the rear of the popup. We turned around and walked the road side looking for it but never found it because of the cattails along the highway. Lost the bracket and spare and now I have 4 ragged 3/8" holes to repair in the body of the popup.

[DouglasReid]

Here is a method to clean the canvas inside your camper. You do not want to use bleach because it will attack the canvas itself.

https://www.canvascamp.com/en/blog/h...m-canvas-tents

Personally I would avoid taking it to a dealer for repairs. They aer notoriously expensive and unreliable.

I would find a local RV Repair business. In my experience you will get better, faster and less expensive service and a high quality job.

[HappyCampers4223]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and tips!

While I can't say I'm 100% sure BC I'm scared to bump or push on the tire, the "fuzzy" in the pics looked like dirt on the wall - like just dust and dirt that doesn't get washed off easily with rain BC the tire was there sheltering it.

I have found an independent local family run RV dealer and service company that's been in business since the 60s in this area so I've requested a call back from them, as well as another little independent RV repair only shop. Hopefully one of them can get me in this week. In the mean DH put a tarp over the bum of the trailer to protect the holes from the storms they are calling for every day. Ugh.

[HappyCampers4223]

That's a crazy story Scrapper!!!! We were obviously really upset about the body damage, and what it might mean about the trailer, but we were so so so grateful no one got hurt. Being on the 401 most of the trip the consequences of a runaway tire would easily have been fatal. Gotta see the lemonade from the lemons, right ?!?

[DouglasReid]

For the holes in the top, if it were mine Id go to a local auto parts house adn buy a Fiberglass Repair Kit. Comes with everything you will need to apply a new fiberglass over the holes. After it cures, sand it smooth and paint it something close to what it is now.

When it is up you will never see it, and when it is down, I would not care, so long as it is functional. This will be LOTS less expensive than replacing the top.