| Author |
Message |
chris
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 8:37 pm: | |
mine cracked
can this be fixed or should i spend $100.00 and buy a new one?
thanx
chris |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 9:28 pm: | |
Depends on why it's cracked. I repaired a Coleman shroud
on a Winnebago by reinforcing the crack with a metal band
and riveting it together, then using epoxy over the mess.
Well.... the reason it was cracked, was that it was too far
baked from all the years of UV, and of course, it cracked
again on the next trip. Only it did it at 65 mph and took the
coil with it... No-one behind me, so I was fortunate. |
Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 11:36 pm: | |
I might do what John said but I would also lay a couple of fiberglas cloth layers inside the shroud to keep it together in case it cracks again. I've done this with quite a few things including the trans cover for a Triumph TR4 which is subjected to a lot of heat, this was about 18 years ago and it is still holding just fine. |
Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 10:40 am: | |
I did one the way John did his, only used some caulking like Sikaflex in between cover and sheetmetal.
The caulking was about the same color as the cover so I smoothed out the outside and it couldn't be seen from the ground. It looked good and held till after I sold the motorhome years later.
Ed |
Dale Fleener (Dale_mc8)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 12:28 pm: | |
If you get a new shroud, you might consider going to an air conditioning shop and having one made from sheet metal. A forever fix. Don't know where you drive, but a trip on I5 from the Mex border to Sacramento may having you believe that A/C shrouds are growing wild by the number you see on the roadside...... LOL
FWIW
Dale |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 2:46 pm: | |
Chris-
The point of the story regarding my repair, wasn't that it wasn't
a decent repair, it was regarding the brittleness of the plastic
shroud, due to UV exposure. It didn't crack and fall apart at
the repair, it broke apart at several other places that had no
cracks prior to it flying apart. Once the wind caught it, it
nearly tore everything off as it flipped backwards on the roof.
I had to replace the entire AC unit due to the collateral damage.
These shrouds have a limited life, and Dale's made a great
suggestion about the metal substitute. The sell the metal
replacement if you prefer to just buy one, but it's a clumsy
looking thing. You'd probably do better with your own
design. Base your decision on the amount of life left in
that present plastic one. If a small inconspicuous area can
be snapped off, toss the thing out and replace it. |
chris
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 10:01 pm: | |
thank you for the responses
chris |
mikeEMC
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 10:34 pm: | |
i made mine out of .04 aluminum sheet metal. first make a cardboard pattern so you can check the fit / if it doesn't fit start with new cardboard it will be out of one pice and folded a good sheet metal fabricator can make it for about 150 ....no more cracks. only the front is riveted on the sides so use polyurathane to seal it and they look real nice if done rite...ps make sure the top slope is greater than the botton catch up slope or it will blow off |