Panel Adhesion Problems

[sawdust_128]

I don't know a whole lot about this issue. While I was at Liberty, Stuart over the summer, I saw them bubble test a number of coaches for leaking panels.

I didn't think about this much until I read this thread and ran into a Prevost Maintenance Bulletin (Mi97-24). It is an 8-page PDF which describes using the evaporator motor, powered by a 24v charger-battery combination to presurize the cabin enough to produce bubbles in a soapy solution applied to the outside of the coach.

Would this not be a fairly simple way to test for the adhesion problems or does the loss of adhesion not usually cause water and air infiltration?

I downloaded the pdf and if you want it, I can email it to you or you can go directly to the Prevost site for service publications. It is in the maintenance info section for the H3 VIP 1997 year. Apparently, they have a video cassette demo of this as well.

SUBJECT: WATER INFILTRATION IN H SERIES VEHICLES

Hope it helps.

[lewpopp]

Dudty, it looks like they are looking for airleaks around the windows. What do I know?

[sawdust_128]

Lew:

Here is what they were looking for:

"On the above-mentioned vehicles, some vehicle body sealing joints may be defective, leaks may also be present at windshield or rear cap lateral window level."

I wasn't saying that this was specific to any given model or year coach. I was pointing this out as a method that Prevost recommends/uses to find places where H3 coach body integrity is compromised. It appeared to me that Liberty was using this or a variant of this method on XL coaches while I was there. I saw the bubbling out from around the stainless steel panels in the side if the XL. Also saw the bubbling at the edge of the upper composite panels. They were going through and fixing these panel issues with both used and new inventory.

Apparently, Prevost has some concern about the issue as they recommend that this test be performed on a schedule:

"Note: We recommend that soapy water test be performed every 4 to 6 months."

This specifically applies to : H3-41, H3-45 and VIP-45 Vehicles Model Year: 1995 - 1998

For VIN#'s :From 2P9V33494S1011057 up to 2PCH33414W1012177 incl.

[rickdesilva]

I'm a little late posting this. But, after a few emails with Bill Jensen he offered to send someone to checkout my coach in Florida. But we decided that when I get her home to NJ after the winter I'll have her checked her out at the Prevost Service Center. It doesn't appear that we have any real problems now so I figure I'll wait until I get her home.

[Sid Tuls]

I'm a little late posting this. But, after a few emails with Bill Jensen he offered to send someone to checkout my coach in Florida. But we decided that when I get her home to NJ after the winter I'll have her checked her out at the Prevost Service Center. It doesn't appear that we have any real problems now so I figure I'll wait until I get her home.

Of coarse you won't have a problem it's a Thompson !!

[utahcamera]

Is this seperation still and issue with 2008/2009 XLII? For that matter is there a 2009 Prevost shell yet?

[rickdesilva]

Its been a while but here's an update. At the OKC rally we (myself and the Prevost team) determined that there is some delamination in the center portion of the panel due to a prior owner overheating the ss panels when they polished the coach. Although it doesn't appear to be that bad, on a few panels where the panel is both painted and polished stainless, only the stainless portion appears to have a problem and its only in the center of the panels and not on the ends. My coach sits in the Florida sun and expands and contracts all winter and I figure its best to tackle this problem at an early stage before I develop any water leaks. I don't know what the process will be, but I told Bill Jensen and the service manager Carl in NJ that I want to head off the problem sooner than later. The estimate to do the repair is $3700. Basically it appears that they reglue the affected panels and state that the paint on some panels may need to be touched up or refinished. I have been very satisfied with the NJ Prevost repair facility and have no doubt that the work will be completed well. I know Kevin had a reskin, I was wondering if anyone has had this repair done and how were the results.....or should I have the repair done at all.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

This opinion has not been affected by any knowledge of facts so take it with a grain of salt.

Prevost has often attributed the problem of delamination to converters who are overzealous in polishing the stainless skin. If that is the case then parking a coach in the sun is also going to create a problem. Way back in another life I was responsible for product development and we used adhesives to assemble certain components. The problems associated with that method of joining parts cannot be overstated.

Doing adhesive bonding of components under highly controlled factory conditions is essential. I have a serious doubt that a field repair can even begin to approach the integrity of a factory bond. If I had to have some panel delamination repaired I would likely try to insure no moisture would get behind the panels as my primary goal and would not attempt to remove panels to cure a delamination in the center of a panel unless absolutely necessary.

This may seem like heresy but if the delamination is within a small area I would seriously consider locating the frame structure in that area and using a few strategically placed rivets to resecure the panel. The cost will involve only the time to locate the structural members, drill the necessary holes and install the rivets. Laugh all you want but consider just how bad it is going to get if in attempting to do other types of repairs a window gets damaged, your paint gets damaged or an entire stainless panel needs to be removed and replaced. It has already been established this repair is Rick's financial responsibility so despite the quote, this is a blank check repair.

[tpr]

I have a 2006 XLII. Carl found delaminated panels on both my slides. New Jersey did the repair in three days, no damage to the paint and I haven't noticed any problems since.

[Alek&Lucia]

Did you have to pay for it, or it was freebie from PREVOST ?

Alek