Performing a coach inspection

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Performing a coach inspection

December 18, 2016, 01:04:53 pm

We have had a lot of interest lately in inspecting old LDs, before purchasing.
Below is a explanation about some of the the things to look for and check.
It was part of a previous thread.
This is strictly a coach inspection, the chassis is another matter that is beyond the scope of most. one that should be left to an experienced mechanic.

COACH INSPECTION

An inspector best friends are an ice pick, a small flashlight and good nose.

If an area feels soft to the hand, gently push the ice pick into it. If it easily goes into the wood, there's likely rot.
Make sure the owner knows what you are doing and is OK with it.
In all models, check the front interior corners, down at the bottom of the mattress (or the back of the entertainment center), for softness, moisture or that funky mold smell.
Do the same under each window, especially the bottom corners. Defective window seals allow water into the frame.
Any area that seems soft, moist or smells should have the ice pick examination.

Find the LD's coach water pump and examine the area under it. Water pumps leaks can go undetected for months and years, if the owner is inattentive .
The area under the toilet should be examined for softness, possible caused by a leaking water line or drain.
Usually there is a bad smell associated with drain leaks.
Look under the sinks for damage caused by leaking faucets or drains.
This is similar to maintaining a house.

Check the bottom the rear wall, from under the coach. The wood bottom of the wall (it's a 2X4) is exposed to the elements and has a coating of asphalt emulsion that often hides rot. Rot in the bottom of the wall can be caused by a leaky rear window, loose end caps, or in a few cases, where the spare tire bucket has pulled away from the rear wall, exposing a gap that channels rain water into the wall. The bottom of the rear wall is a great place to practice with your ice pick. Good wood will not allow the ice pick to penetrate deeply.
While under the rig, check to see if the holding tanks are secure, Many have securing clips that can slip off, as the hardware loosens with age.

End caps are another major cause of problems, primarily in older LDs.
Under the caps there are drainage channels, built to safely drain any water that gets in. In new models, the drain channels are coated with a sticky polyurethane sealant, which seems to hold up well.
Older models (not sure when this changed) had the drain channels coated with an asphalt emulsion, which isn't as permanent, pealing off the inside of the channels, as it ages.
If this happens, along with a leaking end cap, rot can develop.
Keeping the caps firmly attached and well sealed is very important. It ranks right up there with roof and window seals.

Rot can also exist in the roof, where a vent, antenna or the roof A/C is leaking. Look at the ceiling of any LD you are interested in. The ceiling should be flat, with no noticeable sags. If an area looks like it is sagging, use your hands to push and examine the area for softness.

Make sure the cab's running board are solid, there is wood in the mounts that can of break if hit hard enough.

Older floor plans had plywood exterior storage bins ( 24' T/Ks until 2014). The plywood bins were coated in asphalt emulsion which, once again peals off with age and exposure, allowing the wood to break down and/or sag.
Most newer models have plastic bins and do not have rot problems but can sag if overloaded for long periods.

If you are lucky enough to find a leak free LD, put sealing of the roof, end caps and windows on the top of your 'to do' list.
It's the best thing you can do to preserve the coach for years to come. End cap and window sealing are chores many of us can handle.
Roof sealing is more involved but many here have done it themselves.
I have posted multiple articles on how to do this. Search is your friend.

In addition to the above, before arriving for an inspection, have the owner turn the refrigerator on to prove it operates.
While onsite, operate the water heater, furnace, stove burners and the oven. Turn every light and fan on and off, run the water pump. Operate the roof vents and escape hatch. Look for broken plastic in the cover.
Run the generator under load for at least 15 minutes, with the roof A/C or a couple of electric heaters on to load it up.

For deeper inspection, by a qualifed person, look at the 120-volt side of the Power Center for burned terminal boards and other overheated items.

Hope this helps
Larry

Re: Performing a coach inspection

Reply #1 – December 18, 2016, 01:54:50 pm

Good thread idea! A few more items relative to rot:

Roll under the coach with safety glasses and a flashlight looking at
- the exposed wood where the rear bumper attaches
- the sheet metal skin for any areas rusted through
- the area where the steps are mounted
- the bottoms of those outside storage bins

Look at every screw head inside and out, for areas where there is evident rust. Focus on those areas for further inspection for rot.

Anywhere amateurish caulking or silicone caulking has been done, like end caps, windows frames, is an area to examine closely.

Go into all floor level interior storage areas, lift carpet or mats that are in place. Sniff and scratch looking at the corners for mildew, softness. An ice pick is perfect here. Also remove any plumbing access panels.

Examine the area behind the exterior vent of the refrigerator to be sure it is sealed, no signs of serious corrosion.

Re: Performing a coach inspection

Reply #2 – December 18, 2016, 02:09:16 pm

"Anywhere amateurish caulking or silicone caulking has been done, like end caps, windows frames, is an area to examine closely."

I'll go further than that. Personally, I would not buy any coach that has been re-caulked with silicone sealant. First, it shows that there was a leak and that the person who attempted to repair it didn't know how to properly repair it. Second, silicone sealant doesn't hold up well in outdoor use. Third, when it fails, nothing will stick to it or to the surface it was on, unless you clean down to the bare metal. (Even silicone won't stick to silicone.)

The same goes for any Lazy Daze that has had its roof resealed by flooding it with any kind of coating (e.g., "rubber roof" sealant). It shows that there was a serious leakage problem that has not been fixed properly... and removing that layer of glop in order to do the job right is very time-consuming and expensive.

Re: Performing a coach inspection

Reply #3 – December 18, 2016, 03:14:19 pm

Larry, Andy, Paul, et al, can I rent you guys out for a day when I start my LD hunt?

Re: Performing a coach inspection

Reply #4 – December 18, 2016, 06:19:26 pm

Paul and Andy

The great additions. I would like to turn this thread into a sticky or edit it into a Inspection file.
Keep them coming.

With the increased interest unused LDs, and the lack of new ones, questions about inspecting old LDs will continue.
Instead of repeating ourselves multiple times, a list of check points would be a convenient to refer newbies to.
Besides helping in an inspection, it will give them an idea of the thousands ways an RV can self destruct, hopefully being a wake-up call for those who have stars in their eyes and look at owning an old LD in a romanic way, ignoring the reality of it.
RVing, in a totally function and dependable RV, isn't a cheap lifestyle. It takes money and skilled labor labor to keep even a newer LD operational.
Tires , batteries, maintenance, repair or worn out parts. The list goes on and on.

My way of looking at this is if you can't do it yourself, or don't have a very good understand of RVs, you shouldn't own a well used, old LD. These rigs should only be bought by hobbyist with large skill sets, who understand what they are getting into.
We have seen way too many folks here buy old LDs and end up spending hundreds of hours and thousand of dollars in repairs, to get a rig into useable condition, sometimes more than what the rig is worth.
Several rigs have been so bad damaged that they were either scraped or sold for next to nothing, soon after the new owner acquired their new 'beauty'.
The only way to somewhat economically own an old LD is to find one with no major flaws. In an LD, that means finding one with no rot, it's the biggest killer of LDs. Rot repair is very costly.

Larry