1997 26 mb soft spot in wall November 03, 2020, 07:27:51 am Hi not sure if this is the right forum but here goes , I'm going to look at a 1997 26 mb , looks ok in pics 110000 mi there is a pic near the shower looks like hole in the wall, they call it a soft spot and also they said another soft spot around the city water connection . they are the 2nd owners sounds like its been sitting for a while. but started monthly . the "soft spots are what concerns me, they also said may need some body work. I asked about the frame they didn't say anything about it . I understand it is close to 24 yrs old and this is my first one I'm looking at . that's why I'm hoping to get some advice from the people who've been around lazy daze rv s . any advice or thoughts are welcome . if there were Frame issues where would you look? (also this is located in the northeast)[edited topic title to include more description of the question - Michelle]
Re: 1997 26 mb Reply #1 – November 03, 2020, 08:24:23 am Unless you have an unlimited bank account, run away as fast as you can from this rig. Soft spots equal water damage. That's lots of work and money to fix. And what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. Probably lots more hidden damage.Keep looking. 5 Likes
Re: 1997 26 mb Reply #2 – November 03, 2020, 08:31:24 am Quote from: LindaB - November 03, 2020, 08:24:23 amUnless you have an unlimited bank account, run away as fast as you can from this rig. Soft spots equal water damage. That's lots of work and money to fix. And what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. Probably lots more hidden damage.Keep looking.Thank you
Re: 1997 26 mb Reply #3 – November 03, 2020, 10:50:25 am Quote from: LindaB - November 03, 2020, 08:24:23 amUnless you have an unlimited bank account, run away as fast as you can from this rig. Soft spots equal water damage. That's lots of work and money to fix. And what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. Probably lots more hidden damage.Keep looking.But do look at it anyway so you can get experience on what to look (and smell) for. Your nose may be your best friend in this case. 2 Likes
Re: 1997 26 mb Reply #4 – November 03, 2020, 11:30:21 am Quote from: HiLola - November 03, 2020, 10:50:25 amBut do look at it anyway so you can get experience on what to look (and smell) for. Your nose may be your best friend in this case.will do,thanks again
Re: 1997 26 mb Reply #5 – November 03, 2020, 11:53:06 am Quote from: LindaB - November 03, 2020, 08:24:23 amUnless you have an unlimited bank account, run away as fast as you can from this rig. Soft spots equal water damage. That's lots of work and money to fix. And what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. Probably lots more hidden damage.Excellent advice. Anything soft is trouble, likely expensive to fix, the tip of an iceberg is a good description.1997 isn't a good year mechanically, it has the early low-power V10 and the older E4OD transmission, neither desireable.Larry.
Re: 1997 26 mb Reply #6 – November 03, 2020, 02:54:46 pm Quote from: Larry W - November 03, 2020, 11:53:06 amExcellent advice. Anything soft is trouble, likely expensive to fix, the tip of an iceberg is a good description.1997 isn't a good year mechanically, it has the early low-power V10 and the older E4OD transmission, neither desireable.Larry.Thanks
Re: 1997 26 mb Reply #7 – November 04, 2020, 04:28:22 pm Sullyboy, I am just putting in my 2 cents so you get different views.Some people (ok, a lot on this forum) run from rot, but it should depend on your skills and time. It takes a big chunk of time/effort to fix rot issues which means big bucks if you pay someone else to do it. If you have ever fixed rot in a house, the fix will be similar but more difficult because you are working in smaller spots (not a big room where you are working on one wall/ceiling/floor area, but a very small room where you often need to take things out/remove things to get to the area). Because of this huge effort/time/cost to pay someone else to fix, you should not pay as much for a LD with rot issues as you would for an equivalent LD without rot.Similar to buying a fixer upper house - you get the house for less money but then you either need to pay someone to fix it up or put in the time and effort yourself, and if you are going to work on it you need to know your skills, time, ability to do so.That said...Knowing the source of the leak and how big the damage has spread is important.IMO, I think it is more likely a leak from the roof/any window/other item protruding thru the outer skin (I am not sure about detailed layout in that model), rather than a plumbing problem at those two spots (which might have less damage than coming in from the roof/window and spreading out over a bigger area).A hole means the rot has progressed pretty far (vs a soft spot that might just be veneer but could also be more damage depending on what the water flow was).As Linda said, likely there are more leaks than just whatever caused this, especially if it is coming from the roof (e.g. roof/windows were not sealed well and kept up continually over time so potentially several leaks going on). I think you are getting different opinions about the engine based on how the owners are using them. Larry tows often and not one of those tiny smart cars , whereas I think Ron doesn't tow. It also depends on if you are going to go up mountains/grades a lot or hang out on the flat lands (Larry has told me his driving skills for dealing with grades, while I fully get why he does that I would likely choose a method more like his wife would). Include if you mind going slow up a grade if needed. Like everything else, how you use the RV will indicate what model/year/type to buy.Jane 3 Likes
Re: 1997 26 mb soft spot in wall Reply #8 – November 05, 2020, 03:07:20 am By the time the walls are rotted enough to develop noticeable soft spots, the damage inside the walls can be extensive.Damage behind the shower is very difficult to access, removing the exterior sheet aluminum is the only way to get to it. Removing the shower intact, to make the repairs from the inside, is wishful thinking.This is more than doing home repairs, it is a major demolition and reconstruction project... and we have not considered the other 'soft' spot yet, It is likely there is more undiscovered rot.Being well experienced with repairing rot in LD, I would not walk away, I would run. YMMVIf you are young, extremely energetic, have a covered work area, lots of spare time, a good set of tools, a well funded flush fund and most importantly, the skill set needed to tear an RV down to the framing and get it back together, this may be your rig...assuming you get it for next to nothing. That's about what it is worth in its present condition.Rot is evil.Larry 4 Likes
Re: 1997 26 mb soft spot in wall Reply #9 – November 05, 2020, 06:26:02 am Quote from: Sullyboy61 - November 05, 2020, 06:18:43 amThanks for the info. they are asking 17000.00 not sure if they realize the extent of the damage . going to look at it Saturday. its a 26 mb 97. any there suggestions on what and where to look for other common issues would be appreciated. Thanks again ,Denis
Re: 1997 26 mb soft spot in wall Reply #10 – November 05, 2020, 01:43:03 pm Hi Denis; The easiest place to look for leaks in my experience is the cab over area. Under the side windows. At least you don't have the front window. Larry has it right. You need a covered area to work on it. Time, and experience with similar repair projects. The rot damage will be much more extensive than the small spots you can see easily. I would expect to offer somewhere in the $3k range. About the value of useable appliances and running gear if you were parting it out. I'd like to see it back on the road, not a wreck. A great life experience, but a definite investment of sweat equity and time. If the damage isn't widespread, and limited, it could a good 'learning opportunity'. RonB
Re: 1997 26 mb soft spot in wall Reply #11 – November 05, 2020, 03:36:03 pm Quote from: Larry W - November 05, 2020, 03:07:20 amThis is more than doing home repairs, it is a major demolition and reconstruction project... As I said, doing rot repair in a house is the same as rot repair in an RV. But RV is in a smaller area so more difficult to work. I don't consider that work the same as what most people call a "house repair". That said, there have been several people on this forum and many more not on the forum that had the skills & time and took that choice.Know your own skill level and willingness to do work and what work is needed and don't get in over your head or you will be miserable.That goes for any RV and any LD that is not new.We have some wise LD owners here who know their choice is to throw money at things and they have plenty of money to do that. We have some LD owners that are great handy people and can fix anything. And we have everything in-between. Know where you sit and go into anything with your eyes open (that should be true for many things in our lives not just buying an RV). 2 Likes
Re: 1997 26 mb soft spot in wall Reply #12 – November 05, 2020, 04:43:26 pm And here I'd like to thank Downgrader (Howard A.) for providing us running commentary and pictures of the rot he encountered in his, new to him, 2005 MB, and what he learned and did to correct the problem. He seems to be mostly finished, and is re-decorating with Italian style interior furnishing in his LD. RonB
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