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Hail
Yahoo Message Number: 58353
One of my concerns when I was in the process of deciding between Lazy Daze and Born Free was how well the Lazy Daze's aluminum skin would hold up in a hail storm.  Unfortunately, I had an opportunity to put my Lazy Daze to the test.  We were hit with the worst hail storm that I have ever experienced.  There was a large amount of pea sized hail with some nickel sized hail thrown in for good measure.  An F2 tornado passed close enough by that I could hear it (it really does sound like a train).  The storm ripped up about 10,000 trees (luckily, I only lost one).  Anyway, I was amazed to find no hail dents on any side of the LD.  I could see a half of dozen dings on the roof and the skylight over the shower had a hole in it, but my two solar panels were undamaged.  Of course, if I had access to inside storage I could have avoided any damage, but it is nice to know that Lazy Daze is pretty resistant to hail damage.

Jim Bowler
2004 MB
Falkor
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Hail
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 58356
That's not a really good test.  You would need to experience hail like we had here in Arizona in September 1999.  Hail was the size of golf balls, and some the size of baseballs.  Thousands of vehicles were turned into golf balls.  Every roof with asphalt tile had to be replaced in the entire area.
Even concrete tiles had some damage.  We had to replace 6 tiles on our roof.
The rain gutters were completely trashed.  It hit our skylights so hard it was raining plaster inside the house as the hail drove the skylights down into the house.  We were very lucky in that none of the 3 skylights broke.
An insurance adjuster told us we were the only ones she had seen without broken skylights.  Following the hail storm (which was caused by a tornado) insurance adjusters set up tents for about a quarter mile in town for vehicle inspection.  Fortunately, we didn't have any vehicles out in it.  We did have both of our cars out only 15 minutes before it hit.  I can assure you that it is really scary when your house is getting bombarded with baseball size hail.  I don't think any motorhome could have made it through without damage.

Dick
[Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Hail
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 58388
Quote
Friends: I thought the roof and side of the LD was one/sheet airplane steel.  Am I in error?  Thanks, Mari Susan
Yup, you're in error (g).

The roof is one piece of sheet aluminum, not steel. The sides are aluminum sheet in interlocking panels - - you can see the horizontal lines where the sheets are joined.

There are several different types (alloys, heat treating, thicknesses) of aluminum sheet used in aircraft. However, the common jargon that incompasses all of this is for a manufacturer to simply say, "aircraft grade aluminum" . . . whatever that means!

Sheet steel isn't normally used in covering aircraft, as it's too heavy.

bumper (pilot & happy LD camper) "Yonder" Minden, NV
bumper
"Yonder" '05 MB
"WLDBLU" glider trailer
[Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Hail
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 58389
Not quite.  Roof one piece.  Sides, multiple panels.

best,  paul

PS> Please trim the message you quote.
[Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Hail
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 58393
Hi Mari,
 As others have pointed out, the LD exterior is aluminum, not steel.  And the fiberglass roof mentioned
 
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Hail
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 58395
Joanne: Thank you for that clarification.  I noted a small bit of electrolisis (sp) on my coach and could not imagine that this would occur with fiberglass.  Thanks again, Mari Susan

joanne0012 wrote:

Quote
Hi Mari,
 As others have pointed out, the LD exterior is aluminum, not steel.  And the fiberglass roof mentioned