What Would Cause A Bulge On The Side Wall Of Our RV?

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What Would Cause A Bulge On The Side Wall Of Our RV?

by Leroy Leonhardt
(Modesto,Ca)

We purchased a 1998 brave winnebego.We noticed a bulge in the left side.I don't see any sign of a leak inside the motorhome.

ANSWER Greetings Leroy thanks for submitting your question on our free Ask An RV Question Page.

Unfortunately it sounds like the side wall of your RV is delaminating. In the majority of cases delamination occurs when moisture gets into the wall and compromises the adhesive holding the RV laminated walls together. The fiberglass layer starts to separate from the rest of the layers of the wall.

This delamination will only get worse until the source of the moisture is discovered and repaired. Even though you may not see signs of leakage, the moisture is getting in-between the wall layers from somewhere.

Since you do not say exactly where on the RV the delamination is occurring, I will give you some suggestions on what to look for based on the location of the delamination.

If you notice the delamination is in close proximity to a window on the RV. Then in all likelihood that window has to be removed and resealed. The removal and resealing of an RV window is not as complicated as it sounds.

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If the delamination is showing close to the roof of the RV then the roof needs to be inspected for any leaks that would allow water to get between the layers of the wall.

If delamination is occurring below the interior floor line of the RV, you need to start checking for any water pipes running under the cabinets etc.

Leaks can also occur in areas located near any RV Accessory that is screwed into or mounted on the exterior RV walls. Examples would be Mirrors, Ladders, awnings, electrical sockets, lights, any exterior mounting brackets, etc. If this is the case, the RV accessory needs to be removed and reinstalled using new gaskets and insuring that all screws and fasteners are put back into place using the proper sealant on the threads, etc.

If you still cannot find the leak using the procedures above, there is one more possible cause you can look for. In some very rare cases, excessive heat has caused the walls of certain RVs to delaminate. If you find that the delamination is in close proximity to a heat source such as a heater or water heater exhaust duct, etc. this might be the source of your problem. The heat can affect the adhesive.

In some even rarer instances dark colored decals on RVs that are exposed to desert like temperatures for a great length of time have caused some delamination to the walls under the decals.

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Until the cause of the problem is found delamination will continue. If the delamination continues it can affect the structural integrity of the RV. So this is something that must be addressed immediately.

Delaminated RV walls can be repaired. That is the good news, the bad news is that it is not a do-it-yourself job and it can, depending on the severity of the delamination, be a very expensive repair. If you want to get it repaired, you should contact one of your local RV dealers and ask if they can recommend a company to do the repair. Most normal body shops cannot do these repairs. A quality RV body shop can do the repairs and will do the best they can at matching the gel coat color etc.

I am very sorry that this is happening to you. You do not say whether you bought this RV from a private seller or an RV dealer, either way when it comes to buying a used RV, they are usually sold AS-IS. That is why I recommend that anyone buying a used RV should perform a Used RV Inspection.

I hope that you are able to get this problem resolved quickly, so you can get out there and start your RVing adventures.

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic? You can add them to this page by clicking on the "Click Here To Post Comments" link located near the bottom of this page.

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Happy RVing

RVing Al

Comments for
What Would Cause A Bulge On The Side Wall Of Our RV?

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Bulge in RV Wall.
by: Anonymous

I also have a Winnebago with bulges on the side. From what I can tell, the bulging is due to the anchor hinges that hold up my cargo doors on the bottom. Every location where I have a holding clip for the cargo door, I have a bulge. My RV is 13 years old now, Winnebago brave 34 footer. I don't seem to have any leaks on this unit that I can tell, and if I did, it would be a HUGE coincidence that every anchor location has a leak behind it. I just drive my RV and enjoy it all the time, 113,000 miles and climbing! So, if you have some bulging, its not necessarily the end of the world. Don't get screwed out of hundreds if not thousands of dollars for something that maybe more cosmetic than structural.

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Walls prone to delamination
by: Anonymous

I have heard mixed commments on what brands delam the fastest due to the use of pinch rolled walls. I am wondering if this is true? I have seen the most delam on all of the Keystone products that are pinch wall rolled and am staying away from them. What else can I look at?
thanks,
Curly

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delaminating
by: Anonymous

what is the solution to the dark decal, hot sun senerio?

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Studs or Uni-Body
by: J.M.

I too have bulging at the rear cap, Question is, are the sidewalls constructed with studs?? or a unibody method??
My coach is older mid 90's and have done all repairs myself. The whole side probably need's re-building, But I need a diagram of consturction before I decide to replace or re build. i have the time and pretty good carpenter skills to do the job.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
J.M.

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delamination
by: Anonymous

I wish I had of read thist before I bought my motorhome. Well, I may be okay but not sure.. We bought a 1994 Winnebago Vetra 37 foot. We good a deal, I hope.. We paid $4,000 less than any other vectra we saw on the market and about $5,000. under book. The coach interior is in great shape and I mean really great shap. No visible signs of leaking and I hardly believe it was a 1994 because it is in such good shape. It also runs great, has new tires, good running 7000 genset and blew by the inspection.

One problem, it has some delamination, bubbles or warping on the passenger side behind the refridgerator area and just over the water heater. Not real big, but an area of maybe two foot.

We bought this as we were new to RVing and did not want to spend alot of $$$ until we knew we would like it. If we like it, we want to get a newer coach. We only plan to do some weekend trips of no more than 300 mile roundtrip.

Telling you all this, what do you suggest I do?? Do I try to repair it? Do I just drive it and use it for a few years and hope I recover some of my investment when I re-sell it or do I off load it today???

I did not worry about this when I bought it, but because of your post and the possible structure problem I am concerned!! I don't want to go down the road and the whole coach collapse on the frame, oh, and on me.. LOL

Help,

John

Rating

roof
by: david

i need a new roof. i found aweb site that sells liquid roof. they say it can be applied over existing roof of my fifth wheel camper instead of replacing roof. what do you know about this.

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too late...
by: Anonymous

Ok, I found your site too late. We have already purchased a used RV and now we've noticed the bulge in the side (not even sure it was there before, but has been sitting in the driveway with 40C weather for a couple weeks and it's definitely getting worse). You say it is not a diy project to fix, but we don't have much choice, the money has been spent and because of the age of the beast I'm not sure it's worth spending a lot of money on it. What we do have is time and building experience, so is there any way we can do it ourselves? Beauty is not an issue, function and integrity are all that matter. Thank you.

Comment From RVing Al I will reemphasize my statement that this really is not a do-it-yourself job. Both the interior and exterior skin of the RV can be affected and could have to be replaced. Any mistakes that are made could severly affect the overall strutural integrity of the RV. I would say that you should at least take it to a professional to have them take a look at the RV and see what they recommend.

You are the one that is finally going to have to decide if you can do it yourself or if it is even worth the expense or even your time or labor to fix it. The only way you will know is by having a qualified person look at it.

I hope this helps

RVing Al

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