Repairing blown tire damage

Northern Wis. · 06-07-2016, 06:39 AM

I getting ready to repair the damage done to our 5th wheel by a blown tire and have a question.
The dark brown radius metal skirting was damaged and needs to be replaced, my question pertains to the black trim strip that runs along the side of the trailer covering the seam where the radius skirting and the fiberglas join. It appears that this black trim strip snaps onto a channel that is actually holding the skirting in place. Can I just pry the top black strip off of the channel and then snap it back in place once the repair has been made or will this trim strip covering be damaged and need to be replaced?
Thanks, Bill

Drifter1959 · 06-07-2016, 09:33 AM

Picture please!

Northern Wis. · 06-07-2016, 06:48 PM

The black trim piece I am referring to is located at the top edge of the dark brown radius skirting.

Paintinfool3 · 06-07-2016, 06:54 PM

no that is not the way the strip works. it is a u shaped strip that is one piece. when installed it starts out sort of L shaped with the L facing top. then it is stapled to the side of trailer, the aluminum bottom section is slipped up into it and then it is hammered over the aluminum

Paintinfool3 · 06-07-2016, 06:57 PM

If you need to replace the dark brown aluminum radius piece you would just have to check both ends where they screw through the outside to hold it in place and then remove screws from the underside where the metal braces are attached then with a stiff putty knife gently pry from the underside of black strip just enough to bring it out a little and slip the aluminum radius panel out

Paintinfool3 · 06-07-2016, 06:58 PM

I know this only because I watched them installing the black molding and lower skirts when we were on the factory tour

Paintinfool3 · 06-07-2016, 07:02 PM

Actually you might not even have to pry it at all you might be able just to slip it out as it is just caulked along the top edge of molding

Edd505 · 06-07-2016, 09:34 PM

I did the exact repair and found a staple under the end. I was able to open the black strip enough to remove the staple then the brown metal was pulled down. The new metal will be one long piece and the wheel radius has to be cut. I flattened the old metal and used it as a temple for the cut. I used a metal cutting wheel for the cut. The cut was not critical as most of it ends up under the fiberglass fender. When I had the cut brown metal in place in used I used a piece if wood to bend the black piece back into place.

Prior post on repair.
http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f4...age-31737.html

Northern Wis. · 06-08-2016, 06:15 AM

Thanks for the repair info. As soon as the skirting I've ordered arrives I should be all set.
Bill

Edd505 · 06-08-2016, 07:43 PM

Bill can you take pictures as you do your repair? It's a common issue and I saved $1000 doing it myself. I was so into doing the repair I didn't get pictures along the way and I'm sure many would find it useful.

KLGard · 06-09-2016, 12:53 AM

We had a tire blow on our 2013 and had to replace the lower skirting, last June. We did what Edd505 did to repair his. We did not have to take of the black strip. Just carefully lifted it up to remove the metal skirt. It was a quick 45 min. job. Taking it off, and replacing it. We also had to put on the decals on the new skirt. Very easy to do.

Northern Wis. · 06-09-2016, 06:17 AM

I hope the rest of the repair goes as well as replacing the lower skirting panel.
When the tire blew it rapped around the gusset welded to the frame, which ripped the bolt going through the floor out of the floor and bent the gusset up. the sheet metal panel attached to the bottom of the floor forming the top of the wheel was also literally wadded up above the tire that blew. So that panel has to come out. The fabric and insulation that was above the sheet metal was also torn up so that has to be repaired as well.
This will keep me busy for awhile. Although I just found out from my dealer that I won't be able to get the replacement skirting panel for at least a month due to supplier changes at Jayco. So?
I had made temporary repairs when the tire blew, so I guess that will have to do for now. The skirting is the first thing to come off to start the repair, and I hate to do and redo a project.

Edd505 · 06-09-2016, 08:03 PM

I didn't get the wheel well damage but the insulation got torn under the 5W. I found the fiber board at a local RV repair and they are the ones that said to cut a piece to cover the hole left by the blowout and use the aluminum tape to hold it in place. I did the seams all around then covered it all with another layer of tape. Please get some pictures as you do the repair Good luck.

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