Repairing Back Hatch of Clamshell

SurferWoodsman

Hello. I recently bought a 2007 Clamshell. The back hatch worked fine when I looked at the T@B. However, soon after I brought it home, the strut brackets ripped out of the wall due to underlying wood rot. I cut new pieces of 1/4" plywood to hold the brackets but it's not strong enough - the wood started to buckle when I tested it. Does anyone have repair suggestions?? We're struggling to find a solution. Thank you! 

Sharon_is_SAM

I would call nuCamp.  As you have found out, the early versions (Dutchman) of the Tab had a lot of wood prone to rot when leaks occur.  There have been several people who have had to deal with soft floors and a recent owner whose Tab walls ended up sitting on the trailer frame.  Pleasant Valley actually resolved the leaking of the clamshell hinge with a new design when they took over production.  Good luck.  See contact info under the categories list on the left of the web page.

Mouseketab

I know that NuCamp has rebuilt at least one Clamshell hatch on an older Dutchman, but it was quite a bit of work as they seal quite differently than the old ones. I also know that at least one Dutchman owner basically pulled their hatch apart, and redid the interior skin, insulation and maybe even some spars.

rfuss928

Early clamshells lacked the hinge cover implemented in ~2009.  This allowed water to enter the hatch and kitchen area.  When the connection at the wall fails it is often the hatch has taken on water and is very heavy.  Water leaks at the side walls can weaken the wood and worsen the problem. 

NuCamp does a very nice job replacing the hatch and repairing the walls if you are not considering DIY.

SurferWoodsman

Thanks for the feedback @rfuss928 @Mouseketab and @SAM. I'm not sure how I'm going to fix it but this helps. Sounds like a complicated repair. Hopefully NuCamp will give some helpful recommendations.  

db_cooper

Any chance you could incorporate some epoxy resin/ fiberglass with your plywood to strengthen your repair? 

I've repaired rotten door sills on our old home with epoxy mixed with wood flour and it's stronger than the original wood and resists moisture.

cmac

We have a 2007 CS and it developed the dreaded hinge leak.

My summer project in 2016, my first retirement project, was to fix it.  I had to remove everything in the kitchen but was able to salvage the cabinets as they had little to no damage.  Had to replace the countertops, floor under the cabinets, and side walls.  Got new countertops thru Home Depot using the old ones as templates for them to make them.  I am very pleased with the new countertops however they were kind of pricey, but worth it.  I was able to get additional matching countertop material to cover the new wood on the side walls.

Our struts also pulled out of the walls on both sides.  I discovered while working on the side walls that I could not make the walls strong enough to withstand the pressure of the gas struts, so I did not use them.  Instead, I made 2 hatch supports out of 1" pvc pipe with a cap on the bottom end and a 45 degree fitting at the top to fit the hatch lock pin into.  Also made a "boot" out of a short 2 x 4 to hold the bottom end of the pipe and help spread the weight over a slightly larger area of the floor.

I got some white and red PVC spray paint from Ace Hardware and used some Scotch brand painters tape to paint the PVC poles into a candy-cane look.  They are more than able to support the hatch and colors match the T@B's exterior color.

It is interesting how heavy the hatch is without the benefit of the gas struts but doing it this way assures me that I will not have to fix the side walls again.

I also had to remove the seder rails and I chalked the joint between the roof and the side walls on both sides of the trailer.  Used at least 4 tubes of silicon.  I also got a piece of roofing grade epdm rubber and cut a strip to place under the hatch hinge to help seal water out.  Made sure the hatch hinge could drain to either side to get rid of the water.  Also sealed under the epdm with additional silicon - that sucker ain't gonna leak!!!!

Since then, we have been in several really heavy rain storms as well as testing with the garden hose and have no more detectable leaks.  I really don't want to go thru this process ever again!

So, while the gas struts would be most desirable, I don't believe the Dutchman  construction technique will allow for the additional stress placed on the thin side walls without eventual failure.  My pvc poles are inconvenient but do work well.  They store in the floor recess between the bottom of the cabinets and the rear of the trailer.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

John

SurferWoodsman

Thank you for the thoughtful answer, John @cmac! We used PVC last weekend and it worked well. And thank you for the sealing recommendations. I am definitely worried about future leaks.

SurferWoodsman

That's a good idea @db_cooper. Thanks!

Mouseketab

Here is a pic of my hinge cover.

cmac

Carol

That is identical to the repair I did on our CS, in fact, I may have gotten the idea from one of your long ago posts.

John

NomadPilgrim

What is the recommended maintenance for this hinge seal? 2016 CS-S. 

hotcoldsummer

Does anyone know what the webbed waterproof fabric material is?  I've tried to replace mine with several things that haven't held up to driving.

Sharon_is_SAM

Here is another thread that discusses hinge maintenance.  It is some kind of industrial grade synthetic rip stop. 

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/199830#Comment_199830

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