quote:

Originally posted by Bill N.Y.:
Try looking at it early in the morning. See if there is more dew in certain areas. Look on the inside. If there are interior panels joined together there is a beam there.

Maybe something between the dew and the panels and the outer edge might work for you.

I've looked inside as well as out, and thumped on the panel from both sides. The only "solidness" is where the side and top cabinetes are attached. The panel doesn't "oilcan" at all; it just feels more solid opposite the cabinet attachment points.

There are no seams except at the rivet points. It's basically a 6'x3' flat panel.

I can tell you there were several things that I saw on my coach.

In the early morning spring/ summer hours the dew would drip off a little different or wouldn't be in certain places. I could see where just about all of the beams were. In the colder months it took a little longer for the frost to form where the beams were.

Other then that I'm lost and don't really have any other suggestions. You could try an aluminum magnet on the inside panels.

Statement: "There is no such thing as an aluminum magnet" End!

Bill,

I would skip the aluminum magnets. They usually stick on so strongly that they scratch the paint when you pull them off.

However, Rusty, on my coach, at the headboard of the bed, the lower section is screwed in place. If you were to remove it, the framing on the back of the coach should be revealed. This may be a similar construction on you coach.

Bill G

Mine's a diesel pusher, and there's really not headboard - i fact, the interior panel pretty much echoes the exterior - a 6+ foot wide piece with no breaks, even below the hinge point for the bed lift...weird...

But I'm thinking, someone thought that the "stuff" between the interior fascia and the outer panel was strong enough for anchoring the bedroom cabinets, it may well be enough for an external ladder.

The aluminum magnets aren't an issue - I got mine stuck on a collection of beer cans, and the whole mess now weighs over 3 tons, and I can't pry the magnets off...

Aluminum magnets, huh?

What was it that Archie said to Mehitabel?

Toujours gai - or was that what Mehitabel said to Archie?

Well, that, too.

"What was it that Archie said to Mehitabel?"

When they turn on the light, RUN!!

Okay, time for one of my stupid questions...how is the factory installed ladder attached to the back of a Breakaway? I went to climb mine yesterday and it seems that the rivets holding it in place are all unattached, so I got off of it promptly.....

The ladder rivets rotted on my coach as well.

I carefully drilled and punched out the existing rivets, made sure the hole was the same size and installed Stainless Steel rivets. To do this I use an air dirven rivet gun, about $120.00 (this assumes you have an air compressor) ; there is no way I can install S.S. rivets with a hand tool. You can use aluminum rivets and the aluminum rivets did last a number of years on my 1973. Aluminum 3/16 th diameters rivets can be done with a hand tool; a decent one sells for about 25 to 30 dollars. There are "self filling" rivets that look nice or a dab of silicone seal in the hole has a simular effect.

If you are not compeled to fill your house with tools as I am at least you have an idea of what the tools cost.

CAD plated steel rivets are in my view a poor choice, hard to install, just like the SS ones, and prone to rust.

Timothy

Timothy,
Thanks for the info. on this. I did the same thing, except we used aluminum rivets and replaced them all. They all fit real well and now I can use my ladder (the roof needs to be coated). Do you think I need to put some sort of "sealer" around the new rivet to prevent any leaking because we drilled out the old ones?

This is a bit late, but I seal the area around the rivet hole before seating the rivet. Then I seal the hole where the mandrel breaks off.