Hello from Pella Iowa - new owner of a 2720 mfg in 2005!

[camp-man]

Looking forward to joining the camping trail with y’all, I will do my best to learn quickly! I purchased this gem with a few war marks from a run-in with a truck bumper…..prior owner. Any direction to which thread I can join to find local skin parts and pieces would be a huge help…close to mid Iowa would be even better! Ted

 

[Wavery]

Pictures of the damage might help us help you.

 

[camp-man]

 

[Wavery]

View attachment 1105295View attachment 1105296

Ouch!! I don't hold out much hope for that unless you are a really talented sheet metal worker.

Go on the TrailManor website and watch how those panels are built.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=41605420972

 

[Wavery]

Ouch!! I don't hold out much hope for that unless you are a really talented sheet metal worker.

I wonder if TM would sell you just that panel, maybe without the window?

I know that they used to sell the entire roof but it would cost more than you could buy a used TM for.

 

[Kidkraz]

From what I see, it appears the wiring going to the a/c unit are ripped out? Or did someone disconnect them? Have you inspected the roof to side wall corner to see if there's any separation? What does the inside of the damaged wall look like?

 

[camp-man]

The wiring you see is for the light box.

Ouch!! I don't hold out much hope for that unless you are a really talented sheet metal worker.

Go on the TrailManor website and watch how those panels are built.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=41605420972

Yeah, I think to be cost effective we will attempt to tack weld aluminum studs to the panel and end cap and see if we can pull it out. My brother and I have done a lot of body work so we are pretty confident we can get the structure corrected but would like to find a used skin to swap, ideally.

 

[Wavery]

The wiring you see is for the light box.

Yeah, I think to be cost effective we will attempt to tack weld aluminum studs to the panel and end cap and see if we can pull it out. My brother and I have done a lot of body work so we are pretty confident we can get the structure corrected but would like to find a used skin to swap, ideally.

Did you watch the video to see how those panels are constructed?

They aren't just a skin and studs. That entire panel, front to back, is an inner sheet aluminum and an outer sheet aluminum that are laminated [glued] together with a 1" sheet of polystyrene between. This makes the structure incredibly strong and capable of withstanding the forces of lifting and lowering the roof and supporting all the weight of the roof and A/C.

I just can't see achieving that strength with sheet metal and studs. I'm pretty sure that you won't be able to pull that out. The rear roof back panel and rear roof side have damage as well. Pretty sure that it is all delaminated. The front roof appears to be delaminated as well. There should be a 1 1/2" arch to that roof. That arch supports the A/C. Trust me..... that roof is toast.

I'd look for a cheap used TM and salvage the roof. The other thought is to part that TM out and buy a decent one. Even if you got that trailer for free, it's a huge project. The worst that I've seen in my 16 years of TM ownership and being on the TM forum.

 

[Kidkraz]

Those wires also go to an antenna that should be attached to the front shell edge. Did this truck come into contact with the street side back shell corner too? Your first picture isn't clear.

 

[Wavery]

Those wires also go to an antenna that should be attached to the front shell edge. Did this truck come into contact with the street side back shell corner too? Your first picture isn't clear.

 

[camp-man]

If we can find a salvage one to use as parts would be the best….anyone have a contact for a salvage yard for TMs?

 

[Bill]

You might find one or two at the TM factory. I saw a couple banged-up units at the old South Dakota factory a couple years ago. I have no idea why they were there, but maybe they could help.

 

[Shrimpburrito]

I agree with the sentiment above, if the goal here is to repair to make it look like it was designed, it's going to be very challenging if not impossible to do it without some salvage shell(s) or at least walls, plus a ton of work. But, if the goal is just to make the thing structurally sound and will keep the water out, even if it looks ugly and has little to zero resale value, then I bet with some creativity you could probably achieve that goal with copious amounts of epoxy and/or fiberglass as well as bits of wood and/or metal. You could, for example, simply cut out the damaged part of the wall on the front shell, put some new framing in for support, add some sheet metal to join that new frame with the old wall, and seal it up. I'm over simplifying, but that would be the general concept, with little regard for how the final product would look.

Dave