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1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: September 11th, 2017, 8:22 am
by Aikensb
We are fixing up a 1999 Chinook Premiere that my mother bought for some odd reason - she's 81! I have been reading some very complicated "how-to"s on the forum. If you all are interested, I can post our progress (with pics) as we go along, including estimated work hours. Before we moved it to our house in Virginia, she had new brakes and brake calipers installed, transmission checked and flushed, new air and fuel filters, 2 new tires installed, maybe some other work. I think the tires still need balanced. Just drove it over mountains from WV to VA and it handles very well and took mountains at 65 mph with no trouble (now these are eastern mountains, not the Rockies!).

We have not tested all of the house systems yet. I plan to take it to the local state park and test the water/sewer systems and the AC. Generator works, but is not powering 110, so I assume there is a transfer switch gone bad? 12V system works well; looks like there are two new house batteries on the unit. We have a new 5 cubic foot Dometic fridge ready to install - the previous owner really tore up this entire panel and installed, not one, but two small 110V dorm fridges! So, we will need to build a new wall section here to accommodate the fridge.

The interior needs work and we have already started. The window was leaking and we could see wall damage. So, we needed to rip everything out to see how bad the damage was. Once we started demo though, we just decided to remove everything on that wall, including the kitchen cabinet and sink. While we were at it, we removed the carpet too! I now see the bolts everyone has talked about here - but I have a plan for those too....the carpet was not difficult at all to remove. Of course my husband grew up helping his father in the family flooring business, so he has experience here. Our plan is to lay laminate/Pergo flooring. First, we will lay new luan. We plan to cut out holes for the bolts, but the new luan should make them nearly flush. We can chisel out the remaining from the backs of the laminate planks. Pergo is easy - we laid it in our basement - and stable. It now comes with the padding already installed on the planks. If you plan to do something similar, remember that a lot of the off-brands get bad reviews for being so difficult to click in place. Thus, Pergo for us.

After removing the couch and the very thin wallpapered luan paneling, we saw the damage was not as bad as we first thought. There were two rotten sections of wood on the window frame/support/stud. After reading the forum, I realize there is some interest in knowing how that wall is actually constructed at the factory. Well, IMO, not that well... (we've had 2 Airstreams and now own a 2002 all-fiberglass Alpenlite that is SOLID). I attach images. There are no real studs, only a strip of wood underneath and around the windows. We might put some wood in behind the sink area, but haven't played with it yet. Also the electrical just comes in under the sink and there is an open hole - it is not blocked off. Hello Mice! Welcome Aboard!

Next, together we removed the window, which was in good shape. This was EASY PEAZY! He unscrewed all of the screws and took out the inside framing. I held the window until he came out and we laid it on sawhorses. I then took rubbing alcohol and a 7 in 1 tool and gently scraped off all of the silicone on the fiberglass. Didn't take as long as I thought it would. Got it smooth as glass!

To remove and demo everything took my husband about a day's worth of work. Removing the window, cleaning the silicone off the fiberglass, fabricating and replacing the rotten pieces of window framing, putting in new luan, re-installing the window with new butyl tape, and adding a silicone bead just for fun took us from 8:30-4:30, with two 1/2 hour breaks - well probably more for me as I was the helper, fetcher, holder, and scraper!
Other side showing more of window framing.  Sorry it's dark.
Other side showing more of window framing. Sorry it's dark.
Next post....rebuilding the wall and window frame, and re-installing the window. Let me know if you're interested.....I can outline the work and attach images.

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: September 12th, 2017, 3:51 am
by Aikensb
I realized this would be better on the Projects and Modifications Page, so future posts will go there.

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 27th, 2018, 4:54 pm
by Sammy
Our window by the table we think is leaking. When it rains the bottom of the window on the inside it has a gutter and it fills with water. How did you get the window out? I see no screws anywhere. Our Chinook or a 2002 Cascade. Any thoughts???

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 28th, 2018, 1:57 pm
by caconcourse
Sammy wrote: August 27th, 2018, 4:54 pm Our window by the table we think is leaking. When it rains the bottom of the window on the inside it has a gutter and it fills with water. How did you get the window out? I see no screws anywhere. Our Chinook or a 2002 Cascade. Any thoughts???
There should be some "weep holes" in the gutter that allow drainage to the outside. Sounds like they are clogged up. They are slots in the outside rail of the window frame, and have rectangular covers, if they are still present.

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 28th, 2018, 4:21 pm
by Sammy
Hello Sammy,
I noticed the clips on the bottom of the outside windows and noticed the holes but didn’t know what they were were for since there were no screws I figured they didn’t have anything to do with removing the windows. So that is it!!! Do you know how to clean the gutters out? I thought maybe using a pipe cleaner and run through the holes from the outside?
The Chinook only has 16,000 miles and is a 2002 Cascade.
and is in incredible shape I think it was kept under a covered carport.
We love it! They are by far the most well built and solid campers ever made. We dedcided it was worth it to buy an older RV and just work on when it needs it in order to own one!!
Thanks so much for getting back to me and if you are ever in Knoxville Tennessee let us know!!!

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 28th, 2018, 6:38 pm
by Blue~Go
Just as background, Chinook has used a few different manufacturers and styles of windows throughout the years (and even within years). For example, Hehr brand various models, and SE-GI brand various models.

Different years have different "things." Now, if they are leaking around the bedding that's under the flange, then the only proper thing to do is remove the whole window, re-bed (under the flange) and then re-install.

BUT here is another example of something that happens on my particular era of window (and perhaps others). When it rains hard and a little from the side (on the side of a particular window), then the outside track of the opening part of the window fills with water, and it can run into the INSIDE track of the fixed part of the window. (This is regardless of having clean weep holes.) My rig tends to sit high in the stern, so that exacerbates it.

Normally it just sits in the track and doesn't really do any harm. Or it can be soaked up with a bit of paper towel or etc. One time, when the rain was positively *lashing* from the side, AND over 3" fell in something like an hour (roads were washed out), then it filled up enough that it would have run over if I had not been there with the paper towel. On the other hand a similar deluge that came more straight down gave me no problems, and normal rains don't either (neither does driving in the rain).

You probably don't have the exact same windows, but there might be something similar happening. Or clogged weep holes (but that is not the source of my problem).

Only if the water is actually leaking between the flange and the body do you typically need to remove the window and re-bed.

Maybe a photo or two?

BG

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 30th, 2018, 12:01 pm
by Sammy
HEllo again!
I have enclosed some pics. The one with the pen laying in the gutter is exactly what you said. We were in a heavy rain for couple of hours and the gutter filled up but this was the only one and I haven’t noticed any water damage inside on the walls at all. I did send pics of the outside close up of two areas on the outside where it looks like the rubber seal have pulled away. This may be normal but just don’t know and I have all the original Chinook owners manual and do documents but there is nothing on the windows as far as what kind.
I really do appreciate you help(;
Lisa b

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 30th, 2018, 1:30 pm
by eporter123
I think there should be small drain holes under those four rectangular "blocks" on the rubber trim?

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 30th, 2018, 2:09 pm
by b6fischer
I've been having the same problem Blue mentions, in a big storm with water streaming down side of rig and collecting in the track.

This conversation just made me think, "Just drill a few new or enlarge the existing holes.

Bill

Re: 1999 Chinook Premiere Reno In Process

Posted: August 30th, 2018, 3:25 pm
by Sammy
Good idea! Also when you drive your Chinook around 62-75 does it have a vibration, say for instance my purse in the drivers seat shakes and you can feel it! I have new shocks, Michelin tires, and the Chevy dealership can’t fogur it out, the tire place road tested and balanced them twice hen he sent me to an alignment shop and they balanced the wheels and tire together and it better but I don’t know if all Chinook’s drove like that. The tire place said we could have a bent wheel but it without him having some other wheels to try and swap them out till he can determine that I’m stuck)( we rented a Chinook in aOregon for 2 weeks and it was a Ford and I don’t remember this problem. Ours is a 24 foot Chevy. Other than that it drives like a dream. Any ideas?