I was doing a small job under the van this morning when I noticed a damp area on the edge of the bottom of the van near the side skirt that run s all round the van.

Luck to have spotted it as we are off to Spain soon. In the Motorhomes repair shop at Whitstable this afternoon to sort it out.

It appears that water running down the side of the van is getting under the skirt and then has no where to go, it then soaks into the wood work under the van on the edge of the van floor.

Looks like it could be expensive.

Check under the van if you can see or feel any damp then you need to get it sorted. A seam of mastic along the top of the skirt would help but to late for me.

Andy

Another example of "quality" design then

(What sort of age is your MH??)

Sounds just like the Swift problem affecting the Sundance / Lifestyle / Suntor / Ace / Bessacar ranges in 2005 / 6

The van is 2002 747, it is a bit of a shock as I am always checking for leaks as I know how they can creep up on you.

Never ever thought it would be something like this. Seems such a stupid idea to do something like this.

Andy

I've just found the same thing on our 2008 Rapido whilst fitting rear mudflaps. I had a small patch 2" x 2" just behind the wheelarch where the outer (lightweight) 4mm ply had gone soggy. I excavated it away back to the structural timber which dried out quite quickly and then resealed it all, hopefully sealing up the ingress point in the process. I'll have to check again next spring.

Overall the Rapido seems very well sealed all around the bottom corners but it only takes a small gap in the wrong place for a few drips to get in then they are sealed in.

I did paint a thin layer of underseal behind the rear wheels about 18 months ago because the thin (probably breathable) black paint that was covering the ply was getting worn off by water and grit from the tyre. In hindsight I'm wondering if I sealed in the damp myself (although most of it was under the 1" mastic overlap [underlap?]).

Kev

We have a Mobilvetta Driver 52 year 2003. Bought this last May and had trouble with wast tank leaking, after two attempts of repair the dealer sent it to proper firm who put it right. Dealer went to put the tank back in and found damp had penetrated right through floor so the bolts holding tank in place at one spot fell through Eight weeks later got van back with all new floor where the damp had penetrated from the side skirts up to the wood work.The time limit was not a problem as went into hospital and now back home and done round trip to Southam where Paul Grundy done complete underseal taking in the side trims where it meets the woodwork a special dose, so hope will not have to have that worry any longer. Bye the way the original dealer Caravantech Hurst Green,did not charge as there was no way they or ourselves could have known about the damp.CT I find to be really good at customer relations as at one time with that faulty tank he sent a fitter round to our house to see whether it could be done .

I have been up to see the work in progress it has been stripped back to sound wood and is now dying out.

The side skirt was held in place by screws under the van and a sticky mastic tape against the van to keep the water out. The repairers think that it may have been seeping past the mastic since it was built.

They will put a seam of tough mastic along the top of the skirt where it touches the wall of the van when they replace it.

If you have a Burstner with the skirt around the van get under it after it has rained and check for damp patches. If you find any seal the skirt to the van before it goes like mine.

Andy

Just started a major project to replace rotten wood on my 2003 A747.
I agree the design fault of the side skirts is the problem, with the wooden frame soaking up the water which runs behind the skirt.
Confident I can sort it, but how many other owners out there are oblivious to the damage underneath their van.
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Found the same problem on my 2007 Chaussures last winter.
Had to replace the rear bumper anyway so dug out all the rotten wood and refilled with 2 part resin wood filler after soaking everything with wood hardener. Used Ronnie products.
After the filling was done used Ronsils 10 year undercoat and paint on all exposed surfaces. So far it's all holding up well.

Hi , we recently purchased a laika ecovip and have just found side skirt leak . has been there a long while . i found 2 inch strip of wood that is between skirting and ply floor is rotten .any info please on how i go about fixing this .