I was fixing some water damage and pulling off the old paneling and I thought these piece were wood but they turned up being metal strips(for lack of a better term) do I need to clean them and put them back or can I just cut it off where I’m putting new panel to and leave it like that?
What are these and do I have to put them back???
- Thread starter Coryu
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I think they are structural for lateral movement.
blw2
Well-known member
according to the structural drawing I have for mine, they put metal plates in sometimes as blocking for mounting things.....like where an optional TV might be mounted, or the antenna on the roof. Maybe something like that?
djw2112
Well-known member
Yeah i think they are just nailers, something to attach something if needed. Sometimes they also put those in not only for TV's but just to simply have another structure to keep the wall panels from bowing. Sometimes they have them for anything outside that needs to be mounted as well.
Remember you essentially have a huge hole in the wall where the window goes so it needs extra support.
Remember you essentially have a huge hole in the wall where the window goes so it needs extra support.
JudyJB
Well-known member
I watched them make walls at Fleetwood before I bought my rig, and because the walls are so flimsy, they added metal strips in the "sandwich" of the walls wherever they wanted to fasten something like a cabinet or a dinette and seats.
Having torn the walls apart, this would be a good chance to replace these metal strips with newer ones so you can screw something to them if you ever decide to. I'd even be tempted to make them bigger and use aluminum or something lighter than steel.
Having torn the walls apart, this would be a good chance to replace these metal strips with newer ones so you can screw something to them if you ever decide to. I'd even be tempted to make them bigger and use aluminum or something lighter than steel.
Exactly, often they’re run diagonally, criss cross. In manufactured homes they use galvanized straps.
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Kirk
Well-known member
Since we are all just guessing and none of us actually know, I would replace everything because in my experience there is very little put into an RV that isn't necessary. The choice is, leave them out and see what happens when you try to use the RV, or replace everything as it was originally and take a chance that it wasn't needed. Its your choice so how much risk do you take just to save a little bit of work and supplies?
