I need HELP!!!: underbelly lining no longer attached

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underbelly lining no longer attached

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Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12874
Printed Date: 13 May 2025 at 7:43am
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Topic: underbelly lining no longer attached

Posted By: Yedi
Subject: underbelly lining no longer attached
Date Posted: 25 May 2019 at 3:54pm

I recently purchased a 2012 R-Pod 177. The underbelly lining is no longer attached in the very back on the floor and thus there is some water damage all along the back floor of the camper. Nothing too serious at this point as this is where the pass-through storage is located.

However, I would like to try to repair or at least enclose the bare wood (again along the very back wall).

Anybody else experience this and/or repaired this with your R-Pod? I don't know where to be begin trying to possibly try to attach something to the existing underbelly lining and then seal it against the back of the R-Pod.

All suggestions welcome! Thanks!

Replies:

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 25 May 2019 at 5:24pm

That is interesting. I had issues with a wet floor bottom on my 2015 178. After getting the pod out of the elements, I traced mine to a leaking spoiler. I allowed it to dry, and then Eterna bonded my spoiler ,top and sides. This is my first season with the new seal. Appears floor is staying dry, I'm talking underneath. No apparent issues looking at it from outside at camper level. Also rear pass thru was not wet. I didn't lose any bottom side lining, it was wet. Nothing apparent inside of Pod. All the moisture was on the underside at rear, in my case. After you have deduced where the moisture is coming from there are several good sealants you can use on Pod bottom. Noting will work until the water issue is resolved.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: Yedi
Date Posted: 25 May 2019 at 5:29pm

Thanks mcarter. Nothing is wet right now. And we just had a ton of rain. All the wood is dry, but because the lining is just hanging all along the back, the part that is exposed has had some slight water damage, probably when driving in the rain/wet highway.

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 25 May 2019 at 5:45pm

Good sign. May have just lost adhesive capability. Maybe. When dry, recoat. You could use a spray on or a brush on to test your theory.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: Yedi
Date Posted: 25 May 2019 at 6:05pm

mcarter, what sealer do you recommend?

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 26 May 2019 at 9:57am

When I have repaired the bottom seal and I admit probably not to the extent of your issue. I used Flex Seal, black, in both the spray and brush on types. I've noticed most of the belly hardware is attached with self tapping screws into the non metal bottom. When I replace or attach something on bottom I recoat the area with flex seal.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: RC Robert
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 12:50pm

We have 2010 177 with the underbelly liner pulled away and delaminated from the super thin plywood bottom floor layer. I cut into it and found the plywood soaked. Kept on cutting until 60% of lining had to be removed. The floor inside the trailer has no soft spots and the foam layer in between seems dry. Walls looks and feel fine. Just the layer of rubber has pulled away and that first plywood layer is wet. The wet plywood is drying nicely now and is not rotting. How do I replace the rubber underbelly layer? Our local dealer said they just spray coat it. Can I do this? If so, spray and coat with what? Water got in between layers from poor bottom edge calking.

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 1:49pm

I wonder if textured 2-part pickup truck bed liner, that you apply with a paint roller, would work?

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r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 1:54pm

Originally posted by RC Robert

We have 2010 177 with the underbelly liner pulled away and delaminated from the super thin plywood bottom floor layer. I cut into it and found the plywood soaked. Kept on cutting until 60% of lining had to be removed. The floor inside the trailer has no soft spots and the foam layer in between seems dry. Walls looks and feel fine. Just the layer of rubber has pulled away and that first plywood layer is wet. The wet plywood is drying nicely now and is not rotting. How do I replace the rubber underbelly layer? Our local dealer said they just spray coat it. Can I do this? If so, spray and coat with what? Water got in between layers from poor bottom edge calking.

A little more info maybe. Where specifically is the wet area? Have you been towing in wet conditions? Is it under the shower/toilet/kitchen sink/water heater?

Depending on where the water is coming from, you just might need to dry it out & apply a rubber coating.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

Posted By: RC Robert
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 2:42pm

The black rubber underbelly cover has now been 60% removed. Cut out with a knife. The thin layer of wood is drying. Foam above it seems dry. Need to replace the cover or coat the exposed wood with something. Could not pull the cover off where it goes under the frame or under the tanks. But still is drying out and not rotting. Leak was at seems between rubber cover and wood layer at the bottom underside edges. Front edge, side edges and rear edge all allowed water to seep in between this layer Of the floor. The only way the wood would ever dry was to cut out the rubber underbelly stuff which was delaminated from the wood. Kind of like a rubberized nylon mesh now 60% removed. Thanks for your help. I’m in Canada and 1gal cans of flex seal are unavailable where I am.

Posted By: RC Robert
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2019 at 8:55am

See below

Still need a repair strategy any ideas would be helpful. Has anyone else had this happen. Please check your r-pod.

Posted By: RC Robert
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2019 at 9:06am

Try the link for more underbelly photos. The wood was wet. Now drying when liner was cut, pulled away. https://postimg.cc/gallery/1m75234sa/ - https://postimg.cc/gallery/1m75234sa/

Posted By: Yedi
Date Posted: 06 Aug 2019 at 1:04pm

Did you see all of my post on something similar? http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12895&KW=177&PID=124960&title=back-fiberglass-pulling-away-from-177-hre#124960. There's some pictures of before and after.

We used flex mend tape: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FYV9P4W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But you will probably need some additional sealant around the frame pieces, etc.