Opening at Back Wall on Driver Side of Bed Head Board

SteveG · 11-10-2008, 05:45 AM

We went camping this weekend and on our 2004, Journey 36G the bedroom can be kept very dark during daylight hours. I noticed that there was light coming through a crack located where the headboard and the rear bedroom wall meet, from the floor up about 8 to 10 inches. The opening was large enough for me to get my fingers in.

Has anyone else experienced this opening?

I spoke to Winnebago help desk this morning and he suggested that, depending on the size of the hole, that I seal it with caulking or a combination of rubber seal and caulking. It will be a very tight space to work in. I am guessing that outside access is also going to be very difficult or impossible as it would be above the engine access area.

Winnebago could not explain why the opening occurred or how to "refasten" it to prevent the opening from further enlarging. If it was originally fastened by glue bonding rather then using fasteners, the problem may be that the glue is breaking down. If this speculation is accurate I don't see how sealing it will stop the opening from growing. Given that the opening provides potential access to exhaust fumes it is not something I can ignore.

Thanks for any assistance. SteveG

SteveG · 11-10-2008, 05:45 AM

We went camping this weekend and on our 2004, Journey 36G the bedroom can be kept very dark during daylight hours. I noticed that there was light coming through a crack located where the headboard and the rear bedroom wall meet, from the floor up about 8 to 10 inches. The opening was large enough for me to get my fingers in.

Has anyone else experienced this opening?

I spoke to Winnebago help desk this morning and he suggested that, depending on the size of the hole, that I seal it with caulking or a combination of rubber seal and caulking. It will be a very tight space to work in. I am guessing that outside access is also going to be very difficult or impossible as it would be above the engine access area.

Winnebago could not explain why the opening occurred or how to "refasten" it to prevent the opening from further enlarging. If it was originally fastened by glue bonding rather then using fasteners, the problem may be that the glue is breaking down. If this speculation is accurate I don't see how sealing it will stop the opening from growing. Given that the opening provides potential access to exhaust fumes it is not something I can ignore.

Thanks for any assistance. SteveG

Karl · 11-10-2008, 05:54 AM

I just found the same thing on my 2005 36RD and was going to take the bed out and see the area better. I was thinking of using silicone caulk to fill in the gap, but will look at it better once the bed is removed.

smlranger · 11-10-2008, 06:57 AM

I would certainly take the headboard off and see what's going on behind it. The headboard on our '02 36GD is firmly attached to the wall so there is no gap behind it. We did have a small gap on one side of the bed down near the floor. That appeared to the where the steel engine cover/enclosure meets the wall. I believe there was a foam seal in that area but there was a small gap (perhaps that is what you are referring to. I was able to seal that with caulk.

Let us know what you find.

porscheracer · 11-10-2008, 10:53 AM

On our 36RD, we removed the bed and resealed the joint. The opening was between top edge of the bed frame and the back wall.

SteveG · 11-10-2008, 02:44 PM

I took a closer look this afternoon. The undesired opening into the interior space from the rear service bay is built into the design/manufacturing by Winnebago. The bed has not moved; it is rock solid. The opening appears to have been closed off with a piece of foam material. On the inside there is a tape of some sort to hold the foam in place. I can not tell if the tape was part of the original install. The foam appears to be part of the original install as the same opening is also closed off with foam on the passenger side. The passenger side foam is still in place.

To my way of thinking the foam is very light material for this job. It is open celled foam that you might see in packing crates; see the photo below. Wonder why a more substantial material was not used. Maybe some type of rubber.

Unless someone has a better idea, I am going to try to find some rubber that will fit and then glue silicone it in place from the outside thru the rear service bay. I do not think removing the head board will be necessary as the opening is below the headboard and adjacent to the bed frame. I'll just slide the mattress out of the way. I may be able to silicone the inside by wiping the silicone on by hand to help bond the two joints. Since the space between the bed frame and the night stand is small that plan may not work. If that does not work, I may have to use a tape. I'll try to find something more substantial then the piece that I found there.

As an act of preventative maintenance on the passenger side I will silicone the outside. The inside is hidden by the AC return and will be a bear to reach.

Below are photos showing the driver side problem.

You can see the snake I shoved thru the opening from the inside at about the floor level.

This photo is looking at the opening which is the entire space you can see in the photo below.

In this photo below you can see the piece of foam that fill out of the opening and laying on the floor.

Fakrwee · 11-10-2008, 03:02 PM

Hi Steve. I don't know if it applies or not but have you thought of using expanding foam. I've used it on my 4X4 to avoid water from entering thru gaps.

A small amount goes a long way and fills in any gaps. What ever foam can be seen from the outside I sand it down and paint it. Just a thought. Good luck.

Tom

SteveG · 11-11-2008, 10:46 AM

Fix was easy with expanding foam. Thanks Tom for the idea. I reinserted the existing foam piece and on the inside I wedged it in place with a wood block so the foam would be forced to expand to the out side.

I've apparently been living a sheltered life as I have never used expanding foam. The stuff EXPANDS just like the label says; a little goes a long way. I'll need do a "little" trimming and will paint the exterior black so it is not so noticeable but mainly to protect it from the elements.. Did both sides. SteveG

Fakrwee · 11-11-2008, 03:24 PM

Great Steve. Glad I could be of help. It's feels great to help someone as I have been helped here plenty of times.

Tom

wagonmaster2 · 11-12-2008, 04:53 PM

I've been fighting engine odors in the bedroom since my Meridian was new and this was just one more opening I discovered last spring. As with most of the other holes and openings I've found, I filled this one on the back wall with the expanding foam. Its hard to believe that Winnebago could build something with so many openings to the outside. Forest City managed to find a couple when I was there 2 years ago but I just keep finding more. Maybe by the time I'm ready to trade I will have found them all.
Wagonmaster2