Minnie Winnie 31H lower rear panel rot

[Allan]

I have a 2016 Minnie Winnie 31 H I just purchased. I turned a corner too tight (maiden voyage) and barely caught a cement block with my tail end. When I went down to look at the damage I found that the plywood was all rotted and falling out (I call it delaminated). I have 1 trip of less that 500 miles on it so I know it isn't recent. There also appears to be a couple of external screws on both sides(tail ends) that don't look like they belong. I think I got ripped off but really don't know. This is my first class C.
I couldn't find the part on the Winnebago website either.
Any ideas/comments/bad jokes?

[Eagle5]

Hi Allan,
In reviewing the brochure for the 2016 Minnie Winnie, the exterior shell does not come from the factory with plywood (please see construction schematic below.) Could the screws on the outside be a subliminal message that you got screwed? (ha-ha.) OK; now that I have provided a bad joke, it sounds like this is an old shoddy repair job.
I would take your Minnie Winnie into a shop like:

R V Bodywork NH
14 Caldwell Dr, Amherst, NH 03031
(603) 913-9788

and get a second opinion (and not like Rodney Dangerfield when he asked his doctor for a second opinion.)
Good luck; Eagle5

[Allan]

Thanks Eagle 5. It looks like plywood to me, Not original huh? That sucks. Camper world in Chichester.
Good bad jokes too. hehe[

[akeagle]

This is probably not relevant, but I took a look under our 2016 Minnie Winnie 27Q, which is a slightly smaller brother to your 31h, and I see no plywood.

I suspect the others are right in that yours was a repair job.

[Clotus]

I have a 2017 31K and my rear wing under the bumper also has the rot, not quite as bad, but definitely there. It also looks like plywood. I think it’s factory and just the bottom panel up to the actual wall. My bottom trim piece was missing. I have since installed the trim piece and put a decent amount of sealant. I wouldn’t worry about it too much as it’s not structural, but I would figure out a way to stop it from absorbing more water.

[tderonne]

Winnebago parts catalog lists luan as a component of the exterior walls for a 2016 to current Minnie Winnie. (Also lists "paneling" - the interior). Winnebago seems to be very quiet on their use of Luan vs. Azdel. They touted Azdel's use in 2019 for towables, but I can't find anything on motorized units. Parts catalog doesn't list luan for a current Navion though, so I think there is Azdel used in some models. Lichtsinn has some information, but also misleadingly states that Azdel has been in use since 2006. It has, just not on Winnebagos. Their text is copied right from press reeleases about Azdel in general, not for Winnebago.

All that is to say. Yup, you have plywood in your walls. From the factory. At least that's what I can find.


Edit:
This thread has info directly from Winnebago in 2014 that luan was in use then (see post #14)
https://www.rvforum.net/threads/winn...ination.72938/

So 2006 is definitely not when they started using it. Looking for something a bit newer than 2014...