Undercoating a Micro Minnie 2024 2108DS

[dadobi]

We have just purchased a Micro Minnie 2024 2108DS. We live along the gulf coast and are considering applying protective undercoat to the unit. Has anyone done this? If so how do you re-secure the bottom cover so that it stays secure while traveling?

 

[creativepart]

Isn’t there already some fabric or plastic coating layer under your Micro Minnie?

At you talking about adding a water/salt proof layer over that?

I see you’re in Rockport, we visit once or twice a year. We stay on the bay front sites at Goose Island State Park. In fact we already have reservations for next February

(Photo is last year in our previous RV.)

 

[dadobi]

We feel blessed to live here year round and love going to Goose Island. The saltwater and the salt in the air is so very corrosive even just sitting covered between trips. Underneath the unit it does have a sealed barrier. Unsure how protective it is against the salt. Just looking for the best way to protect our investment. Have you heard of anyone removing the barrier, spraying applicable areas underneath, then re-sealing?

 

[creativepart]

Have you heard of anyone removing the barrier, spraying applicable areas underneath, then re-sealing?

No and I wouldn’t think that would be good for the things underneath nor would the additional weight.

Surely there are plenty of RVers in the area, perhaps ask on Nextdoor or some similar website???

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

I would put the weight penalty into a recoated roof system.
Bill

 

[AstroTom]

There's been plenty of controversy surrounding undercoating in the automotive world for decades. Some swear by it, and others say it can actually trap moisture between the coating and the metal when it starts to fail, or when improperly applied, and the metal underneath continues to rust, but it can't be seen until the coating starts to flake off.

Some say they've had better luck with a rubberized bedliner type coating, but again, it needs to be applied over a well prepped surface in order to bond correctly.

One my 2025 2108TB, the coroplast is "sealed" against the frame with what appears to be a low expansion foam. I put "sealed" in quotes, because the application of the foam seems to be variable. I had to pull down the front edge to re-route wiring when eliminating the factory battery on the tongue and installing LifePo4 batteries in the passthrough. When closing it back up, I put a good bead of elastomeric caulk between the frame and the coroplast and added right angled aluminum and sheet metal screws. When driving down the road in the rain, that area gets pelted and any failure of the caulking would have wind and mist driven through the crack, so the aluminum covered this crack and hold the Chloroplast in place.

I get your concern as it would drive me nuts watching my trailer slowly rust in the salt air.

 

[HappyNomads]

We have just purchased a Micro Minnie 2024 2108DS. We live along the gulf coast and are considering applying protective undercoat to the unit. Has anyone done this? If so how do you re-secure the bottom cover so that it stays secure while traveling?

I lived in Minnesota long enough to lose my favorite car, truck, etc to rust.

Factory-applied protection didn't work. Ziebart was a gooey undercoat that lasted until it didn't. Salt eventually saturated the stuff.

Finally I bought one truck new and crawled under it, washing it thoroughly and waxing everything down there with a 3M ceramic solution. Then I waxed on top of that. I kept the surfaces clean and easy to inspect.

Then I abundantly smeared every fastener that I could find with a zinc paste. I hoped to prevent galvanic corrosion. I washed it well, and periodically reapplied the zinc paste.

I went through two salty Minnesota winters and a third salty winter in Denver. Then I sold it. The under side was rust free except, of course, the muffler and related parts.

Would that work in your situation? I don't think it would be adequate. Perhaps it would help some. Every potential galvanic interaction of things are greatly amplified, as you well know.