Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Restoring 77 23' Birchaven TZE Coachman (Interior Work)
| Restoring 77 23' Birchaven TZE Coachman [message #294286] |
Sun, 24 January 2016 07:21  |
Jim Schulte
Messages: 9
Registered: January 2016
Location: Strawberry Point, IA
Karma: 0
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Coach had major mouse infestation - 110 and 12 volt insulation chewed off of wires, foam chewed off, nests and carcasses no numerous to count. Have removed headliner, walls and most of cabinets out. Rear hatch will not come open, have all screws out, need access as it appears rear bath counter top is screwed from rear. Suggestions?
There is rotten floor just inside door appears to be from leaky roof - repair suggestions?
Suggestions for modifications and/or repairs while in tear down.
Am presuming new to replace furnace, inverter (replacement?), oven - convection microwave?, refrigerator - refurbish or replace, etc Suggestions?
Hot water heater appears to be propane and engine heater hoses - refurbish -replace?
I am starting with the interior as if can't get it close no need to go further. Not easy to find a mouse poop picker.
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| Re: Restoring 77 23' Birchaven TZE Coachman [message #294287 is a reply to message #294286] |
Sun, 24 January 2016 07:38  |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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Senior Member |
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Welcome to the cult Jim. You're going to enjoy it here. I can't help you with removing your hatch but I'll bet if you call Jim Bounds at the Co-op he can give you some advice.
Gutting the coach to do it right is the smart way imo. I wasn't smart and have done a lot of extra work just because I had to work around 'stuff'.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: [GMCnet] Restoring 77 23' Birchaven TZE Coachman [message #294291 is a reply to message #294286] |
Sun, 24 January 2016 08:32 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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James,
It sounds like yours is a rear bath Birchaven. If so, it's the same as the
'76 I began with in '98.
I advise you to replace all those rear hatch screws NOW -- DON'T remove the
rear hatch. Use SS screws and either seal the joint with stretched and
released vacuum hose or a good caulk (NOT PL urethane because the paint
will eventually shed from it).
I don't remember now how the rear bath shelf was attached, but it did NOT
require removal of the rear hatch to remove it. IIRC, there was a cleat
beneath it, screwed into the ABS rear liner -- I KNOW that's how I
installed the replacement.
While the coach is gutted is a good time to soak the roof well so you can
search for and repair leaks. Even better, attach a large blower to a
window or roof vent, apply soapy water to the roof, and watch for bubbles.
Most of my leaks were from the front and rear end caps on the roof-edge
trim. Floor rot forward of the entry door was from bottom-up leakage, not
top-down. The joint of the floor, side wall, and step riser is a
troublesome leakage area -- on both sides.
If you haven't stripped the cockpit yet, you'll almost certainly find the
floor rotted along each side wall. Some of that is due to leakage around
the cockpit windows; some to bottom-up leakage where the outer wall SMC has
separated from the floor structure. If you haven't reviewed all of the
technical papers at GMCEast.com, do so; I'm pretty sure there's one there
covering repair of those "chipmunk cheeks" that allow such leakage. Other
papers there will certainly be of interest eventually.
As for appliances, I'd certainly suggest new replacements for all of them.
No use doing cabinet work now, only to have to re-do parts of it as 40 year
old appliances fail. One exception might be the Atwood 6 gallon water
heater; mine's still working fine and replacement won't be much worse later
than now.
Don't get TOO carried away on the interior before tackling the running
gear. After all, there'll be no mystery left about what you've got to do
to recover there. But there are plenty of places underneath to spend LOTS
of money: Frame, rear suspension, front suspension, brakes (6 of 'em!),
engine, transmission, exhaust system, wheels, tires, etc. Each of those 8
areas can easily consume $1500-$2000++ each, plus labor. Don't build a
palace which you can't take on the road because of a junk chassis.
JMHO after 17 years of this.
Ken H.
On Sun, Jan 24, 2016 at 8:21 AM, James Schulte
wrote:
> Coach had major mouse infestation - 110 and 12 volt insulation chewed off
> of wires, foam chewed off, nests and carcasses no numerous to count. Have
> removed headliner, walls and most of cabinets out. Rear hatch will not
> come open, have all screws out, need access as it appears rear bath counter
> top is screwed from rear. Suggestions?
>
> There is rotten floor just inside door appears to be from leaky roof -
> repair suggestions?
>
> Suggestions for modifications and/or repairs while in tear down.
>
> Am presuming new to replace furnace, inverter (replacement?), oven -
> convection microwave?, refrigerator - refurbish or replace, etc Suggestions?
>
> Hot water heater appears to be propane and engine heater hoses - refurbish
> -replace?
>
> I am starting with the interior as if can't get it close no need to go
> further. Not easy to find a mouse poop picker.
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: Restoring 77 23' Birchaven TZE Coachman [message #294336 is a reply to message #294286] |
Sun, 24 January 2016 18:54 |
Adrien G.
Messages: 474
Registered: May 2008
Location: Burns Flat, OK 73624
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Jim Schulte wrote on Sun, 24 January 2016 07:21Coach had major mouse infestation - 110 and 12 volt insulation chewed off of wires, foam chewed off, nests and carcasses no numerous to count. Have removed headliner, walls and most of cabinets out. Rear hatch will not come open, have all screws out, need access as it appears rear bath counter top is screwed from rear. Suggestions?
There is rotten floor just inside door appears to be from leaky roof - repair suggestions?
Suggestions for modifications and/or repairs while in tear down.
Am presuming new to replace furnace, inverter (replacement?), oven - convection microwave?, refrigerator - refurbish or replace, etc Suggestions?
Hot water heater appears to be propane and engine heater hoses - refurbish -replace?
I am starting with the interior as if can't get it close no need to go further. Not easy to find a mouse poop picker.
Jim, I had to remove the rear panel, water was pouring in at both upper corners, because for 1. the screws(2/3)where stripped and held in by
silicone, 2. the corner had cracks and chunks missing, and 3. the foam seal was rotten.
Once repaired the challenge was that the OEM fastener wouldn't work unless the holes were filled in, and I wandered how good that would hold.
The solution was to drill the holes through for 5/16-18 alum rivet nuts (McMaster Carr 93482A815)on the inside (barrel out head in) and 5/16-18 SS
(from Amazon Industrial Grade 3AWY9 Socket Cap Screw, SS, 5/16-18, PK 25) hex drive button head screw. For a good solid tight seal.
You may have to push a little bit hard on a bottom corner to brake it from the seal or sealer someone may have put there. Get help, don't rush and
break the glass. it wont glue back together.
Adrien & Jenny Genesoto
75 Glenbrook (26-3) Mods LS3.70 FD / Reaction Sys / 80mm Front&Intermidiate / Hydroboost / 16" Tires / Frame Rebuild / Interior Rebuild
Yuba City,Ca. Text 530-nine-3-three-3-nine-nine-6
[Updated on: Sun, 24 January 2016 18:55] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Restoring 77 23' Birchaven TZE Coachman [message #294397 is a reply to message #294336] |
Mon, 25 January 2016 15:28 |
Jim Schulte
Messages: 9
Registered: January 2016
Location: Strawberry Point, IA
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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Thank you to everyone. It appears PO had removed screws due to paint damage in screws, was able to remove all screws with minor effort, upper screws appear to be in good shape but lower row of screws, the body of the screws are rusty and one feels like it does not grip. Would guess should replace lower screws don't know how to tighten the loose one. Upper screws replace?? Back hatch still will not move. But was able to remove rear bath counter top by easing screws out of the deteriorated particle board.
Should anything be done to the windows when the interior is out.
Frame appears to be sound. Drove down from Mn (300 mi) summer of 2014. Could feel some warmth on the left rear wheel hub compared to all others but not hot. Started up and drove a few miles this fall and brought in to shed for winter and to work on. 132,000 on odometer.
Will be leaving this week for Savannah,Ga then New Orleans then Texas with SOB, hiding from the cold for about 6 weeks.
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