While performing what I think was described as the 2 hour job of replacing the body pads, which I believe took me four days I discovered that my original trip from Georgia to Oregon was nearly a disaster. One of the joints after the mufflers leaked badly and took out the insulation, some of the metal foil cover, a good chunk of the full length body pad and some of the wood on the frame rail.

First the exhaust has been fixed and should not be a problem for now. After removing the charcoal, any suggestions or links for material to replace the insulation and the metal foil cover?

I am thinking about putting in shields around the joints in the exhaust just in case. I also seem to remember heat shields for the fuel tanks that Applied probably has. Any other things I should be considering?

This brake job has gotten to be a lot bigger than expected. Big surprise, no?

Thanks.

Doesnt foam board burn really well? Is there an alternative that wouldn't make things worse if the Aluminium layer fails.
Though I suppose the AL would severely restrict fire spread even if it fails locally.....

In the good (bad) old days they would use asbestos, but is there a modern equivalent that is less pricy than a Space Shuttle Tile?



Pete






Mike, A similar thing happened on my coach, a bad muffler over heated expanding and warping the foam and alum cover.
The alum cover is about .015 thick (galvanized could be used), the foam is 3/4 inch thick (foam board from HD or Lowes) will do. The alum sheet can be replaced in
2 pieces and pop rivet the overlap.
I moved the muffler to the rear, and for exhaust pipe heat shield I used 5 inch exhaust pipe and elbows sliced in half with a few "U" shape stand off
welded (pop rivets can work also) to the shields, and used hose clamps to hold the shields to the exhaust pipe.

If your coach doesn't have shields at the gas and black tanks, consider getting them in, fuel doesn't need more heat then what it will normally get.

FWIW hope this helps.

Adrien,

"We" are aware that the spray in foam insulation in the walls and ceiling of a GMC is highly flammable.

Are you saying that the foam in the aluminum / foam sandwich under the floor is flammable as well?

Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia


-----Original Message-----
From: Adrien Genesoto



Mike,
Yes foam is flammable, so is most everything else with enough heat. There may be some flame retardant foam available, but never
searched for it.
If your mufflers are up front, either get muffler heat shields to put on them or cocky trays, or an oil drip pan to fasten under the
floor for
the heat shields or both if that makes you feel safer.
Minimize the radiated heat generated during long drives from parts that don't need the heat, floors/tanks hoses and ...?.
Sometimes at fuel stops, look under the coach for leaks of water/fuel/oil/brake fluid and ....?.

Adrien


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