My Trailer Redo - Day 70 - Trim Loc

 

Most of my work time today was again filled with window work, but I'm going to wait yet one more day to tell you about that. What I did manage to finish today, yes FINISH, was to put on the Trim Loc. A trailer friend just replaced his Trim Loc, and he said he had to glue down the ends because it wanted to curl outward. It comes in a roll that is curved the opposite way from how it needs to conform to the trailer. So a few days ago, I spread it out the length of the living room plus, and weighted it down. Turns out this really was the ticket! I didn't have any trouble with it wanting to curl outward. We just had to walk around it for a few days.

Here's what Trim Lock looks like in cross section. You can get it in varying widths and shapes, but basically it's vinyl over a lightweight aluminum core with those little grabber rails to help it stay in place. It's both decorative and protective for the center seam of the trailer. It is somewhat soft and cuts easily.



Here's the front strip below the window. Looks just like it was meant to be there, right? That's correct! I was able to put most of it on just by hand, but used a rubber mallet on a few stubborn spots. That's good. You want it to fit tight.

The cut ends, of course, are open.



So I filled each end with a tiny bit of the butyl window sealing tape. I used about an inch at each end. Make sure your hands are really clean if you are using white butyl! There isn't that much color difference in real life, but the light reflected off the surfaces differently.



Here's the seam across the roof.



And here's the lower back seam. This is the one that was such a big problem to repair. You can read about that in the link below if you want, but I had to completely rebuild the edges of the seam right where that "bump" in the surface is. I wasn't able to keep it nice and even and narrow, but I knew the Trim Loc would fit, but probably not look so nice. Here's how that came out. It's OK. I can live with this much better than how it was previously, knowing there was a big crack where water could get in.



About 3 1/2 windows are cleaned up. I actually did put one back in. Not good. I'm sure it's going to leak. I think the solution is easy, though. It needs more of the butyl sealing tape. I'll have to wait till I get all the windows in to see how much extra I have right now. Probably enough to run an extra piece along the top edges. Then I'll have to order more. Can't get it locally.

I think I'm still safe until tomorrow afternoon before it rains. Hopefully, I can get all the windows in by then. Had to quit for tonight because I HAVE to write my newspaper column yet tonight, and I'm already pretty tired. Worked about 5 hours on the trailer today.

	See Sealing the Crack Index for Trailer Refurbish
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