Damage to flooring after scraping back of van

[Gerryp]

Hi everyone,

Had a bit of a nightmare today and when driving our 7m swift Sundance 600L down a hill and up another hill the back right of the van hit the road hard and the stabiliser pushed up through the bottom of the floor slightly (so the wood flooring has split a bit and you can see a bit of light thru but it feels stable and not likely to collapse.

My question is who would you go to fix this kind of problem (we are based in the South east but currently traveling in Spain). Would it be a carpenter? Sounds like beyond usual motorhome service people....

Also weighing up whether to do it as an insurance claim when I get a quote.

Thanks all!

 

[Figaro]

Sorry to hear of your little accident, all part of the fun.
If you can live with it as it is in Spain, I'd do that and get it repaired when home by a joiner.
Definately wouldn't go through insurance or even report it to them.
You don't mention the age of van, I guess that may influence how it's repaired ?

 

[Gerryp]

Sorry to hear of your little accident, all part of the fun.
If you can live with it as it is in Spain, I'd do that and get it repaired when home by a joiner.
Definately wouldn't go through insurance or even report it to them.
You don't mention the age of van, I guess that may influence how it's repaired ?

That's super helpful thanks Figaro. I think it's definitely liveable with for the time being.

That's interesting on not going to thru insurance, that because it's a minor enough job and even reporting it gets a black mark on your name?

Van is 2005. We bought 6 months ago and are halfway thru a 12 month paternity leave trip!

 

[Nanniemate]

Becareful.you don't get water in. If your going to wait try to get a tempory seal to keep it dry

 

[Figaro]

Try and assess the damage yourself from underneath.
Look for damage to anything that might cause knock on problems or be dangerous if not attended to.
If it's just damage to a timber floor I'd just make waterproof with a tube of silicone or similar and get repaired when home.
If you mention it to insurance they'll note it and may use as an excuse to raise premium next renewal.
If it had been a brand new van I think the advice would be different

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[gus-lopez]

even reporting it gets a black mark on your name?

yes & would increase your renewal on all & every type of vehicle you own

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

DIY, shop, get some self adhesive flashing and mold it over and round the damaged area. This will hold it till you get home.
Mike

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN. Hope you get it fixes soon.

 

[RobertJary]

Depends where is Spain you are. HispaVan, close to Vera (SE Spain) specialise in motorhome sales, service and repairs. They're speak English and may be able to sort a temporary repair.

 

[Gromett]

Sounds like a straight forward epoxy/fibreglass repair is required. But hard to tell without seeing it. If you can post a photo may be able to advise.

With it needing to support some weight you may need to put an additional section of ply underneath to spread the weight then glass over that to bring it back up to full strength.

I wouldn't just get a joiner in as he may not understand the structural requirements of a stabiliser leg and you may end up with the job needing doing again pretty quickly.

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[dabhand]

Sounds like an easy fix if the hole is not to big, as Gromett suggests, fibreglass might well be the way forward, West do a good two part epoxy kit, you might get away with the smaller kit about £25 see here

WEST SYSTEM mini pack 101

WEST SYSTEM mini pack.Contents:250g 105 Epoxy resin50g 205 Hardener1 pot 403 Microfibres3 graduated cups1 pot 407 low density filler2 pairs

www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk

 

[68c]

Definitely do not use silicon as a temporary repair. It is very difficult to remove, any traces left will stop a proper adhesive or resin based fibreglass bonding to the original material.

 

[The Wino]

On the insurance claim bear in mind the increased premium in the future even if you have protected NCB the excess and increaed insurance on any other vehicles. I suspect unless it's more than £2k you're better of paying yourself

 

[FrankNicklin]

Surely if a stabiliser has pushed through the floor it would have deformed the mounting point at the same time. The hole can be easily fixed but if the galvanised chassis has twisted or bent out of shape thats another issue. I realise the stabiliser is probably the weakest point and would likely bend easily, but I would not assume the chassis was not affected by the impact.

Be very wary of claiming on insurance as this would have to be declared on every vehicle to insure and every vehicle on which you are a named driver for the next 5 years. Even if you only asked them the question it will be recorded as a claim even if you didn't proceed.

 

[pelican]

Is the stabiliser attached direct to floor or has the chassis also pushed up into the floor.
If attached direct to floor maybe temp. repair would be easier with stabiliser removed

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[Speve]

Surely if a stabiliser has pushed through the floor it would have deformed the mounting point at the same time. The hole can be easily fixed but if the galvanised chassis has twisted or bent out of shape thats another issue. I realise the stabiliser is probably the weakest point and would likely bend easily, but I would not assume the chassis was not affected by the impact.

Be very wary of claiming on insurance as this would have to be declared on every vehicle to insure and every vehicle on which you are a named driver for the next 5 years. Even if you only asked them the question it will be recorded as a claim even if you didn't proceed.

That’s my thoughts also I would be looking at how this was possible as the stabiliser should be in a solidly fixed position and should not have even been able to touch the floor perhaps you could post some pictures of outside and in to help the forum better advise you

 

[Gerryp]

 

[Gerryp]

Thanks gang have added some pics. The stabiliser was attached to the floor hence no chassis damage. As per posts here and in another thread I think we will remove the stupid stabilisers and be done with it then get the flooring repaired in Spain.

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks gang have added some pics. The stabiliser was attached to the floor hence no chassis damage. As per posts here and in another thread I think we will remove the stupid stabilisers and be done with it then get the flooring repaired in Spain.

The stabilisers should never have been fixed to the floor they are normally fixed to the chassis.

 

[FrankNicklin]

That’s a serious weak point. It looks like the panel it’s attached to is square cut. The only bit that appears to have broken is the 6mm over ply and floor covering. Can’t see anything of any strength holding that bit of floor in place. Looks like it could be an easy repair but I would definitely remove the stabilisers there is no way they should be attached like that. At minimum there should be a steel plate to spread the load on the underside.

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[Bramidan]

What I find so sad about this thread is that we all have to have insurance.
Have an accident and you are so penalised by the insurance company that you are terrified to even ask for advice never mind making a claim.
Rip off merchants and then they wonder why bone fide claims are inflated because we know you are going to try and shaft us somewhere along the road.
Rip off Britain.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Had the leg rattled down in transit?
Mike.

 

[FrankNicklin]

What I find so sad about this thread is that we all have to have insurance.
Have an accident and you are so penalised by the insurance company that you are terrified to even ask for advice never mind making a claim.
Rip off merchants and then they wonder why bone fide claims are inflated because we know you are going to try and shaft us somewhere along the road.
Rip off Britain.

The whole insurance industry needs close inspection. I was told by an insurance company that because I had had an accident I was more likely to have another so my risk to them is greater. That makes zero sense as you are more likely to be more careful, only an insurance company could come up with an excuse like that, but who are we to argue as they have you by the gentleman’s bits. It’s the only industry where you get nothing in return for paying a lot in to it and if you do get a payout you are forced to pay more for future cover.

 

[The Wino]

What I find so sad about this thread is that we all have to have insurance.
Have an accident and you are so penalised by the insurance company that you are terrified to even ask for advice never mind making a claim.
Rip off merchants and then they wonder why bone fide claims are inflated because we know you are going to try and shaft us somewhere along the road.
Rip off Britain.

The question is would you rather have increased premiums for everyone and less penalties if you claim or what we have now. The insurance companies don't make huge profits so you won't get the best of both worlds. As for legally required insurance in that case have third party only.

 

[FrankNicklin]

The question is would you rather have increased premiums for everyone and less penalties if you claim or what we have now. The insurance companies don't make huge profits so you won't get the best of both worlds. As for legally required insurance in that case have third party only.

3rd party insurance costs more than fully comp in a lot of cases. Statistics say drivers with only 3rd party tend to have more accidents as they are younger drivers trying to cut costs. Go figure.

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[The Wino]

3rd party insurance costs more than fully comp in a lot of cases. Statistics say drivers with only 3rd party tend to have more accidents as they are younger drivers trying to cut costs. Go figure.

So set up your own insurance company! Whenever someone goes on about rip off Britain I always suspect what they really mean is they think their own wages are too low and the industry they work in provides good value everyone else is overpaid and the industry they work in are milking it.

 

[Mclouis700]

Back to the Stabiliser Fixing it must have been a retro fit by the previous owner's .Even Swift would not be so stupid or would they!!

 

[Coolcats]

The question is would you rather have increased premiums for everyone and less penalties if you claim or what we have now. The insurance companies don't make huge profits so you won't get the best of both worlds. As for legally required insurance in that case have third party only.

Having posted this many times, post break in and two vehicles stollen my MoHo insurance went from £450 to over £3000. Each of my vehicles insurance went through the roof it is a no fault claim, unless an insurance company can reclaim what they pay out they class it as your fault. It truly is a rubbish way to treat people. I suspect the CEO of these companies have very nice salaries holidays in the cayman isle ( or similar) and thier children all have private educations and nannies. In the mean time the poor motoring public are having to pay inflated costs when a no fault claim is made poor insurance companies !

 

[pappajohn]

Insurance!!!
Even mentioning it will put a marker on your file and probably see your premium increase for the next five years......policy renewal question : any accidents, claims or convictions in the last five years .......they try to recoup a claim anyway then can.

 

[Mike Rivers]

Whereabouts in the South East are you? Kent? Essex?