Lunar top edge - hit low arch!

[benabbyg]

Hello - It’s been a while since I last requested a bit of help from you guys! After almost 17 years of driving my Lunar Champ all over the country, 45k miles, not a single incident or accident. Worse nightmare yesterday, top corner edge made contact with a low railway arch! A perfect storm of events, very busy morning traffic, unfamiliar town (Shrewsbury centre) extremely poor road markings, almost totally worn away, a sign obscured by a van, a height warning sign set in the middle of the arch with no outer edge notifications of how far you could go to the left. Pavement on the right side lane, meaning everyone was shifted to the right side, my lane. My unit is 10ft tall, arch was 11ft in the centre. Anyway it happened and the impact has flattened the top outer edge of the aluminium seal between the roof and side panel. Horrible sound as I had to drag it through! We were both shaking with tears flowing, dreadful experience! Duck tape currently sealing the gap. Being a 2005 model (we’ve had from basically new) 47k on the clock, probably an insurance right-off! I don’t want to go through insurance as to find something of the same history would be impossible with a decent lump of money added to buy a replacement, plus it’s absolutely mint and we know it inside out! I’m going to try and repair myself. Would anyone know how I’d find a supplier of the aluminium edging strip?

Many thanks, Phil

 

[Lenny HB]

Ouch!, Those aluminium edging strips are fairly standard should be easy to get. Try O'learys.

 

[chaser]

Hello - It’s been a while since I last requested a bit of help from you guys! After almost 17 years of driving my Lunar Champ all over the country, 45k miles, not a single incident or accident. Worse nightmare yesterday, top corner edge made contact with a low railway arch! A perfect storm of events, very busy morning traffic, unfamiliar town (Shrewsbury centre) extremely poor road markings, almost totally worn away, a sign obscured by a van, a height warning sign set in the middle of the arch with no outer edge notifications of how far you could go to the left. Pavement on the right side lane, meaning everyone was shifted to the right side, my lane. My unit is 10ft tall, arch was 11ft in the centre. Anyway it happened and the impact has flattened the top outer edge of the aluminium seal between the roof and side panel. Horrible sound as I had to drag it through! We were both shaking with tears flowing, dreadful experience! Duck tape currently sealing the gap. Being a 2005 model (we’ve had from basically new) 47k on the clock, probably an insurance right-off! I don’t want to go through insurance as to find something of the same history would be impossible with a decent lump of money added to buy a replacement, plus it’s absolutely mint and we know it inside out! I’m going to try and repair myself. Would anyone know how I’d find a supplier of the aluminium edging strip?

View attachment 985161
Many thanks, Phil

View attachment 985162

I'll take it off your hands if it's a write off a bit of strip and a tin of isopan ,a couple of hours and twenty quid, good as new.
I don't think I'd be telling the insurance, your next premium would be far much than the repair.

 

[benabbyg]

Thanks everyone for the messages!
Opting to repair myself!
Struggling to find suppliers for the aluminium strip? What would you call it? Fillet joint?

 

[Tombola]

if you send a good picture to Olearys with dimensions, they will be able to help

Aluminium Extrusions & End Caps

We are sole suppliers of these

www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk

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[gus-lopez]

I'd also use an aluminium supplier .It is basically aluminium angle.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=aluminium+suppliers+near+anglesey

 

[the1andonly]

I was in shrewsbury afew weeks ago the roadworks and signage do not make it easy at all. Too easy for it too happen. Nearby i spotted a large coach doing a supurb 3 pt turn into a driveway, why the signage for the road width restriction was 10 foot away from the restriction and no other notices earlier up the road.

 

[funflair]

I was in shrewsbury afew weeks ago the roadworks and signage do not make it easy at all. Too easy for it too happen. Nearby i spotted a large coach doing a supurb 3 pt turn into a driveway, why the signage for the road width restriction was 10 foot away from the restriction and no other notices earlier up the road.

There are quite a few restricted height signs well before that bridge, it's the height not the width that is the problem unless road works had changed things, coming down the Ellesmere Road there are quite a few signs,

this one is just as you cross the railway and before they turning onto Berwick Road and to the showground, (it's at this point that people coming to rallies/meets at the showground start to panic)

There are then another two or 3 before the flashing light sign if your height triggers it, there is one at the end of Berwick road so if you come from the showground it's telling you to turn left and go the long way round.

If you get past this without triggering it you get to,

the low arch which is inside another higher bridge, at this point if you are in any doubt it would be wise to be in the middle straddling two lanes, yes it would be helpful if they marked at what point in the arch the 3.3m is measured, if you are coming around the riverside the height detection cameras certainly work as we have set them off a few times before keeping left and heading up to the showground.

I have run a few meets on the showground and my arrive and depart instructions are littered with "low bridge" comments.

I think the OP was possibly unlucky and fell foul of the curve of the arch more than the actual height.

 

[funflair]

If it was mine and I couldn't get the proper aluminium profile I would make a fibreglass cap, make sure everything is sealed and then bond it over the top, making one for the other side so it looks right and just in case indeed if there is still structural integrity in the aluminium trim there might be an argument that it is better left in place than cutting and weakening it.

 

[Jo May]

I lived in Shrewsbury for a while, many roads were built for horse and cart, some still cobbled. Getting around and parking in general was always a tetchy issue.
Park and ride might be the answer. When we visited after we'd moved out of town we used them.

(I pronounced it Shr OH sbury, not ewe. Dead posh me.)

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[the1andonly]

My comments about width were related to roadworks that hopefully are no longer there.

 

[Gromett]

Jeez that sucks. If you are handy with the tools that job looks doable to me. Sorry, I do not know where to get the aluminium from sorry, but I really wish you the best of luck fixing it.

 

[Rollingwheels]

Just a heads up as it is aluminium you will need etch primer on the bare metal or else it won’t bond properly

 

[akadingbat]

I’m sure you will find something. It is not as difficult as it sounds repairing it, just take your time and lots of Sikaflex! Good luck.

 

[dunnah01]

I'd be dropping Shropshire highways a letter with a bill for the repair. The signage is nowhere near compliant with the Traffic Signs Manuals Chpt 3 & 4 requirements.

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[benabbyg]

Thank you all so much for the comments and ‘hugs’! Been thinking of contacting the council as looking at the inside curve of the tunnel, it’s absolutely covered in some pretty deep gouging with 3 huge steel braces, so it’s a problem for many! Re-doing the road markings and an extra sign on the right side wall just as you enter, plus overhead width guide markers on the top of the arch either side of the 11ft, none of these would be expensive. Anyway thanks for all you great comments, still searching for the correct aluminium profile, duck taped to death currently, spring time job!