TAKING DOWN CEILING IN COACH

[Paintpro99]

Since being invaded by red squirrels in the attic space above the ceiling of the RV, I am now in the process of getting rid of them. I have already trapped two so far, and I think there is only one more up there. Hopefully, I can get him tonight. I am thinking of taking down the ceiling in the bedroom as I am almost positive they have built a nest above the bed. I am very concerned about how much damage they may have done with regards to chewing electrical wires and air conditioning ducts. Has anyone ever taken down the ceiling in their RV? Once I remove all the trim around the perimeter of the room and the strips between the ceiling panels, I am sure it wouldn't be too difficult to remove, but I am wondering how the ceiling panels are attached to the aluminum rafters. I'm thinking they might be glued to the rafters but I'm not sure. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone.

[RJI47]

Did you already take down the strips? I had one fall down once, and had a heck of a time getting it back up because of the aluminum. Good luck on your project, and please keep us up to date.

[Irlpguy]

I don't believe there is any aluminum in the ceiling structure. One of my 2012 - 3402RL living area panels was removed to repair a problem with the AC intake ducting (if you want to call it that). As far as I am aware it is all wood structure up there, with the crowned roof I think it is an all wood structure. The ceiling panels are likely stapled with small staples to the ceiling rafters.

Could be wrong but don't think so. I feel your pain with those @#%$@ squirrels, they can crate considerable damage. Good luck with the removal.

[Rondo]

I don't think so Ed! When we were at the Fall Rally the last two years on the plant tour they showed us the cross members or beams in the ceiling and they were all made of metal and had the holes in the beams were where the wires and ducting is run.

[Paintpro99]

No, I haven't taken down any ceiling panels yet. I really don't want to go that route, but I am so worried about what damage they might have created. I didn't want to go ahead and take down the panels until I found out how they were anchored to the aluminum rafters. RJ147 - did you mean that one of your ceiling panels fell down? If so, how did you re-attach it? Thanks again to all for your help.

[drsmart]

Here's a link from May 2009, showing the factory assembly of a Montana. The roof is shown at about the 2:39 minute mark. Ours is a 2011 and the brochure indicates 5" galvanized stamped roof rafters. That appears to be the case in the video. Sorry I can't help regarding roof removal and replacement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_1JQYSZbmY

Dave

[Irlpguy]

The dealer removed the ceiling panel and did the work on the AC intake vents, and I assumed the ceiling was wooden structure, I am obviously wrong. One of my mouldings fell off the ceiling, it was held on with small staples, I guess they just go into the ceiling panel.
I have a tough time believing they are glued up there, but again I am likely wrong... Sorry if I led you astray in thinking it was all wood structure up there.

[dieselguy]

On my 2011 3150RL, the ceiling rafters are metal. I can't verify if the ceiling panels are additionally glued to the rafters, but I do know the panels butt up against one another on a rafter every 4 feet. The ceiling strips which cover the seam are pneumatically bradded (3/4" brads) thru the ceiling panels and on into the metal rafters. When I was installing my front A/C, I had to notch out about 2 feet of ceiling strip to get my front A/C's inside cover to flush up with the ceiling. Boy Howdy ... unless you're having issues electrically or air distribution wise, taking down the ceiling would be a BIG undertaking. You'd have to pull all the old brads out and have possession of a electric or pneumatic brad nailer to get it all back up. You'll not be able to simply hammer the brads in due to the metal rafters. Then you'd have to spend lotsa time puttying up each ceiling strip to make it look like something again. Or just order new ceiling strips. Peace of mind would come with a lot of work here! One last note ... my ceiling is flat ... the curved ceiling on the brand new ones may be different.

[sreigle]

The earlier Montanas had aluminum cross beams. Later ones are steel.

What I don't know is whether there is any kind of wood framework mounted up there for attaching the ceiling panels. I would be interested in finding out without having to disassemble ours.

[Mudchief]

Do you know how the squirrels got into the attic?

[tanner1070]

Curved ceilings are the same style rafters as the flat. Stamped steel rafters with the ceiling panels attached by brads. I have had some of the strips between panels work their way off the brads. The brads are still in the rafter and are very difficult to pull out. I am drilling a small pilot hole next to the brad and using small flat head screws to hold the strips in place. Paint over the screw head and you can't see them unless you looking for them.

[Trailer Trash 2]

quote:Originally posted by Paintpro99

Since being invaded by red squirrels in the attic space above the ceiling of the RV, I am now in the process of getting rid of them. I have already trapped two so far, and I think there is only one more up there. Hopefully, I can get him tonight. I am thinking of taking down the ceiling in the bedroom as I am almost positive they have built a nest above the bed. I am very concerned about how much damage they may have done with regards to chewing electrical wires and air conditioning ducts. Has anyone ever taken down the ceiling in their RV? Once I remove all the trim around the perimeter of the room and the strips between the ceiling panels, I am sure it wouldn't be too difficult to remove, but I am wondering how the ceiling panels are attached to the aluminum rafters. I'm thinking they might be glued to the rafters but I'm not sure. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone.

set your trap and bait it with skippy peanut butter, then stick a few unshelled peanuts in the peanut butterthey cant resist that stuff. good luck.

[drsmart]

quote:Originally posted by Mudchief

Do you know how the squirrels got into the attic?

On our unit, a red squirrel got in at the rear underside where the rear cap is supposed to meet the underbelly. There was a 2 to 3 inch gap the width of the trailer. It went right up the inside of the rear cap and into the ceiling. I turned on the AC and the varmint got scarred and exited. I then used Gorilla tape to enclose the gap.

Dave

[poolboy59]

Put some Fresh Cab through an opening such as a speaker and leave it there. I had a squirel in the ceiling of my old trailer, and he actually hauled a bunch of nuts in to my ceiling. Luckily I had a ceiling mounted speaker which was close by, and was able to get a shop vac hose up there and removed a whole shop vac's worth of nuts. Then I put a packet of Fresh cab up there and he didnt return.

[Paintpro99]

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions on my squirrel dilemma. I still haven't caught them all...I think they may have gotten wise to the traps. I thought I only had one more, but I think there might be two. Hopefully I'll get them soon. I won't cover up any holes in the underbelly of the RV until I am sure I have caught them all. I certainly don't want them to die in the attic space. I'll let you all know how everything works out. Hopefully this story will have a happy ending. Thanks again.

[sreigle]

Now that we're past the ceiling questions I feel I can comment on the squirrel. Never had red squirrels in the attic but did have a gray squirrel give birth in the front locker. Then she moved them into the belly. This was at a Mt. Shasta western rally at Lake Siskiyou a few years ago. She gave birth in the litter of an AC cover she'd chewed up. I'd stored it in the front locker. Some of the folks here may recall the incident.

[RJI47]

Paintpro99..... just one of the strips fell down on my earlier 2003 Montana. It had what looked like small nails still in it, so I tried as best I could to put it back in the same place it fell from. It didn't fall down again after that, but I did see that the rafters were aluminum. No doubt about it.

[RJI47]

What is "Fresh Cab"?

[Trailer Trash 2]

X 2 ON "Fresh Cab"?

[Ozz]

Cabbage?