# Damaged 26Rs Advise



## rapp76 (Jul 31, 2012)

Hello, I am new to this site but had nowhere else to turn for some knowledgeable advise on a possible purchase. I am looking at this 2003 Outback Liteway 26RS. You can see from the pics the damage. The place selling it does not know what happened exactly but I think it had delamation and they kept towing it until the side blew off. There is some interior damage you can see from the pics. I have so many questions I don't know where to start but I can say that I am a union carpenter for over 15 years and am very good with my hands and have just about every tool. I have also rebuilt my current pop up camper. My biggest concern in how this thing is built. It says "all aluminum welded structure" does that mean the wall studs are aluminum? So wall rot is not really a concern? I guess I am looking for some thoughts on this... Thanks in advance!!!!!


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## asplitsecond (Feb 5, 2008)

The hardiest part is going to be belending the outside fiberglass. The inside is just new wood. You need to check the flooring. It is wood and could need replacing.


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## Bill & Kate (Apr 28, 2012)

It is going to be a lot of work. If that is the kind of project you want to take on, and you can get it really, really cheap, (like for almost nothing!) and all the mechanical systems are in good shape, you might be OK. Remember it is 10 years old, and lots of stuff could be near the end of its useful life anyhow - especially if the weather has gotten to it.

You are correct in that aluminum frame is aluminum wall studs. Unfortunatel, both the inner and outer skins a backed with plywood, and the floor and roof most likely both have wooden components.

I have seen quite a few Outbacks of that vintage with bad delamination - in fact there are two in the storage facility where we keep our trailer that have front ends wrinkled up just like your pictures. My guess is that the trailer was leaking way before the outer skin gave way, and there is major hidden damage.

As asplitsecond stated, the floor could be a real deal breaker.

Look really, really closely before you pull the trigger.

Just my two cents.


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## rapp76 (Jul 31, 2012)

Well here is the problem.... It is about 7 hours from me and an auction sale. Right now it's at $2000, plus the cost of either picking it up or delivery. As far as the work goes I have no problem putting the time into it. The auction place says they give very accurate discreptions and there is no smells or signs of mold. I guess as long as the price didn't go up too much I would be looking at having it in my driveway for about $3000 which is nowhere near the "nothing" bill and Kate said. I checked the cost of filron (not sure of the spelling) and into other stuff and it looks like I may have about another $1000 to fix it. So totaling around 4 grand.


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## jake's outback (Jul 24, 2010)

the welded aluminum studs are not every 16 or 24 inches but around doors...
big job! will need a good fiber glass repair place and paint shop depending on how nice you want it to look. front cap I would do checker plate thin wall or aluminum (like the stuff on the roof of a tent trailer...) what ever you do it needs to be water tight against driving in the rain. 
Can't say if it is good value tho.
Good luck and if you do this post the progress please!


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## Bill & Kate (Apr 28, 2012)

What kind of title does it have? I bet you $1 it has already been totaled and has a "salvage" title.

Again, I have not seen it in person, but there are tons of cheap old trailers needing some TLC out there, and $2000 seven hours away seems like a big investment for an unknown ....


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

It looks like it could end up being a good trailer but it's going to take a fair amount of work and you should expect to find more damage once you tear into it. Below is a link to an old topic showing one good option for replacing the front cap. The pictures will also give you an idea of how the structure is laid out.

http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9980&hl=front%20skin&st=0

Has anyone bid on the trailer yet or is the $2,000 just the starting price they're trying to get? If no one has bid on it then I would wait and see what happens or maybe offer them even less. If you could get if for less than $2K then you could afford to deal with the unexpected problems. In some ways the trailer looks in pretty good shape. The decals look much better than mine and the siding looks shinier than mine. One place to look for info on how to do the repairs that will be needed is the various sites on home built trailers. People that build their own have lots of experience working with the Filon and plywood. I stumbled on a few of those when I was trying to find info on repairing the delamination I've got on the front of my trailer. If I ever get the time I'll probably go with an aluminum replacement if I can find out where to get the parts.


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## Danodog (May 19, 2012)

Personally, I would not touch that with a 10 foot pole. You are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. It looks like the entire front cap and the sidewall are going to need repair. My bet is that you will see floor damage too. Not to mention there could be issues on the opposite sidewall that would need to be addressed. That $2000 deal may cost you another $3-4k which may be a limiting factor. If you are a handyman/doityorselfer, then base your decision on your capabilities.


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## rapp76 (Jul 31, 2012)

Here is an update... As of this morning the high bid is $2050, there has been several bids to get to this point. As someone asked, yes it has a "salvage" title but I was thinking at first this TT is for my family not resale so who cares. BUT, as I was looking online last night it does not seem like that is possible in IL. From what I have read online it sounds like only a licensed dealer with a re-builders license can get the title switched from "salvage" to "rebuilt". From the time I saw this unit I was under the impression anyone could get the title brand switched to "rebuilt" with the proper inspections after the repairs. I will still call my Secretary of State to check the accuracy that info. Has anyone ever dealt with salvage titles before?

I know this is not the conventional route to own a TT but with 4 daughters, wife, dog, buying a damaged TT is probably my only choice. I will post back here with the outcome of the auction as well as what the IL Secretary of State says about the salvage title. Thanks again!


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## Stance (Jul 24, 2011)

I've purchased a few small things from a local auction house online without inspecting them. Most of what I get is worse than the pictures showed despite them saying they try to be as accurate as possible. If this place is not familiar with OB's, then they can likely miss things.

I would never purchase anything this big without inspecting it myself. If the previous owner neglected these leaks for this long, who knows what else they neglected. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other leaks and damage. You may get it to your door for $3000. But, I would count on paying more to fix it than you'd expect to pay. These things never seem to stick to budget when you start tearing them apart.


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## rapp76 (Jul 31, 2012)

Update... The auction just ended and it sold for $3650... Someone thought it was worth the effort. Thanks again


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