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Edge Strips

Edge strips were originally installed, with butyl tape beneath them, using 1" spiral aluminum nails. Over the years the edges of the trailer will leak and the underlying wood will rot. A sign this has happened is loose edge strips or edge strips that are pulling away from the trailer, in particularly at the bottom corners. See picture below (courtest of Darrell Bloodworth) which is an excellent example of typical edge rot. When this occurs, the only fix is to remove the edge strips, skin and replace the rotted wood. Using longer screws is only a temporary fix which will not last long.

Edge strips are aluminum and are soft and easily distorted. If you are not careful they can twist as you remove them which will make them very difficult to put back on and still have them look decent. This is the method I use to remove mine and it works very well.

Dan Speed drills his out. Take a bit the same size as the nail shank and carefully drill till the head pops off. Kel Lee used this method and found it worked great for her!

Nancy's Method

Removing the edgestrip
Using a flat pry bar, slide in at the nail and pry up very gently.
You want to raise the nail up just enough for the next step,
but you don't want to dent your skin.

Removing the edge strip
Now, use a small "cat's paw" type of pry bar and catch the nail head and remove it.

Edgestrip frame
Because this was the second Scotty I removed strips from,
and the first one's strips twisted and became very difficult to replace,
I was very careful when I actually removed the strips.
I made this simple wooden frame and I duct-taped the strip to it, at both ends of the strip and the top corners of the frame. I carried the frame to the other side of the Scotty and taped the other strip on the opposite side of the frame. I then leaned them up against the garage until I was ready to put them back on.

Replace with ss screws
Give serious consideration to replacing the 1" aluminum spiral nails
with stainless steel screws (shown) when you replace your strips.

Sources for new edge strips

If you need to buy new strips, many RV stores sell them. They typically have both the old style, as used on a Scotty, and a newer style that has a vinyl insert strip. We have not found a source for them in the original lengths, so new strips will have to be pieced together. I encourage you to stick with the original style which looks much better on a vintage trailer and if all possible, keep and reuse your original strips.

Sealing edge strips

It is wise to add a second layer of protection after re-installing the strips with new butyl or putty tape. Air will dry the putty and evenually cause shrinkage. Shrinkage means the seal is no longer tight, and water can get in. Add a small bead of quality clear sealant. ProFlex, Lexel or clear gutter seal will work. Smooth the bead with a finger dipped in water to which a few drops of liquid dish soap has been added.

You may also want to consider injecting a small amount of the clear sealer into the screw holes as you install the screws.

 

National Serro Scotty Organization | Delton, Michigan 49046