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Repairing soft floor in my wolf creek

anutami
Explorer II
Explorer II
Well, after many many nights in my TC the 1/4” floor in my wolf creek is becoming soft in and around the kitchen area. Apparently the 1/4” floor can’t really accommodate my 200+ weight cooking in the kitchen and stepping down from the cabover!! a lot of LOL!!!
I don’t think this topic has really come up and of course it’s not something I focused on when looking and buying. I remember a thread from someone saying “that is all you need” well I need to fix this before it gets worse so my question is?

What do I do? The best fix I am looking at is to pull the bottom off, remove the fresh water tank and reinforce the floor which is going to be a Pain. Any other ideas?
2001 Ford F350 LB Diesel 4x4 CrewCab Stick
2015 Wolf Creek 850 Thermal Pane Windows, Oven, Reinforced Anchor Bolts, 200w Solar, Torklift Tie Downs, Fastguns, Stableloads
27 REPLIES 27

schlep1967
Explorer III
Explorer III
anutami wrote:
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions

Now I’m scratching my head, I removed the table leg insert and there appears to be reinforced with more plywood than I thought but could this just be around the table legs or is the entire floor have this much wood? I find it hard to imagine they reinforced the table legs but the area that sees the most use gets a thin piece of luan



I don’t think I will have much clearance for this storage nook if I put another type of flooring down so now back to the drawing board.



I guess I will just have to live with a soft floor 😞

If you glue even 1/4 inch of plywood over the entire floor it should stabilize your issue.
As for that storage area, move the hinges to the far end and the latch to the near end like it should have been made to begin with. If needed you can rip 1/4 inch off the bottom of the door and it will never be seen.
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silversand
Explorer
Explorer
Anutami wrote:
Pretty sure the top layer of 1/4" luan has weakened and its pushing into the foam layer. The underside luan portion is holding strong. I think the only way to tackle this is from the top side.


....I think that you nailed the issue 100%. The "floor sandwich"....top layer of Lauan/ply is simply deflecting into the bead-board because not enough aluminum cross-members are there to resist deflection, and walking (a foot is a small footprint) compresses the bead-board...permanently.

Just lay down a dense/thick (deflection resistant) bamboo (rot-proof) interlocking floor over the vinyl.
Silver
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 6.0L Ext/LB Tow Package 4L80E Michelin AT2s| Outfitter Caribou

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
anutami wrote:
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions


Did you happen to ask the manufacturer about it? I’m just wondering if this is what they expect since two of you seem to have the same symptom.

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

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anutami
Explorer II
Explorer II
Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:
Is this the same camper?


Lol yeah If I would have know then what I know now I should have dropped the tanks and reinforced it, or better yet I should have ordered the camper as a kit and put it together myself!!!
2001 Ford F350 LB Diesel 4x4 CrewCab Stick
2015 Wolf Creek 850 Thermal Pane Windows, Oven, Reinforced Anchor Bolts, 200w Solar, Torklift Tie Downs, Fastguns, Stableloads

joeshmoe
Explorer
Explorer
The wife and I were sitting in the camper just now having this discussion. The cabinet door and the knee wall doors will both have clearance issues when it comes to laying down wood. Even 3/8 will be a challenge. Short of dropping the fresh tank, working from below to install some support, I don't see a way around it.

We came to the same conclusion: Too much work. Live with soft floor until it really needs repaired.
2014 Northwood Wolf Creek 850
2005 Ford F350 SRW SuperCab/LongBed 6.0 Powerstroke
QuickTrick's Towing Tune
Torklift Tie Downs/Fastguns/Upper/Lower Stableloads
Rancho 9000's

anutami
Explorer II
Explorer II
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions

Now I’m scratching my head, I removed the table leg insert and there appears to be reinforced with more plywood than I thought but could this just be around the table legs or is the entire floor have this much wood? I find it hard to imagine they reinforced the table legs but the area that sees the most use gets a thin piece of luan



I don’t think I will have much clearance for this storage nook if I put another type of flooring down so now back to the drawing board.



I guess I will just have to live with a soft floor 😞
2001 Ford F350 LB Diesel 4x4 CrewCab Stick
2015 Wolf Creek 850 Thermal Pane Windows, Oven, Reinforced Anchor Bolts, 200w Solar, Torklift Tie Downs, Fastguns, Stableloads

Look at the floor construction.
It's a sandwiched floor with two thin layers plywood glued to a foam panel. My guess is the sandwiched panel glue has failed and the three layers are sliding against each other, no longer a rigid sandwiched panel layer. It looks like the tub below the floor surface is a couple inches narrower than the floor width to exterior cabin walls. I think you could remove your carpet and lay at least 5/8" plywood over your floor tight fitting wall to wall. Make a cardboard template and then cut out the plywood then test fit. When you have a good fit, you can spread some panel adhesive over the floor then lay the plywood over it and set a bunch of weight over the panel while glues drying. It looks that this will ride over the frame of the under tub side walls so it will be fully supported on the sides. It sounds like the aluminum cross framing in the floor is on 30 inch spacing and that would place a large unsupported area right under the sink work area. At 30" back from the front of the TC wall behind the cab, I bet your floor is pretty solid.

AnEv942
Nomad
Nomad
anutami wrote:

Pretty sure the top layer of 1/4" luan has weakened and its pushing into the foam layer. The underside luan portion is holding strong. I think the only way to tackle this is from the top side...

I agree with addressing from the top. Adding support under top floor sheet would work IF you removed bottom luan, cut channels in the bonded foam to insert stringers to under side of floor. Adding supports under the bottom luan sheet wouldn't do much as its the foam that's allowing top sheet to flex...1/4"? what were they thinking. No internal structure, just external frame looking at linked diagram-wow.
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joeshmoe
Explorer
Explorer
anutami wrote:


at 15:35 you can see what the floor looks like, it appears the arctic fox is much thicker than the WC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9rmC2iacvI


Of course it is. AF's are heavy AF. LoL :B
2014 Northwood Wolf Creek 850
2005 Ford F350 SRW SuperCab/LongBed 6.0 Powerstroke
QuickTrick's Towing Tune
Torklift Tie Downs/Fastguns/Upper/Lower Stableloads
Rancho 9000's

joeshmoe
Explorer
Explorer
deltabravo wrote:
I am not terribly convinced that Northwood would use a 1/4 piece of plywood as the floor material. That thin of wood won't support much weight at all.

Interior floor Feels about the same as the roo and that's cheesy 1/4 Luan. Wolf Creeks are pretty soft in places on the roof unlike Foxes yet they say it will support walking on it. The firm areas are likely the framing. Everywhere where else is kinda mushy. Been that way since day one with mine
2014 Northwood Wolf Creek 850
2005 Ford F350 SRW SuperCab/LongBed 6.0 Powerstroke
QuickTrick's Towing Tune
Torklift Tie Downs/Fastguns/Upper/Lower Stableloads
Rancho 9000's

joeshmoe
Explorer
Explorer
Mine is exactly the same. I thought it was 5/8" judging by the thickness under the table poles. Too flexible to be 5/8. Started getting soft around 2 years. As you said. Up and down from the bed, generally standing in that area. It lessens as you move closer to the bath door.
2014 Northwood Wolf Creek 850
2005 Ford F350 SRW SuperCab/LongBed 6.0 Powerstroke
QuickTrick's Towing Tune
Torklift Tie Downs/Fastguns/Upper/Lower Stableloads
Rancho 9000's

anutami
Explorer II
Explorer II
jimh425 wrote:
It doesn’t look like it’s damaged. Have you thought about adding cross bracing from below? That would probably be a lot easier. But, I’d still give the manufacturer a shout.



Pretty sure the top layer of 1/4" luan has weakened and its pushing into the foam layer. The underside luan portion is holding strong. I think the only way to tackle this is from the top side.

at 15:35 you can see what the floor looks like, it appears the arctic fox is much thicker than the WC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9rmC2iacvI
2001 Ford F350 LB Diesel 4x4 CrewCab Stick
2015 Wolf Creek 850 Thermal Pane Windows, Oven, Reinforced Anchor Bolts, 200w Solar, Torklift Tie Downs, Fastguns, Stableloads

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
jimh425 wrote:
It doesn’t look like it’s damaged. Have you thought about adding cross bracing from below? That would probably be a lot easier. But, I’d still give the manufacturer a shout.


That’s what he said He’s considering in his initial post.
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