firstly do not remove the dented old/original outer aluminium,this original outer panel must stay on,this is where you might be struggling...if your tryin to do it cheaply go into your nearest caravan dealers or repairers and ask for a bit that will fit with a couple of inches all round the edge,if you pay or are lucky they can get or will have the matching panel of aluminium.take the door off the caravan,easily done just unscrew the hindges or drill the pop rivets out,unscrew the trim from around the door and keep it in the same shape as the door if possible this has to go back on,clean the sealer from the doors edge and from the aluminium trim that you screwed off using degreaser....this will take ten minutes of scrubbing.lay the door with the outside/the metal side up...and gently push any protruding aluminium or wood or polystyrene so that it has nothing protruding over the original flat face of the door.....this should lay flat if ypou were to lay it metal side down....if the dent goes into the door at all get some car body filler and mix enough up to fill the dent with no protrusion so this would still lay flat...the finish of the filler doesnt need to be fancy just flat to stop the new aluminium from pushing in and giving a good surface for glueing...next you will need the glue...the proper stuff will be available from caravan repairers and comes in two packs....the glue and the hardener...failing that youneed a glue that sets rock hard but will spread easily over the full doors surface....you will leave the old original aluminium sheet on the door for a good repair...mix the glue and spread a thin covering layer evenly over the full door where the new panel is to go....line up any detail that may match and press the new aluminium sheet into place on the door...obdviosly put the painted side outwards....put the door on the floor with the new panel in place rub the panel down with a clean cloth and evenly place some weight onto door for a good even bonding to set...wait several hours making sure that no glue is on new clean surface or anywhere it may be seen...after setting you will need to trim the edges of the aluminium with left hand or right hand(easiest does)tin snips--about 7 pound costs at machine mart---this wil give a lovely clean edge...now just apply sealant to the trim and the doors edge and reapply the tim with screws---screws should still match holes---line the first one up with a bradawl or small thin screwdriver....remember to get the outside on the outside....clean the sealer off when tightened...line hindges up with bradawl again and screw tight or re rivet...make sure the door shuts and that is that.....
rob/erol
October 2010
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