1973 Sovereign: 'Bauxter's Big Adventure'

[DGJackson]

Originally Posted by Bauxter

All bolts in, and torqued to 100 lbs. What's amazing is I have used my little bottle jack to lift the shell off the frame. The new frame off of the old frame, and the axles into place. The best $19 I ever spent.
Next UP: Tank supports, POR 15, and then plywood deck. With a little luck and a lotta money, the shell will be back on in June.

Bauxter - check out the following link. Thinking torque spec is 120-150 ft-lbs for the #10 (3500#) axle.
http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/...ation_1-12.pdf

Got mine bolted up last weekend. While Dexter didn't include with the bolt set, I added a Grade 8 washer & lock washer on each bolt. You can get these at Lowes for $1 a piece or a handful from a specialty nut & bolt shop for $2.

if you add washers make sure you use high strength components. Never mix Grade high strength bolts and washers with standard bolts/washers.

The use of flat washers on each side spreads the load on mounting plate to reduce stress in mounting plate.

Dennis
Augusta, Ga

[Bauxter]

Thanks Dennis, I was reading some other threads that had mentioned 100#. I can just eat my spinach, bust another 20 or 30 # with the torque wrench. My axles are actually 4000#. I am not sure if I can push more than 120# of torque...I am a weakling. All of my bolts are grade 8. The Lowes folks were way more than $1 each for the grade 8 stuff in Columbus, OH. I did not use a flat washer, as I was trying to match what was there. It wouldn't be a big deal to go back and add them, unless I would have to replace the bolts I just installed.

[Bauxter]

So we had 3 days of high winds in Columbus, OH. The only branch that fell in my yard, landed on 2 of the 3 roof rear segments on the AS. Big Dent! A month away from re-attaching the shell and frame, and now I need to find a body shop.
OK, enough self pity....back to work, pass the Vulkem and rivets..

[Minno]

OOH, that's too bad, Bauxter! I always have fears when I hear "hail or high winds" in the weather forcast. Frame is looking good, though. We're almost ready to put our axles on, got the belly pan under that part of her now. I gotta say, your way of doing it with shell off is definitely easier in some respects than what we did with shell on. Belly pan and tank installs are a case in point. It would be sooo much easier if we could just flip the frame and do the belly pan. Unfortunately we'd damage the trailer! Oh well. Chris drills and clecos, I rivet behind him. It works. Looking forward to seeing what's next for you!

Kay

[Bauxter]

I was thinking through a later stage of my project "Belly Pan", and see a flaw in how it will be installed. There is no gap between the axle assembly and the bottom of the C channel, which means that I will need to cut the belly pan around the axle assembly. I was hoping the AS Forums team would validate my plan to add a 1/8" thick steel spacer between the channel and axle assembly, to allow the pan to slide through, yet provide support between the C channel and axle assembly.

[Lance M]

Hey Baux,
In post 80 it looks like you already have the axles bolted in. If that is the case, I'd notch the belly pan to fit around the axle brackets. Looks like it one of those oops! things. It will be fine the way it is. I'd think it would be counter productive to try to lower the axles 1/8".

[Bauxter]

Top, The axle assembly actually has oval (elongated vertically) bolt holes, so I could jack up the frame and leave the wheels on the ground, with bolts just loosened up. Add the spacer, and then re tighten.

mike

[wasagachris]

Hi mike I just released my axles and dropped them down a bit to allow the belly pan sheet to slip into place and then jacked the axles back into place. That way the belly pan is one piece with no holes or notches to seal around.

[Bauxter]

I have a couple concerns.
There are too many holes in the skin and floor channel. Should I try to fill the extra holes in the channel? If so, what is the best material.
Should I buy new channel..knowing it is expensive, and won't fit the plywood without adjustments?

Mike

[wasagachris]

Mike all those holes held a rivet at one time. First they solid rivet the shell to the channel, then the side wraps are pop riveted on and finally the lower beltline trim is poip riveted on. If you are very exact about placement of the channel almost all of the holes can be reused. I injected a healthy bead of vulkem between the shell and the channel and also injected vulkem into each hole I drilled for rivet installation.

[Bauxter]

New black and gray ABS tanks. Since my 73 didn't have a gray tank, I needed to add framework to support the new one. haven't laid out the drain lines, but it looks pretty straight forward.
I used elevator bolts to bolt the tanks to the frame.
I struggled with how to support the tanks from below, and I settled on metal strapping. its not my favorite material, but it looks like it will be OK. I was thinking about wrapping the strapping in rubber, or adding some flat ABS panels between the tanks and the straps, to protect the tanks.

[Bauxter]

The floor spacers have 2 coats of West System epoxy resin. I used self-tapping, counter-sunk screws from Vintage Trailer Supply.

[Bauxter]

While picking up parts at the Mother Ship, I found a sign for the street where I think I live..

[Bauxter]

I picked a Shrinker/Stretcher up so I could fabricate some curved "L" channel to shed water at the rear end. Once I apply some Vulkem behind it and rivet all the pieces in, I think it will be much more resistant to leaks than the way the factory built it.
The funny thing about this little project was that I went to my favorite welding /fabrication spot, as well as a really good sheet metal shop to have the work done, before I bought the Shrinker/Stretcher. They said that there was absolutely no way this bend can be done.....they would be well served to visit The Air Forums.
I will snap more photos of the completed job.

Aerowood, if you happen to read this...thanks for the tool demos at the Restoration rally. Those demos were my inspiration for this upgrade.

Mike

[Kevin245]

Mike,

Looking good. Where did you purchase the shrinker/stretcher from?

[Bauxter]

I purchased at harbor Freight with a 20% off coupon...$112.00

Originally Posted by Kevin245

Mike,

Looking good. Where did you purchase the shrinker/stretcher from?

[HiHoAgRV]

there is an alternate method for bending the impossible...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f109...tml#post979845

[Bauxter]

That manual "bowed" bending process is great to know, I wish I would have known it 2 weeks ago. There are several bright sides, though, to my project. I would have spent almost the same amount on having the shop bend it, if they would have known how, so daddy got a new tool for free . At least that is what I am telling Mrs. Bauxter. Additionally, looking at your curved piece, it looks like the side that lays horizontal is wider than mine. The stretcher did not like to bend more that about 3/4", about the width of its jaw. So, when I need something wider, I know how to do it.
I hope that was scrap marine grade plywood in the pictures, or you may have as much invested in that as the tool I bought.

[Minno]

You DO know that we wives are on to you guys. We know all the tricks you use for getting new tools. I've learned from the best how to get my own new quilting tools.

Kay

[HiHoAgRV]

Oh yes...the shrinker/stretcher tool is a better deal...The only plywood that works is 200 year old mohogany, the hammer is made from a rare Oriental Multi Layered Bronze and it only works on Space Grade Aluminum Alloys... Don't all Airstream owners have those? ;0)