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Mixter · 02-19-2016, 12:28 PM

Yeah- ALL those bolts need to come out. You'll prolly have to cut/ grind the old rusted bolts out from under the outriggers. I put stainless steel bolts back in the rebuild.

Note there are also a bunch of steel screws through the c channel to the plywood. Those were buggers because they are rusted and seized and you cant get a screwdriver to grab. You have to do it from the top and dont want to destroy the c channel. I believe i had quite a time w pliers trying to grip/ unscrew.

bruceboy777 · 02-19-2016, 05:01 PM

As I feared lol...thanks. I should be popped her lid this weekend. I will post pics as soon as I do.

bruceboy777 · 02-23-2016, 09:20 AM

Due to unforeseen circumstances I had to move the whole operation gantrys, trailers ect....needless to say this cost me a few days and slowed progress a bit but I have it all set back up and work is underway.
I have the front and rear "U" channel bolts and screws out (not even going to go into the hell that was. It would contain to many expletives) and gantry's in place. So at this point I basically have clear the vent holes that I will be using to mount the 4x4 under and drill out the rivets on the sides.
I will take pics as I go.

bruceboy777 · 02-23-2016, 09:23 AM

I do have a question however. I would love to crawl up on top and remove air conditioning unit, antenna ect....but don't know if I can safely do so without damaging the shell. That being said I don't see any way of getting them off without getting up the at some point.
Any suggestions?

bruceboy777 · 02-23-2016, 11:26 AM

I have read that walking on the roof is OK if you stay on the the rivet lines. Which makes sense but still am uneasy. ..hmmm

Wabbiteer · 02-23-2016, 11:43 AM

All stop - without the interior liners the shell has lost strength. Now would be the time to use extension ladders cross-bucked with 2x12 board or similar to access the roof, if you're going load-bearing on the shell after it's on the ground look at 1/2" or greater plywood to distribute the weight.

I vote you go zero-gravity in a harness from a spare gantry. Get pictures.

bruceboy777 · 02-23-2016, 12:35 PM

Lol....mission impossible style.
I decided to leave the air conditioner and such be until after shell removal.
Took the front and back vent covers off so they are open for the strap. This thing is almost ready for liftoff

bruceboy777 · 02-23-2016, 12:36 PM

I will do the ladder scaffolding prior to removing all the rest.
Thanks for the heads up.

bruceboy777 · 02-23-2016, 12:41 PM

I did put a ladder on the awning to get the covers all the way out but refrained from any tap dances on the roof lol

Mixter · 02-23-2016, 01:39 PM

I think I remember reading a post from Inland Andy saying that the roof can support an average man walking anywhere except the endcaps...

That said, I still cant bring myself to do it. I dont know why... it just feels wrong. I use my gantry as a scaffold and its great for roof top polishing, vent replacement and AC replacement.

youngpeck · 02-23-2016, 03:01 PM

Mixter, I like your planking attachment mid-way up the gantries. I believe I will get busy (when it warms up a little more) and do something similar for mine. Very nice! I'm getting too old to try to keep my feet on the rivets!

bruceboy777 · 02-23-2016, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mixter

I think I remember reading a post from Inland Andy saying that the roof can support an average man walking anywhere except the endcaps...

That said, I still cant bring myself to do it. I dont know why... it just feels wrong. I use my gantry as a scaffold and its great for roof top polishing, vent replacement and AC replacement.

I ran across that post as well but I am with ya. It makes me a bit nervous.
Thanks for the pics. That will definitely come in handy.

rugjenkins · 02-23-2016, 09:20 PM

I get on top of mine to do work I need to do- no problems! But I digress, one should only do what one is comfortable doing. I do like the scaffolding approach😎

bruceboy777 · 02-27-2016, 06:44 PM

Ok....well I have liftoff. It did come off a bit lopsided due to the weight of the door and awning but with the brother helping me steady it wasn't a big deal.
I will admit when it "popped " I was not prepared for it and nearly S $#t myself.

Now to the nastiness that was underneath.

bruceboy777 · 02-28-2016, 07:41 AM

I am working in a muddy field. Which if you have ever been to the WV you know that every field is muddy and not flat lol
So I had to install a few 2x4's inside the shell to keep it off the ground and level it up. Have high winds coming in the next couple of days so going to stake it to the ground as well.
Preparing get the floor off the trailer. Hoped to use some of it as a template but the parts you really need for that purpose. Font and back curve are rotten so probably not much help. I have picked up so many ideas on here however as to cutting the new floor that I am not concerned.

bruceboy777 · 02-28-2016, 04:18 PM

Removed the C channel and the floor. It is a mess under there but the main beams of the frame seem to be pretty solid..outriggers are gone but that seems pretty common from what I have read.
Plan to have everything off and out of the frame in the next few days and then take a good look and see what just needs sanded and refinished and what needs completely new part fabricated.

Wabbiteer · 02-28-2016, 09:31 PM

The thing you'll remember half of forever is rolling the finished floor/frame back under the shell.

Hope you have water source in your meadow because a strong pressure washer grudge match versus the shell weevils would be another bucket list spectacular.

A leaf blower to chase out water from hidden nooks and crannies works well, watch out for water pooling in the window frames as it will be black mud from aluminum oxides and weevil guts... and the stuff the blower chased out from the rib/bows will need re-rinsing, just short of an infinite loop of cleaning.

The axle mounting plates - see if the outrigger leverages and/or rust expansion has pulled the top edge of mounting plate away from the frame rail, thus the outrigger is no longer level and the axle plate weakened; just part of the details to get new outriggers back in square, also - if an outrigger had previously been replaced they may have not had the insulation sandwiched between it and the floor, or the floor had sagged and those details were not corrected when the new one was welded back in... Just easier to find those before new floor sheets are getting schlepped around.

On the hitch socket - a rebuild kit is cheap but see how bad the socket wear really is, now would be the time to have the original cut out and replaced.

Also - if Joe Somewhen had ever tried jacking the trailer not from axle plates, or had a misadventure with leveling jacks and has 'kinked' the c-channel frame, that will be enough deformation to add to the total amount of tail droop, unkink the frame dents if you find them aft of the axles.

One of the things Andy has recommended is adding outriggers on the rear endcap c-channel, little stubbies to better keep the potion of motion away from the rear tie-down plate bolts.

:::sigh:::

Good going, don't fatigue, careful with the step parts...

bruceboy777 · 02-29-2016, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wabbiteer

The thing you'll remember half of forever is rolling the finished floor/frame back under the shell.

Hope you have water source in your meadow because a strong pressure washer grudge match versus the shell weevils would be another bucket list spectacular.

A leaf blower to chase out water from hidden nooks and crannies works well, watch out for water pooling in the window frames as it will be black mud from aluminum oxides and weevil guts... and the stuff the blower chased out from the rib/bows will need re-rinsing, just short of an infinite loop of cleaning.

The axle mounting plates - see if the outrigger leverages and/or rust expansion has pulled the top edge of mounting plate away from the frame rail, thus the outrigger is no longer level and the axle plate weakened; just part of the details to get new outriggers back in square, also - if an outrigger had previously been replaced they may have not had the insulation sandwiched between it and the floor, or the floor had sagged and those details were not corrected when the new one was welded back in... Just easier to find those before new floor sheets are getting schlepped around.

On the hitch socket - a rebuild kit is cheap but see how bad the socket wear really is, now would be the time to have the original cut out and replaced.

Also - if Joe Somewhen had ever tried jacking the trailer not from axle plates, or had a misadventure with leveling jacks and has 'kinked' the c-channel frame, that will be enough deformation to add to the total amount of tail droop, unkink the frame dents if you find them aft of the axles.

One of the things Andy has recommended is adding outriggers on the rear endcap c-channel, little stubbies to better keep the potion of motion away from the rear tie-down plate bolts.

:::q!sigh:::

Good going, don't fatigue, careful with the step parts...

Thanks for all the advice. The thought of it that refurbished trailer going under the shell keeps me going I will admit

So pressure washer on the inside ? I was considering that but wasn't sure. I will post more pics asap.

bruceboy777 · 03-04-2016, 02:41 PM

The belly pan is off which gives me a much better idea as to the condition of the frame.
Was getting ready to go after those tanks but was deterred by freezing rain.
Weather is supposed to clear here in a day or so and I will resume then.
I have already found a fab shop and will have them working on the new outriggers asap.

bruceboy777 · 03-04-2016, 02:43 PM

I had no idea that the water tanks in these things were as large as they turned out to be. I also didn't know there was 3 of them. Black and gray is all I have heard mentioned.