This is sorry artwork, but my wife is the PhotoShop expert. Hopefully the pic below gives the idea of the additional hold down point. The red is the angle, the the green represents the bolt. The placement fore/aft should be so that it can catch the floor channel of the shell.
Creating enough separation to slide in a new piece of plywood should not be difficult. Lower the tongue and stand on one of the frame rails (there may already be enough separation, the problem is the exterior skin "skirt" which hangs down.
Be sure to use a 1/4" luan template to ensure proper fit BEFORE cutting and installing the real floor. It is money and time well spent.
I'm glad my photos inspired you. When I go back and look at them now, I wonder who the heck was that guy?
P.S. - While we're not open for lunch, I'm sure I could make an exception with advance notice!
YES, that looks like what I need. Bravo. Adds to my "welders to-do list" but let's get it right the first time. I want to make a similar bumper box, an obvious improvement over my single plate (guess they learned a bit from '69 to '71..)
I'm onto making the cardboard template for the new plywood but have hit a discrepency between my interior measurement and what the old floor curve radius suggests. Measuring inside the trailer I get 47"+ from existing plywood to the inside back (ext.skin) wall:
but after tracing the old plywood curve onto cardboard it suggests a much shorter distance of around 45" to the back edge. (And I don't recall the floor stopping at the INTERIOR skin...do I?..) sorry this picture did not rotate, but you can see the difference:
My plan is to just cut it long at first and trim back as necessary, but tell me, does the original floor extend all the way back to against the exterior skin?
also, has anyone had success in PATCHING bellypan metal? Mine is pretty screwed up, numerous holes and some corrosion (see below). I'm reluctant to replace (it's bigger than 4x8) but I guess I could do it w/two separate sheets if necessary
From the pictures you have posted it looks like you are in an enclosed shop area. I'm jealous. I think the high today was 14f degrees. I need a couple of 50 degree days to continue with my sheet metal work.
sorry, man, but I'm outside! I'll be complaining in August when just walking outside here can give you heatstroke, but this Lower Delta ain't so bad in the winter...at least when the sun is shining. I know how frustrating it is to have a project you can't jump on. I was hoping to have this rig done by Mardi Gras but don't think it'll happen. I DO plan on spending a lot of time at the FL beaches this summer, though!
any thoughts on retro fitting generic blackwater tanks? I'm now realizing I can't cut the toilet and vent openings if I decide to replace my (cracked) original blackwater tank. I'll need to have the new tank with new openings first. This place:
seems to have excellent prices on generic tanks. I'll have to call them tomorrow and see what's up. Can't see paying 500 for a replacement and I am seriously doubtful about patching cross-linked LDPE from all my recent research...
I still need to have 2 gray water tanks custom fabricated to fit in the cavity above the axle and the cavity aft of the axle. My wife just started up her own consulting business so I can't pull the trigger on the tanks yet. I do have a lot of metal work to do yet (curb side lower re-skin and the door re-skin) and I have all the sheet aluminum in the basement just waiting to be installed and it's to cold outside for the sealant I'm using. I am really wanting to use my GT this summer instead of the tent.
my tank was the kind of plastic that smells like a candle when you burn it. it melts like waX under a soldering iron. first I harvested some plastic from a vent pipe with my razor knife:
used my inspection mirror to 'tack' the crack along the inside of the tank with my not-too-hot soldering iron. then I simultaneously v-grooved the crack from outside while feeding my harvested 'welding rod' along the crack, careful not to push all the way thru. I was skeptical but if it DOESN'T work, hey, I'll buy a new tank. it's not the end of the world. looked good, though. this stuff melts really easy. when I remount the tank I will be careful to have NO STRESS POINTS on the flange. here's what the weld looks like:
I decided to switch from the seriously played-out Thetford to a Valterra simply because I like the design (I know it's not as heavy duty as the Thetford...I don't care) and I can get parts locally. And it's cheaper. They're everywhere. But wait: PROBLEM!! The Valterra flange is a HAIR fatter than the Thetford was and won't go in the tank flange. urgh. think...think...OK, this plastic is thermo-flexible, right? So I put a 600 watt quartz light on it like a heatlamp to warm it up reasoning that if I can get the pipe inside the opening while it's warm and soft once it cools and shrinks back to size it oughta be tighter than a gnat's hiney. hey, worth a try:
I put a light coat of lube oil on the Valterra pipe and slipped 'er in, well, actually pushed 'er in being careful not to break the tank again. here you can see the oil on the v-pipe:
it was TIGHT. quite tight. so I tightened up the hose clamp and filled the dang thing up with water. an hour later: dry as a bone. no leaks. no where. dunno if the 'dryness' will show up in this shot:
again: if it breaks, replace the tank. so far, so good...
Thank you so much for those pictures of how you repaired your black tank. I have already ordered and paid for a new one. The tank is an orginal and I got it from airstream. My thetford dump valve is shot. I like how you replaced yours and I think that is what I am going to do. My thetford disintegrated when I tried to take it off.
I may try to repair my old tank using the techniques you incorporated and just sell it. I just do not want to tear the back end apart again after I do the repairs. I checked out your website, and really enjoyed your pictures. I grew up with the blues and country rock and roll. I have seen Emmy lou many times.
I will be sending you karma for taking the time to post all the step-by-step pics of your repairs. Thank You so much for showing how you did each phase of your repairs. We will stay tuned! Happy Trails, Ed
__________________
1967 Safari Twin "Landshark" w/International trim package
1999 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT FORUMS MEMBER SINCE 12/16/2004 AIR#7110
"My tire was thumping, I thought it was flat! When I looked at the tire... I noticed your CAT!" Burma Shave
..and thanks back 'at ya, BIGED, for the karmic deposit. yknow when you're working on one of these down-and-dirty repairs like a rear-end-re-do sometimes it seems like no one really gives a hoot and we'd all much rather check out pix of a new '75 Anniversary or CCD so it's nice to know someone out there appreciates the photos and postings...
this forum has SO educated me about renovations, it's the least I can do to give something back so I'm always encouraging folks to 'get a thread going' or do like Pizzachop Ron and put up some really nice pix of your step by step over in your picture space even if it's not in a thread..
and if anyone is making plans to come to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fair this year (better than Mardi Gras, in my biased opinion as a music-lover!) I'll have a booth in the Contemporary Crafts section where you can see (and buy) 'real photographs' (printed in a darkroom, not from a computer) from my 30-year collection of shooting N.O. and LA music.. I'm going to try and do some research about camping/parking options during Jazzfest and will post whatever I find. it's really a fantastic time to come here, less boozin' and more about the culture/food/music when compared to Mardi Gras (biased opinion, once again..)
Before I go cutting the new angle iron for my blackwater tank support I'd like to 'ask the experts' a few... notice in this photo how the support doesn't reach all the way across to rest on the 'skid plate'. Is this to facilitate removal of the tank (with its supports)? (Seems like it would be stronger to have it rest on the skid plate, but I don't wanna go changing stuff if it ain't correct to be doin' so..)
I can just as easily make the new angle reach all the way across (stronger) but not if it will make removal a pain, ya? Also note in the photo the little triangle shim-type-thing within the old support angle iron. ??? Maybe this helps keep the tank pan from sliding around?? Should I add this into my new support iron? It might also keep the tank slightly raised up off the support to avoid corrosion? boy, those AS engineers musta been smokin' sump'n when they designed this puppy... opinions, as always, appreciated..
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