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11-25-2016, 08:24 AM
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#1
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4 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Silverton
, Oregon
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 351
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Frame crossmember @ plywood splice
We have a 1972 31' sovereign, and At each splice of the plywood floor there is a crossmember that sits 3/4" lower, and on top of that there is a 6" wide strip of plywood that adds support to the plywood edges. I'm moving some crossmembers in my frame to add in a gray tank, so I'm making new crossmembers. I will have them laser cut and formed at work, but I'm wondering that if instead of leaving the splice plate, I just make a crossmember with a 6" wide top flange, I would and another return flange to stiffen that edge, but it seems like my steel crossmember would allow less rocking of the plywood edges. Thoughts and feelings?
__________________
"Daddy when's the trailer going to be finished?"
It's done. I mean mostly. It works anyway.
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11-25-2016, 08:53 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1971 21' Globetrotter
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
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Arvada
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,527
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Sounds like a good solution to me
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11-26-2016, 08:29 PM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
1974 31' Excella 500
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 59
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I did something similar - i used 2x5 tube for my custom cut cross member, then i just welded some 1-1/2 inch angle next to it in order to have enough room to secure the floor to the frame. Use teks to secure the floor to the frame, they work great!
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11-26-2016, 08:39 PM
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#4
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4 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Silverton
, Oregon
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 351
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Thanks
__________________
"Daddy when's the trailer going to be finished?"
It's done. I mean mostly. It works anyway.
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11-26-2016, 10:03 PM
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#5
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Journeyman
2016 25' International
Amherst
, Massachusetts
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 956
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I'm trying to think of a reason why the splice plate would be better than steel, and I can't really come up with one other than cost or replicability—though it would also spread out the load and make the plywood less likely to break right at the edge of the steel I suppose.
I think you've got a good idea. Go for it.
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11-27-2016, 07:36 AM
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#6
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2 Rivet Member
1974 31' Excella 500
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 59
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@thiel I'm with you. I'm fairly certain that was more of a cost saving measure than a practical engineering measure. Using angle butted next to the cross member will provide plenty of room for you to secure two sheets of plywood together.
I suppose one consideration to make would be to make sure you have enough room to secure the belly pan. Thats still light years away from where I'm at though.
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11-27-2016, 08:07 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1986 25' Sovereign
2008 F350, 6.4L diesel
, Oak Harbor, WA
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 605
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Perhaps, a two part member results in easier assembly or more flexibility for installing other devices.
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11-27-2016, 08:33 AM
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#8
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2 Rivet Member
1974 31' Excella 500
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 59
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Possibly, but that didn't seem like the case for my 31 ft excella. It was easier to weld in steel and extend the surface area to secure the plywood floor using the traditional design.
Surprisingly, you'll find that there are much better engineering ideas for your airstream. Several areas of this process have left me scratching my head..
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11-27-2016, 11:54 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1981 31' Excella II
New Market
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
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I did something similar so both halves of the floor could be bolted to the crossmember. Sometimes I added angle and other times I made a separate outrigger for each section of floor.
Perry
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12-03-2016, 08:09 AM
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#10
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4 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Silverton
, Oregon
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 351
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I was also planning on lengthening the lower flange a bit, a lot of the rivets for the belly pan are drilled in very close to the web of the channel
__________________
"Daddy when's the trailer going to be finished?"
It's done. I mean mostly. It works anyway.
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12-03-2016, 09:06 AM
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#11
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2 Rivet Member
1974 31' Excella 500
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 59
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Yeah, that's the proper way to think about securing the belly pan. There is one area in the aft of my trailer that might require me to weld in an extra piece of angle just to support the belly pan. The existing cross members don't allow for much flexibility.
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12-03-2016, 09:55 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1981 31' Excella II
New Market
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
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I used 1/4-20 bolts tapped into the frame to support the rear belly skins that I replaced when I did the rear floor on my trailer. The skin was .032 6061-T6 which is thicker and stiffer than the stuff that came on the trailer. I can get back in there when I want/need to as well. I hate drilling rivets.
Perry
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12-03-2016, 10:13 AM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
1974 31' Excella 500
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by perryg114
I used 1/4-20 bolts tapped into the frame to support the rear belly skins that I replaced when I did the rear floor on my trailer. The skin was .032 6061-T6 which is thicker and stiffer than the stuff that came on the trailer. I can get back in there when I want/need to as well. I hate drilling rivets.
Perry
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That was what I was planning. They make self tapping screws with the rubber seal for metal roofing. My plan was to use those so that I could easily access the rear if needed. I plan on doing something very similar with the tank access. I did eliminate 1 cross member on the rear so I'll need belly material that is a little stiffer.
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12-03-2016, 10:18 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1981 31' Excella II
New Market
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
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I used those on the side skins to secure them to the frame. You need the extra hard ones or they just ring off even with a pilot hole.
Perry
Quote:
Originally Posted by raphspeaks
That was what I was planning. They make self tapping screws with the rubber seal for metal roofing. My plan was to use those so that I could easily access the rear if needed. I plan on doing something very similar with the tank access. I did eliminate 1 cross member on the rear so I'll need belly material that is a little stiffer.
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12-03-2016, 03:34 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1975 Argosy 28
Springville
, Alabama
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 836
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I used the 1/4 self tapping bolt heads too, screwed to cross members
__________________
Matt
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12-22-2016, 07:49 AM
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#16
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1977 31' Excella 500
1977 31' Excella 500
Dallas
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 81
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Muellar metal or Fastenal can get you tek or stitch screws. Pancake head, not hex head. They will counter sink in the plywood and have a flush head. many sizes. you may need to order them. a #12 1 inch metal screw will go through the wood, top frame. The self tapper takes up less than .25 inch of the 1.0" The threads will penetrate the wood and metal. Use larger than #12 and use less of them. Find a square or torq head and its better than the Phillips head.
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12-22-2016, 09:20 AM
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#17
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2 Rivet Member
1974 31' Excella 500
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 59
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I've been using these teks. They are solid, coated, and counter sink. A little long, but a non issue for my needs. For me they worked wonders! They're easy to get at Lowe's or any other hardware store, and they're also very reasonably priced.
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02-25-2017, 07:07 AM
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#18
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4 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Silverton
, Oregon
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 351
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New Crossmember
Here's the new crossmember, I finally got around to having them cut , and I plan on welding them in later this morning the other parts are for my gray tank mount, and axle lift
__________________
"Daddy when's the trailer going to be finished?"
It's done. I mean mostly. It works anyway.
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02-25-2017, 10:07 AM
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#19
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2 Rivet Member
1974 31' Excella 500
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Can of beans
Here's the new crossmember, I finally got around to having them cut , and I plan on welding them in later this morning the other parts are for my gray tank mount, and axle lift
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Looking good! How much did it run to have those cut?
Looking forward to seeing the progress
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02-27-2017, 08:37 PM
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#20
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4 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Silverton
, Oregon
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 351
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The pile of parts cut and formed was about $275 there are more parts on that cart than the one shelf.
I made a mistake on my axle lift parts, so I'm going to re-cut them this week, and I think my tank mounting concept is too heavy I'm thinking maybe a couple 2x2 pieces of wood to replace the rail supports, and narrow straps to support the bottom of the tank.
I don't have to put the mounts in yet, so I have time to think about that part. The wide cross members are great though. i would go with 16 ga if I didn't also use them to hold up my gray tank, I replaced the rearmost cross member with a solid one, and I'm going to make a 16 ga wide cross member one to replace the next rearmost, they feel much sturdier with the wide flange. I know the plywood is structural, and I don't plan on changing out all the cross members. I made a bunch of outriggers, because I thought I had some bad ones, but now I'm not sure, maybe if they are left over I can sell them later.
__________________
"Daddy when's the trailer going to be finished?"
It's done. I mean mostly. It works anyway.
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