Just when you think are about to....

[wahoonc]

Just found out today that I have to replace plywood due to frame seperation....at the FRONT! Took the factory sofa out this morning to do some cleaning and repair, noticed that the floor was flexing a lot! Poked, prodded and decided to drill a few rivets out of the interior wall....the bolts that hold the channel to the chassis are rotted completely off and the wood is completely gone where they pass thru, only about 6 square inches. Anybody else dealt with this?

Anybody done a frame off on a 31' yet? I already knew I was going to be pulling the bathroom, oh well...it will keep me out of the bars and off of street corners.

Aaron

[Navigator]

Aaron,
Oh Lord! feel your pain. Hopefully you can do it piecemeal without raising the cabin.
Dick

[till]

Arron,

Welcome (or is that Velcome ) to my world. I have rot at the front, both sides of where the fresh water tank was and at the door, plus as you know the back end is, well missing.

I don't know your whole situation, but you might want to check at the door too.

[smily]

I have done this surgery and it worked out well.
I removed side panel nearest the cancer. I removed and replaced the rotted section of flooring. It was a challenge getting the new flooring under the c channel but easier than a frame off endeavor.

I was able to replace the broken anchor bolts through the opening in the wall.

I had to replace every thing from the left side of the doorway to the front ofthe coach. I removed the flooring from the wall to the first longitudal frame member, (about 16 inches).

Let me know if you need more help,
Smily

[wahoonc]

Ken,
The bolts I am talking about are at the front of the coach directly under the windows, the big suckers 3/8" that run thru the main frame rails. One of them was completely sheared off and the other the wood has rotted away...just around the bolt. I haven't gotten it torn completely apart yet. The wood by the door and along the side is actually in pretty decent shape. I am defintely open to suggestions as how to attack this and how much plywood do I really need to remove.

Aaron

[Tarheel]

Aaron, This is a boating method of repair.

1. take out all the wood necessary to get to solid wood.
2. Remove the existing fastener/ fasteners
3. Set your skill saw to 45 degrees and cut a square/ rectangular hole. This just makes fitting the patch easier.
4. Make a template of the hole. Including the locatation of the fasteners
5. Using the template cut a Plywood patch (dutchman) with 45 degree sides to it that will fit neatly in the hole.
6. Using template drill holes in dutchman for fasteners
7. Using epoxy glue ( my preference is West System) wet both the patch and the hole.
8. Set the patch in the hole.
9. If you want additional strength put some 3" fiberglass tape set in epoxy over the seams. First layer directly on the seam and the next layer over lapping 50 percent. This will make a structuraly sound repair in the wood.
10 install fasteners

Hope this helps
Rick