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balrgn · 12-11-2004, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balrgn

From what is removed I can see to the wheel wells along the frame. I am going to the Weld shop Saturday, this week to have 2 feet, each side cut out and replaced. The hard part looks to be where the waste pipe exits the frame.

Update on the floor turned frame repair.
Other than the corrosion @ the bumper and back a few inches, the existing metal is solid. We followed the frame back where ever a "needle gun" would reach to test for solid metal.
At this point we decided to extend the rear deck 9" for additional storage.
The new pieces are slotted to fit back into the frame for additional support.

balrgn · 12-21-2004, 07:36 PM

Took your advice, in the end had to remve to bolting to get the piece to fit in right. Going back together now

RiskIt · 12-21-2004, 08:12 PM

Is the u-channel bolted to the floor (new piece) as well as the frame? The piece you replaced, does it run from both sides of the frame? All tight?? I noticed that that was alot of my problem (replaced my floor). The PO had done a repare on the floor (only about a 9" section but didn't have it all tight - it ended up leaking worse. Towing,bouncing around lossens it up back there and in comes the water. What was worse was he used a peice of steel to make it stronger... It screwed up the aluminum pretty bad. No idea how long it was there.
I replaced the whole 4x8 sheet, redid the frame, and used some alum flashing under the ply, and tucked it up under the body panels, caulked the crap out of it. Just finished it up, need to attach the belly pan and the trim molding.
I forget who on the thread said to jump up and down on the rear frame and see if it moves..... If I did that before the repair I woulda broken the frame off right there. I could push the back end left to right about a half inch easy.
I just sucked it up and tore out the old and fixed it. It was a bitch, but well worth it.

Chuck · 12-22-2004, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balrgn

Took your advice, in the end had to remve to bolting to get the piece to fit in right. Going back together now

That's great! now that you know how to do it...come on over to my house and help me do mine!

(brrrr...awful chilly to be doing this work these days....)

87MH · 12-22-2004, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiskIt

Is the u-channel bolted to the floor (new piece) as well as the frame? The piece you replaced, does it run from both sides of the frame? All tight?? I noticed that that was alot of my problem (replaced my floor). ...he used a peice of steel to make it stronger... It screwed up the aluminum pretty bad. No idea how long it was there...... It was a bitch, but well worth it.

I am in the midst of "search and replace the rot" on the '78 Sovereign.....the "U" ("C") channel is attached to the floor in multiple places.....proper reattachment definitely calls for removal of either the inner or outer skin to access the center area of the channel. I can see no other way (other than panel removal or cutting access plates) to either attach the channel to the plywood or secure the channel to the frame.

The removal of the inner panels on the '78 was much easier than accessing through the outer panels. I did not even consider going the "elephant ear" route since removal and replacement of the inner panels is "relatively" easy.

FWIW, there is a "Front" and "Rear" "Hold Down Plate" (steel) factory installed on the '78 Sovereign.....it's been there at least 27 years now, with no noticeable corrossion (slight surface rusting on the unpainted steel plate in some places only).

balrgn · 12-22-2004, 02:05 PM

Don't get me wrong now. But think outside the box. There really is no reason to disassemble things IF you don't need to. I did remove the underside skin. Inspected the frame as far back as seemed reasonable, The metal is very sound. The only frame damages seemed to come from, possibly the sewer hook up. So, I made a template and cut out the 3/4” plywood. It is impossible to install it in one piece. So I made the cut at the end of the hole for the black tank. Slid in the section and secured it by lags from under the bottom. Once both sections were in, I measured and cut 2” strapping material and ran it along the seam. And along the back to add support and eliminate the strange looking factory shim.

balrgn · 12-22-2004, 02:10 PM

The only metal that need replacing was the frame channel. I am going to treat the remaing exposed metal with a rust inhibitor (POR Product) I picked up 4 tubes of PARBOND to seal the outside band above the bumper. The rivets have broken there, once this is sealed and new (better rivets) this should eliminate the leak. I do still need to add a brace along the back to reattach the skin and add support.