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Old 02-11-2009, 12:46 PM   #1
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1973 23' Safari
LULING , Louisiana
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removing the floor and freshwater pan

I started taking the front of my floor and belly pan down and found what I was expecting. From all of the info here on the forums I wasn't surprised. I'll have to change out most of the runners in front. My cross sections are ok. I know when I get to the rear section I don't need any type of screw driver. They are absolutely useless. Not one screw came out normally around the channel in front. I also broke the 2 3/8th bolts off in an attempt to take the nuts off. Do I have to remove the plate in front to slide what's left of my floor out?
Also can I remove my fresh water tank with out removing the third sheet of flooring from the front of the unit? Possibly from underneath? The sub floor will need to be replaced.
Thanks in advance!!
Aaron

pics are on the way
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Old 02-17-2009, 03:46 PM   #2
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Aaron, you need to replace the 2 3/8 bolt for sure. I was able to remove the rotted flooring with out opening the walls. I used a "wonder bar" (flat pry bar) to sweep, rake and knock the pieces out from underneath the walls. There are short screws installed through the metal runner into the plywood flooring. With the rotted wood removed, I was able to knock the end of the screws back and fourth enough to loosen them a bit. Then I pains takingly screwed them back up with my fingers until they fell into the wall track.
After I got the new plywood underneath the wall, I drilled 1/4 inch holes through the walls about 1 1/2 inch above the floor and wallowed the bit upward to allow a long philip screw driver bit from a cordless drill to go through the hole with a galvinized screw on the end of it. I don't know how many screws you should install but I think every 16 inches is good.
I'll figure out what to do about the holes later. I could plug them with cork stoppers or install a flexable base.
Hey, this worked for me.
Bo
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Old 02-17-2009, 04:07 PM   #3
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Also can I remove my fresh water tank with out removing the third sheet of flooring from the front of the unit? Possibly from underneath? The sub floor will need to be replaced.
Thanks in advance!!
Aaron

pics are on the way
Aaron,

You can remove the fresh water tank from underneath.

First, disconnect the pipes and wires attached from the inside and the gas line that is usually attached underneath.

Next, remove the angle iron which is in front of the tank area underneath. It is held up by two bolts I think.

Next, slide the 1" x 4' x 5' plywood with aluminum covering out the front end.

Be sure the tank is empty (weight) and it would be nice to have someone else help hold it up while you are sliding the plywood out.
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Old 02-27-2009, 09:50 PM   #4
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1973 23' Safari
LULING , Louisiana
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I just went for it on my floor and cut it out with my circular saw. It was a lot easier for me. Taking the fresh water tank out was easier than I thought.After i disconnected everything from the tank I gave the 1" ply wood a good yank and the whole sheet fell out with the tank on it. The center of the plywood was rotted out. Either It leaked all the time or I had termites. I knew the wood was in bad shape because the tank was hanging down when I bought our Safari. I say termites because I have found a few trail as well as a few termites. My guess is if the po would have kept the astream much longer the termite damage would have been a lot worse. I'm slowly taking all of there food as well as bug bombing and spraying the inside of the trailer as well as the side of my house. I welded four new outriggers in as well as center supports so I didn't have to fight whole sheets.
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Old 02-28-2009, 07:52 AM   #5
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1973 23' Safari
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I'm thinking about coating the new floor with spray on bedliner or undercoating. Has anyone tried this. I haven't screwed down anything yet just in case. I'll be tearing out between the wheels today hoping not to find more termites.I guess if I do i will just have to change out the rest of the floor. Oh well!! It will pay off in the end. I was so excited to be standing on wood instead of concrete. Post later with more pics.
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Old 02-28-2009, 08:15 AM   #6
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I see that you put in a center support for splicing in the floor over the fresh water tank cavity. Is there enough room for the tank there with the support installed?

I only needed to replace the aft floor sheeting on my Gt but after installing it, the aft section was so much firmer then the front, that I replaced it to. Replacing it all was a good call on my part because my Gt had been a mouse hotel for so long that the stench was finally gone, and my wife would now go into the trailer.
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Old 02-28-2009, 08:39 AM   #7
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I'm a fan of th artistic use of beer bottles in your photos!

For my flooring, I coated the underside with two coats of Thompson's water seal. I coated the top of it with two coats of polyurethane, and then treated the edges with Minwax wood hardener to try to help prevent water from wicking into the raw edge of the 3/4" plywood.

I also sprayed on rubberized underbody coating to the outer 1.5" of the top side of te plywood, where the j-channel rests. The idea here is that any leaks or condensation that occur inside the walls, will typically result in water puddling up under the channel, on top of the plywood floor. So I am hoping that this will keep that pooling water from making its way into the plywood.

As always, the REAL key to protecting the subfloor is to stay on top of the leaks and fix them before they can do any damage to the structure of your trailer.

Good luck!
-Marcus
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Old 02-28-2009, 09:02 AM   #8
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1973 23' Safari
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Actually one more sheet back is my fresh tank. My second center support is welded to the opposite side of the crossmember which is the front of my tank. I bent a piece of galvaneal at the same size as the angle I welded it to so as not to inerfere with my tank install. I have yet to fasten any of my deck until I install my tank.
Didn't you make your own support in place of the 1" ply?

Aaron
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Old 02-28-2009, 09:10 AM   #9
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Marcus,

That is the first beer I had since New Years. After I got my decking in I could think of nothing better to do than drink a beer. That beer was actually from when LSU took a beating from Florida. T Bo didn't give us much room for celebration.

Aaron
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Old 02-28-2009, 09:39 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aaumpine View Post
Actually one more sheet back is my fresh tank. My second center support is welded to the opposite side of the crossmember which is the front of my tank. I bent a piece of galvaneal at the same size as the angle I welded it to so as not to inerfere with my tank install. I have yet to fasten any of my deck until I install my tank.
Didn't you make your own support in place of the 1" ply?

Aaron
I haven't done that yet, but I don't plan on putting the ply back in permanently. Its in now just to close off the hole so I could use as an aluminum tent. I have really slowed down due to my travels and the cold weather. I had planned on having more done for the FCU restro rally but the traveling is going to start again. I am currently polishing before putting exterior components back on.
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Old 02-28-2009, 04:25 PM   #11
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Are you going with aluminum, maybe .125 with a few stiffner bends?
I just finished removing my refer to change out the next sheet of ply. I have the floor out between the wheels. It was surprisingly clean. No rust to repair except for the outriggers in front and rear of the wheels. No big deal. At this point I'm thinking ,because of time restraints, to forego my gray tank for now and to complete the build enough to camp for a while. Probably buy a blue tank with or without a gray tank anyway.I'll be ordering my axles pretty soon. Still not sold between Axis or Dexter.
As for Henschens,Sorry, I just can't justify doubling the price to keep me from drilling a couple of holes.
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Old 02-28-2009, 05:10 PM   #12
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It depends on what thickness I can get the best deal on at the surplus aluminum dealer. Just about anything from .063 up should work. The thinner the sheet the more stiffeners needed.
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