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Inland RV Center, In · 05-24-2004, 11:02 AM

Whoooooopeeeeeeeeeeee.

Now your fun really starts.

"Don't" lose the reference points, or change the dimensions of the floor, or it's thickness.

Andy

upallnight · 05-24-2004, 12:56 PM

Andy

When I removed the floor in my 63 Soverign it was 5/8" plywood, I ordered Service Bulletin#1 and #29 from A/S, in the cutaway drawing on #1 it shows 3/4" plywood, What do you recommend for replacement?
Leonard

Inland RV Center, In · 05-24-2004, 01:36 PM

Changing the plywood to a greater thickness is OK, provided you are willing to refit the entire shell to the floor again.

If you expect to use the same rivet holes with an increase in floor thickness, it cannot be done.

New holes will have to be made.

Andy

funchucky1 · 05-24-2004, 01:38 PM

Andy, your sarcasm hurts. Owww.

Well, I know the floor is 5/8". And I can get good 5/8" ply here, so I'm good with that.

I can imagine what the dimensions should be.....but the floor is nonexistent in the front and the back (where it counts). Thank the P.O. for that. I did make decent cardboard templates of the floor (to the U-channel) before I took out all the rivets. Hopefully it will work out.
I do sincerely dread attempting to reassemble it.
I plan to count my fingers every few minutes.

Andy, do you refer to the imaginary reference points that you're imagining I'm making?
Or do you mean to suggest that it's good that I didn't remove the little steel angles, for instance, and that I'll measure where they are and replace them on the new floor?

Tripp · 05-24-2004, 02:01 PM

Andy,

I'm going to be doing this on my 56 this fall. When you refer to making new holes, are you referring to holes in the "c" channel or in the body itself? I assume its the "c" or "U" channel.

Tripp

Inland RV Center, In · 05-24-2004, 03:52 PM

Tripp.

And the shell.

Andy

59toaster · 05-24-2004, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Tripp.

And the shell.

Andy

Guess I did it all wrong.

I did not drill a single new hole in our exterior shell when I went to 3/4 ply. The U-channel also moves up when the deck gets thicker. Only thing that doesn't move up is the belly pan.

I enlarged the existing holes to 5/32 to accept the Olympic Rivets. I then drilled through the new belly/bannana and into the U-Channel. I ended up having to pay a machine shop to make 8ft of new to replace some that was beyond salvage. Much of it was relocated because hte new material U-Channel was made of a thicker material so I use to old in the corners since I needed to notch it for the curves.
The front plate needs to be redrill because it sits on the frame

Where in the shell was I supose to drill new holes and why?

Inland RV Center, In · 05-25-2004, 08:37 AM

If a person wanted to use "all" the original underbelly material, then increasing the thickness of the floor will not allow the original holes to match.

Different story if new metal is being used. In that case, is doesn't matter.

Andy

Tripp · 05-25-2004, 01:49 PM

Andy & Toaster,

Thanks! Got it! I too will end up replacing the majority of my "c" channel as there are some poorly done repair attempts and some of the channel is actually missing. Once I get started, I'm sure I'll have some questions!

Tripp

funchucky1 · 05-26-2004, 05:51 PM

OK, almost ready to roll the frame out from under the (lifted) shell.
Plan today was to take off the inner wheel humps. Then roll 'er out. (There's enough clearance for just the tires, I think, but not for the humps....I'll have to lift the front an extra foot or so, and that's not too easy or safe)...
How do I get these out / off??
Inner wheel wells have been out....insulation out....screws holding floor down around wheel wells out....what are they attached to??
My time is short nowadays, I'm in a crunch. These holdups are killin' me!
-Chuck
Thanks in advance!

59toaster · 05-26-2004, 05:55 PM

The wheel wells are held down by the floor. There is no removing them till the floor is up. The have to go on first to seal them to the frame to protect the floor.

How much do you lack from clearing? You can get about 3 inches by letting the air out of the tires.

funchucky1 · 05-26-2004, 06:05 PM

Thanks, Toaster.

Well, you can see the lumber holding the front up. It is a couple inches (maybe 5) off the floor as it sits. But see the wheel well zone? The high point of the wheel wells is several inches above the wheel well cutouts that you see (in the shell) - and those cutouts are also several inches (additional) higher than that 2x4 in the front, under which the deal needs to pass.
Whew.

Letting the air out sounds very good. It will lower the frame 3 inches or so, as you say. And I need to replace the tires eventually, anyway.

But it will still require at least 5 inches of additional front lift, I expect.

I can lift one side (or the other) the 5 inches or so that I need myself, but I don't know that I have a neighbor capable of lifting the other side at the same time. And then I'd need someone else (the wife, I suppose) to drive the truck at the same time to pull the frame out....

funchucky1 · 05-26-2004, 06:10 PM

But I do suppose that if I can't get 'em out, then I can't get 'em out.

Are they steel?

They seem more steely than aluminumy.

Guess I'll just have to lift it higher....

markdoane · 05-26-2004, 07:16 PM

Chuck,

I feel your frustration. I went through the same when I lifted mine last fall. It was the scariest part of the whole operation. It was a real struggle to lower it back down. Be careful. If it slips you could lose an arm or leg.

summerkid · 05-26-2004, 07:22 PM

... are you SURE you can't just wait till the moraine view rally, when some of us probably would be happy to scoot over & help with either the off or on part?

funchucky1 · 05-26-2004, 08:27 PM

Well, Don, compared to mine, it looks like your floor is in great shape! You obviously took your shell off for fun, not out of necessity

.
I have said many times that the worst part, I expect, will be lowering the shell.
I'll be counting all limbs frequently.

Well, Summer, I don't know.
I'm REALLY short on time now (not that I don't have time to do it, but I need to get it done quickly).
I expect to lift the shell and pull the frame out on friday. This friday.
That'll give me time to get the floor off, have the sandblasting & welding done, and POR-15 the frame. And then replace the floor, U-channels, and bellypan.

THEN, I'll be ready to put it all back together.....hey, maybe you've got a good idea. I probably can do the shell replacement during the rally.
In fact, I can put 6 full-grown Airstreamers in my truck and get 'em here!
You're really thinkin'!!!

funchucky1 · 05-27-2004, 07:48 PM

Or...."Oh, no!"

Well the shell is off. it's up in the air on the lawn...
And the frame is on the street.

What a pain!
In large part, though, to the creative place I had chosen to park the trailer.

We'll see how much I can get done in the next 2 days-- floor removal and bellypan removal.

Who's going to the rally at Moraine View that wants to come help put the shell back on??

summerkid · 05-27-2004, 07:52 PM

How much time, how many bodies, are you talking? Friday or Saturday?

funchucky1 · 05-27-2004, 08:01 PM

Well, as many people as would like to see a shell off

I don't know. I'll supply the pizza and beer.
The challenges, I expect, will be:
-Getting the frame under the shell....properly lined up.
-That includes getting the shell up high enough to get the frame under.
-Lowering the shell....slowly!
-A person at each corner (minimum!) when placing the shell would help ensure that the skins don't snag (on each other, the U-channel, etc).

I just have to get the frame ready by then, and THAT will be the biggest challenge!

I'd make the plan for whatever day people would like to come!

And...I'm expecting to go to the rally (at least to visit). I'd be happy to pick up 3 or 4 or 5 people and bring 'em here to do it (hopefully just for a couple of hours) and then bring them back to the rally! I'm less than 40 miles from the park.