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386kustoms · 05-13-2012, 09:37 AM

so this is killing me. ive gotten atleast 5 different answers from different people ive talked to on the phone. so b4 i cut my hole in the roof i figured id ask on here one last time

77 argosy minuet. i know where the electrical plug is and the area that the 14x14 hole needs to be cut for the ac unit. my issue is the trailer has a skylinner antenna on it that i am going to remove. i would really like to put the 14x14 hole 5 inches closer to the front so i can hide all the antenna holes and the outlet hole. if i do that i will be aprox 2 inches behind the brace in the front and about 13 inches from the brace in the rear. i was told the braces are only 16 inches apart ... maybe in a airstream but in my argosy they are about 28 inches apart in the roof. i know i have to make wood bracing for between the panels and according to the Manuel the ac unit should be exactly in between the two braces leaving about 5 inches in front and 5 inches in rear to the braces. is it ok to move the ac unit forward so that the front of the unit will be very close to the brace or is that going to cause the rear of the unit to sink down and look all funny up top?

i know that sounds confusing but in short the front of teh 14 inch hole will be 3 inches from brace, leaving enough to make a wood frame for between the two alluminum panels but the rear of the 14 inch hole will be somewhere around 8 inches from the next brace going twords the rear of the trailer

386kustoms · 05-13-2012, 09:38 AM

also i would love to just keep the skylinner antenna but it will hit the ac unit when closed or not open all the way

Melody Ranch · 05-13-2012, 10:38 AM

You cut and fit 2 x 2 wood (yes, wood) braces around the 14 inch access hole.....in between the outer and inner skins. Don't forget drain line hole and electrical hole thru the brace. I would have thought that the Argosy was prewired for the AC like the same year Airstream. You confused me with the reference to "I know where the electric plug is.

overlander64 · 05-13-2012, 11:39 AM

Greetings Melody Ranch!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

You cut and fit 2 x 2 wood (yes, wood) braces around the 14 inch access hole.....in between the outer and inner skins. Don't forget drain line hole and electrical hole thru the brace. I would have thought that the Argosy was prewired for the AC like the same year Airstream. You confused me with the reference to "I know where the electric plug is.

The Minuets were a little different than their Argosy and Airstream bretheren. According to the information that I have been able to uncover, the air conditioning preparation package was optional; however, I do believe that most (if not all) Minuets left the factory with the option. On the Minuets, the presence of the air conditioner preparation package is marked by an outlet box with a blank cover that is found in the ceiling in the vicinity of the kitchen sink. The condesate drain tube is also found in that location as well.

Kevin

P.S.: Since the Minuets were targeted at customers who were looking for weight conscious travel trailers, each option offered on the Minuet was shown on a chart that gave its weight and how it impacted the gross weight as well as the hitch weight.

386kustoms · 05-13-2012, 06:34 PM

im going to take some pics i think that will better explain what im talkign about

dznf0g · 05-13-2012, 06:54 PM

386,
I think I know what you mean. Can you get a mirror and see if your ribs are c-channels with the inside of both "c"s facing each other and the hole you propose? If so, can you extend the longitudinal 2X2s into the c channels?

I would explore how to do that. If you can tie the framework into the rib channels, I believe you would have the rigidity you need to support the A?.C

386kustoms · 05-13-2012, 06:54 PM

ok i just went outside and made a very ROUGH outline of what im talking about. my question is if it is ok to have the front of the unit closer to a brace/rib then the rear of the unit. the straight blue tape lines show the braces/ribs and the square is obviously the 14 inch hole that needs to be cut. i am approx 2 inches away from the front rib and approx 12 inches from the rearward rib. i know i have to put wood in to brace the paneling and i understand everything about the install now that i have found directions and downloaded it. im just concerned that since the unit is not dead center of the body bracing/ribs that it will slope down in the back obviously in the pics you can see the outlet hole and the antenna holes thats why i want the unit there

rock60 · 05-13-2012, 07:40 PM

Run your side braces rib to rib and you should be fine.

386kustoms · 05-13-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rock60

Run your side braces rib to rib and you should be fine.

so you think take some alluminum c Chanel and run it 2 inches or so behind the 14 inch hole? should i rivit it to the outside skin or could i get away with just riviting it to the inside?

dznf0g · 05-13-2012, 08:12 PM

I think Rock is saying the same as me in post #6. Run braces longitudinally from rib to rib.

Becky B. · 05-13-2012, 09:05 PM

I know you saw some pictures of my daughter's Minuet ac install, but here are a few more (not sure if they were here or not) that you might be able to see what's inside: