Axle mounting bolt size?

[Bryanhu]

I have been spending much time under my 68 Globetrotter working on the frame and applying POR15, can't wait till that job is done! Boy, I am getting to know her well!

Anyway, I will be replacing my axle and am curious what size wrenchs I will need to "try " to remove these rusted messes. It makes me a little nervous thinking about it cause they look very rusted. Every night I apply penetrating oil in hopes of a smooth removal.

Thank you for helping and the advise -

Bryan

[Fun-Lovin]

You will need a 15/16" wrench to remove the bolts that connect the axle to the frame. You will need a 3/4" wrench to remove the shocks.

Have a good one and be careful. Ive done this on my 76 soverign. Check out my post on Frame Sag Repair. I believe that I included instructions on removal and replacement of the axles.

[Fun-Lovin]

Oops forgot to tell you and this is something I didn't post earler. Use a craftsman or equivalant wrench, I had to use a hammer on it to break the nut loose from the bolt.

[Stefrobrts]

Having removed many nasty bolts from two 68 mustangs I rebuilt, my hard learned bolt advice is to always clean as much dirt as possible from any exposed threads before you try to get the bolt off. You'd be amazed how much that can help once you get it started, else it can get jambed right up tight again within a few turns, especially on nasty suspension parts.

I also like to tap on the bolt after applying penetrating oil, especially if I'm really stuck and dousing it a few days in a row. Don't know why, but the tapping seems to help. Might just be voodoo.

Did you take your bellypan off? I assume you did if you're POR-15ing the frame. I used that stuff on the mustang - it's great! Anyway, how's it look under there? Is there another thread where you talked about taking it off?

[Bryanhu]

OK, got the info I need to get started. The axle project is in a month or so but I am anxious about the bolts.... My past experience has taught me that sometimes its the easy things (or I thought) that made the job the most trying@!

The pan was rather easy to get off. I just drilled out all of the rivets under the thing I could see and two of us managed to pull it out OK. The trailer had a rather large family of mice living in it for a long time. When the pan came down, no kidding, about 8 inches of foam and pieces of "stuff" came along with it - unbeleivable! It was packed with garbage from the rather luxurious litttle home they had traveling around in the Globetrotter!

I really took my time on the frame, sandblasing where I could, and yesterday took the day off to finish the second coat. Many hours of work. Obviously not as good as if the entire shell was removed but most of the rust was on the areas where the foam insulation was gone. Under the foam was clean. I am now finding myself just looking how clean this thing is- I love it! That POR stuff, let me tell you I have black paint spots on me from head to toe that will be around for awhile!

Yesterday my Forbo linoleum tile came in ( I got it from itile.com) in Ruby Red. It it awesome, the real linolieum tiles like they made in the 1950"s. I plan to get that in next month. Electrics done, water heaters in, and all of the plumbing has been replaced.

Hopefully by late Nov. I will be able to re-install the pan. Mine is a mess, over the years too many access holes cut and I am to much of a perfectionist to put the old one back. I am going to do mine in sections as I have read some of you have done. Makes sense to me.

Well there you go, more than you probably needed to know- I get carried away. I love my Airstream!

I have posted a mess of pictures a www.printroom.com
On the left, click on Find Pictures
On the next screen type in 1968 Airstream Globetrotter and then click submit at the bottom of the screen. When the album comes up, double click on the first picture and the slideshow will begin.

Take care everyone.

Bryan

[markdoane]

Bryan, help me out
About how much POR-15 does it take to do a frame. I ordered a quart, but I don't think that will do it.

[Bryanhu]

Markdoane

I ordered a gallon. I have used about exactly 1/2. You may be able to make it! I am using it on other things like the balck water tank tray I had made so I know I will use most all of it. Good luck with it -

Bryan

[FC54]

Hi there,

As I m restoring my complete frame... I m intersted with the POR-15 You use... Where could I find it, Do I need to apply a rustoleum paint before as a primer ?

and bryanhu, when I have a very rusty bolt to unscrew, I steel brush as much as I could then, I put some W40 and instead of starting to unscrew it right away, I try to SCREW it even more (just to break the rusty connection between bolt and tread) and generaly it helps and after that you could unscrew..or break the tread depending on how rusty is the combo...


thanks,

Pierre.

[markdoane]

I bought the POR-15 off their website. Delivery is usually about a week. I had to re-order because i forget to get solvent, and I needed more paint.
The one thing you can't do with POR-15 is apply it over any other primer or paint-defeats the purpose, since the POR-15 needs to bond directly to the metal. I have the luxury of having my frame completely disassembled, so I can strip, clean and pre-treat everything, top bottom and sides. I have the frame completely turned over for welding, so owrking on it is very easy. I would hate to do this without the floor, axles, and everything removed. I painted the front part of the frame with silver POR-15 just before we covered it up with a U-channel because I wanted to be sure the rust didn't continue.
We welded the new frame members today. Actually, Ultradog did all the work, I mostly watched. Davydd also stopped by to discuss airstream technology.
Now that the welding is done, I will spend the next week prepping and painting the frame and remounting the axle. Then put it away until spring.
In Minnesota, winter is just around the corner.
Here'a a picture of Ultradog's dog. The mutt was no help at all. Guess he could at least carry a weld rod around in his mouth so it looked like he was busy.

[Ultradog]

"Actually, Ultradog did all the work, I mostly watched."

Ha!
Markdoane merely did all the fitting and cutting and measuring and grinding and organizing that's all.
I just glued everything together.
We made a pretty good team didn't we?
And I can now say I was involved in a part of the restoration of a vintage AS.
I'd do it again.
Got to meet Davydd too.
It was a fun day.
You're right. Dog wasn't much of a help was she?
The worthless galoot!

[Davydd]

Hmm, I thought Jerry's dog was the supervisor of the effort. She had her feet up in the pickup, probably got fed and got her poop picked up by the humans. And if you bitch about her not doing anything then that proves she was a supervisor.

Friday was another PERFECT Minnesota day. It was sunny and in the 80s all last week. Today it rained and the temps dropped dramatically and one weatherman had already predicted snow for next week. It does change fast.

I got to see an Airstream (MarkDoane's) totally disassembled. Don has quite an effort ahead of him. Reminded me of the time on my first house that I was simply going to remove the 50s style plastic wainscot tiles in my bathroom and replace them. Ended up gutting the entire bathroom and removed the plaster down to the wood lath and completely rebuilt it. The rain today kept me from crawling under my Airstream to see what condition my frame was in.

Don and Jerry were rebuilding the frame to last a lot longer in the future than its previous 40+ years.

[markdoane]

Bryan, to get the axle nuts off, I sprayed them with penetrating oil and then used Stephanie's trick with the wire brush. I didn't try Pierre's trick with tightening, but it would probably help. What I did was bang on them with an impact wrench (a variation of the Pierre method), then they came off easy with a 14" breakerbar.
Here's a picture of Ultradog at work on my new class IV coupler. I just wish he had put it on right side up.