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markdoane · 08-09-2004, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malconium

My 1973 also has 61.5 inch wide belly pan aluminum. Does anyone know where I can get replacement aluminum that wide? Or should I just plan to do the belly pan with 48" strips run cross-wise?
Malcolm

Malcolm,
I'm thinking of a different method. I'm going to replace the outside 24" on both sides. That gets me just inside the frame rails. From there I will rivet to the original material, which is in good shape after trimming off the banged up outside edges. This way I don't have visible seams showing.
Also, check the dimensions on the crossmembers. Several of mine are 24" oc, so a 48" sheet won't span two full crossmembers and leave enough for a good overlap joint.

malconium · 08-09-2004, 07:06 PM

Don,

I can't imaging why the 48" o.c. item missed my attention! I know for a fact that my cross members are all pretty much at 24" o.c. yet I just bought aluminum that is 48" wide (I still can not find a source of 61-1/2" wide stuff). I even had the pieces pre-cut for me to 60" long for a cross-wise install. I could have ordered strips that would have been good for a lenghwise install with a seam down the middle. I don't think having a butt joint at each cross-member is all that bad except that the bottom of my cross-members is not all that wide. I think I would have trouble getting enough surface to do a double row of rivits to fit along the bottom edge. The two solutions that come to mind are:

1.) Add something on the bottom of the cross-members (perahaps a strip of aluminum 2" or so wide) where the joints will occur and rivit the belly pan to it. I remember noticing some light weight galvenized angle flashing the other day at Home Depot that I could perhaps use to attach to the side of the cross-member (thereby avoiding creating bumps on the bottom of the cross-members).

2.) Add some sort of trim strip to cover the joint in the belly pan pieces after the belly pan is in place. Maybe I can find something that I can slip the belly pan pieces into something like the track that is along the edges of the inner skin top center piece.

My guess is that I will end up going with number 1 above unless someone has some creative thinking that I can apply here.

Malcolm

markdoane · 08-09-2004, 07:30 PM

Malcolm,
Sorry I didn't notice this problem earlier, I have just started trying to figure out how much of my belly pan is salvageable and how much I had to order when the alternative solution I posted occurred to me. I was planning to do a total replacement until I found out what it cost.
I think your solution #1 sounds good. The advantage of a bridging strip is that if it corrodes due to contact with the steel crossmember, you can replace it easily.

malconium · 08-11-2004, 03:33 PM

I think what I will probably do is use some strips cut out of my old belly pan (if I can find some places that are solid enough). There are not actually that many joints that I have to worry about. I am only replaceing about half of the belly pan.

Malcolm

blrpix · 08-21-2004, 05:54 PM

Everyone has great ideas so keep posting! I plan to drop my whole pan and replace all of it...want to start from the ground up...and I need to do some work with the pan off. I like the idea of the sections so I can get into different areas of the belly if I need to do repairs, etc. (instaling a grey tank, so for maintainence, etc). This makes the idea of strips and 48" OC apealing. Then every two crossmembers are accessable. Also what about the idea of something between the frame and the aluminum belly, so they don't touch? This peice could be the peice that the 2 48" pieces are attached to...I don't think you would need a cover peice if the backing peice they attached to was 2" wide running along the frame, but what this is and how it attaches to the frame is another story(Steel welded to the frame and then a barier)? Also, has anybody thought about using ALL srews instead of screws and/or rivets so the panels can be dropped easily? I was thinking of the galvanized ones with the rubber washers behind the metal washer, so no steel touched the aluminum? Lastly, what about the curved sections on the corners? How are those repaired/replaced? Straight sections seem easy...Any/All ideas appreciated...the Forum rocks!

Ken J · 08-21-2004, 08:17 PM

I've used stainless steel screws to attach the belly - works fine, you have to watch them though because they sometimes will loosen - I've also used - gads - silicone (the ONLY place I use silicone on the trailer) on the screws to keep them from coming out.

Ken

pinkflamingoes · 08-21-2004, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blrpix

Mine is a 65...looks the same as Tom describes...I need to replace some of it, so any info would be appreciated!

Hey Tom Nugler and blrpix, did either of you get an answer on the rough coating stuff on the belly? Mine looks like that too.

I have yet to get the trailer up on ramps to even look at the underside. We're debating a different method than building wood ramps but my husband is convinced the whole trailer is going to fall on me like a bad cartoon, "whump". But I'm still watching this thread, and could you all be sure to post pix of belly pan replacements, and let us all know when you have done that? It's our very next move, this century.

pf

JohnG · 08-21-2004, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkflamingoes

I have yet to get the trailer up on ramps to even look at the underside. We're debating a different method than building wood ramps but my husband is convinced the whole trailer is going to fall on me like a bad cartoon, "whump". But I'm still watching this thread, and could you all be sure to post pix of belly pan replacements, and let us all know when you have done that? It's our very next move, this century.

pf

As long as you don't make your ramps too high you should be safe. I'd never go up higher than 12" and then the wood would have to be 8" at the bottom or so. I guess you could attach a sort of A frame to it to lend side to side support. However if you make it that high really watch what your doing when you pull the trailer up on it. You really want to be center (Side to Side) if possible on those ramps. That will keep all the force going straight down and not starting to lean the wood over.

pinkflamingoes · 08-22-2004, 01:25 PM

Actually I think my husband is right. He wants to build ramps (low ones, like you said) and also use a bunch of jack stands; just our luck the Big One will hit right when I start drilling out rivets. I was hoping just to get more jack stands and get started.

blrpix · 08-22-2004, 03:22 PM

Ken J-Silicone instead of Loc-tite on screws, is this better for some reason? Is stainless without any barrier is OK against the aluminum?

Pinkflamingoes-I never got an answer on the texture(I think it is age and wear on mine, now that I have been under her several times!) Good ideas on the ramps...

So, It is easy to loose questions here if the thread goes a differnt direction...so I will bring it back to my previous questions about replacing the belly pan in 48" sections as previously started by malconium...

Quote:

Originally Posted by blrpix

I like the idea of the sections so I can get into different areas of the belly if I need to do repairs, etc. (instaling a grey tank, so for maintainence, etc). This makes the idea of strips and 48" OC apealing. Then every two crossmembers are accessable. Also what about the idea of something between the frame and the aluminum belly, so they don't touch? This peice could be the peice that the 2-48" pieces are attached to...I don't think you would need a cover peice if the backing peice they attached to was 2" wide running along the frame, but what this is and how it attaches to the frame is another story (Steel welded to the frame and then a barier)? Also, has anybody thought about using ALL srews instead of screws and/or rivets so the panels can be dropped easily? I was thinking of the galvanized ones with the rubber washers behind the metal washer, so no steel touched the aluminum? Lastly, what about the curved sections on the corners? How are those repaired/replaced?

Ken J · 08-22-2004, 07:17 PM

Silicone is what I had around - lock tight would work as well, so would vulcem - just something to keep them from loosening.

Have had no problems with SS against aluminum - I know many others who use SS

Ken

pinkflamingoes · 11-03-2006, 05:37 PM

Can anyone tell me the difference, specifically here at www.metalsupermarkets.com, what the difference is between heat-treatable and non-heat treatable aluminum?

What I should say, maybe, is which one do I buy for my new belly pan? We're replacing the whole pan on my '67 Tradewind.

Thanks

Aerowood · 11-03-2006, 05:55 PM

Some alloys like 5053-h34 can only be heat treated or hardened one time. They cannot be annealed or softened. 2024-T3 is in a hardened condition and can be annealed to make it soft and then reheat treated to a condition called T4. 6061-T6 is a weldable alloy with good anti corrosion properties but must be reheat treated after welding in order to get its strength back around the weld. For a belly pan I would use the 6061-T6

Kip