Belly Pan Games

[Banjoboy]

Alright, I have gotten under my Globe Trotter for the first time. I was looking at what I think you all call 'banana strips', those blue and aluminum strips that cover the rivets for the belly pan. What I see is a ton of very nicely done rivets. I know I could drill them out and completely remove the belly pan. Not sure I do want to take the shell off completely now. I am working by the side of my house on a gravel bed with not much room to move and I have an idea I wanted to pass by you all for advice.

I do want to get whatever is under there cleaned out, also remove the floors and attend to any welding. What if I cut the belly pan underneath where the red line is....
Then do the same from the wheel well to the front. Then cut out the floors above, address any welding issues being sure to protect any aluminum around the edges. Put in new tanks and piece in the new ply wood. Then make strips to repair the cuts in the belly pan to rivet back together later. I think it can be done. Does that sound simplistic to those of you who have walked this road? Does my overall plan seem to make sense?

Thanks - Ken

[DFlores]

Move the jackstand.........put it under the vertical plates next to axle

[Banjoboy]

Will do. I did put the jack on those vertical supports. Read that somewhere else.

[Melody Ranch]

That is the way I do a Pan. Also if the rolled edges are damaged, usually behind the wheel and the door, it is simple to remove several rivets and slide a small repair piece in and reattach.

[Banjoboy]

That is what I am going to do. I am glad to hear that it works for you. I just took out the first plywood sheet that was over the black tank. From above I can see that with the middle section out I should be able to clean and paint the frame.

[ALANSD]

question, how do you reattach the belly pan after it is cut ? I will have to cut mine to access the galvanized pan under the black tank. Also- can the belly pan be pop riveted?