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MyNancy1977 · 02-26-2015, 10:25 AM

Wow thanks that will help alot this is why I love this app there's always help...

mover75 · 02-26-2015, 11:21 AM

Thanks for the input of knowledge, well noted...

MyNancy1977 · 02-28-2015, 04:38 AM

Ok so if all planed out and have everything in place ready to start how long does it take to finish belly pan.Really want to do this in one weekend.

aquinob · 02-28-2015, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyNancy1977

Ok so if all planed out and have everything in place ready to start how long does it take to finish belly pan.Really want to do this in one weekend.

One weekend? Are you serious? I really doubt it unless you have lots of help and perfect working conditions. What are you planning to do? Just replace the pan, What will that accomplish?

Your focus should be to remove the pan and go over the whole bottom of the rig, remove rust off the frame and preserve and paint. You would be well advised to also pull off the lower wraps as well and look at the outriggers. From the few pictures I see, if the aluminum is that corroded you will probably have water damage on the frame and probably the subfloor. If its on the perimeter than it affects the structural integrity of the whole trailer since that plywood is what holds the whole thing together as a rigid box. And what do you think you will find when you drop the water tank?

Sorry to sound harsh, but I don't get the impression you know what you are jumping into.

MyNancy1977 · 02-28-2015, 08:31 AM

Appreciate the truth advice will check everything an wait on warm weather for 2 weeks

dbj216 · 02-28-2015, 06:29 PM

Yep what Bob said. Removing and replacing the belly pan aluminum is the result of a much larger project to repair and refurbish the frame and axles of your trailer. If your belly pan looks bad and is coming loose, it is a good sign there is more trouble under there.

My rear bathroom floor was rotted through on my 66 Trade Wind. My axles were 48 years old and needing replacement. And I wanted to install waste water holding tanks. So the belly pan came down.

I replaced the rotted subfloor, replaced the axles, installed new holding tanks, cleaned and painted the frame, installed new subfloor insulation, installed new furnace ducts, and installed new aluminum belly pan. All this took me 3 months! it was a ton of work. i enjoyed it! Especially having the POR 15 rust proofing paint drip all over me.

You can see what a dirty job this is from my photo below. Uck!

I can't think of a good reason just to replace the belly pan. If your trailer doesn't need all the major maintenance, then just repair your belly pan and hit the road.

David

kunard333 · 07-21-2016, 08:08 PM

Does anyone have any pictures of the rear tanks for a 31'. Rear bath?. Mine was missing both tanks, all plumbing and the pan that held the tanks in. It did have gray and black tanks. But i cant find any pictures of what they looked like other than a drawing. Not sure what to use as a supporting pan if i find tanks.

dbj216 · 07-22-2016, 07:39 PM

Hello there. New waste water tanks are available. I do not know what was originally in a 74 Sovereign Airstream. But I'll bet you will soon find out on these forums.

Maybe your belly pan and old insulation removed and you are looking at the frame for buckling and rust. Rear end separation on long 70s trailers is not uncommon. Having the weight of waste water tanks toward the rear of the trailer is not the best.

Here is a photo of the tanks I installed in my 66 Trade Wind. It was a very big project. I drew up and had fabricated an aluminum "tank cover" for my tanks similar to my 86 Limited. I insulated the pan, but it does not hold the tanks up. I hung my tanks from angle irons bolted to the frame rails.

David

kunard333 · 07-23-2016, 01:52 PM

Yea the frame was broken. I added nearly 250 lbs of new steel. Its a full bare frame restoration. I just dont know what the old gray tank looked liked or how they were installed.

dbj216 · 07-23-2016, 07:29 PM

Happy to hear you have strengthened the frame on your old Sovereign. That is very important and will add significant value to your trailer. Take some pictures for show and tell whenever you decide to sell it.

So you will have to engineer your own waste water tanks and mounting scheme. I recommend Inca Plastics in California as a potential source for the tanks you want. They have a huge on line catalogue of all the RV tanks they have molds for, and will mold the tanks you want for you. They also have tanks with either 3" or 1 1/2" diameter drain ports that will facilitate the 3" ABS discharge piping.

If I recall correctly, the 74 Sovereign piped wastewater to the rear bumper area and drained out the rear side of the frame. Maybe there is a 3" hole on the street side of your frame rail just before the bumper. But you don't have to do it that way. Here is a photo of my 86 Limited side drain location, and the 66 Trade Wind where I did the same thing. I think Airstream started draining waste water tanks after the axles and below the frame rails in the early 80s and have been doing so ever since. It's a handy location as most RV parks have sewer connections in this area of the campsite.

You can hang the tanks between the frame rails in the frame bays just behind the axles and plumb your drains and vents to the tanks. The drain lines will penetrate the floor and into the top of the tanks. Inca Plastics sells a nifty grommet that seals in a "hole saw" cut hole. The toilet is the least flexible fixture. It must sit over the deepest part of the tank. You will have to fabricate a tank cover, and route some furnace air to the tank compartment to keep them from freezing up. The 3" ABS drain manifold with Valterra valves is pretty straight forward.

You are essentially building a new trailer from old parts. You have a lot of design flexibility.

David

kunard333 · 07-26-2016, 08:42 AM

Inca plastics i think my freshwater tank is made by them. Ill attached some photos of what we have done. So far the frame repair, coated and sealed with POR-15. I did managed to find the black tank for the rear, and gray tank i may have found online. A universal fit 4" think tank that will fit next to the black tank. I just have to come up with a mounting system for both tanks. Some kind of plate similar to factory. You are right about the discharge location, it was left side bumper outlet. Im going to try and keep it as factory as i can. Well except for the interior. Almost nothing of the interior was salvageable.

we are putting in Advantech wood and double sealing the bathroom area over the tanks. Going to use floating floor over the baseboard. Guess Ill have to invent how to plumb this thing with a different bathroom layout and kitchen layout. Hopefully it will be worth good money when complete.