Trying to deal with belly pan replacement

[perryg114]

I have 31 foot 1981 Excella II. I am in the middle of replacing the floor in the rear bedroom. I think everything is going to go back together well. In order to get to bolts for the floor and get access to C-channel area I have had to remove the belly band. The worse area to remove was at the back of the wheel well where there are about 6 rivets holding almost as many pieces of metal together. I don't know if that is going to go back like it should. I think I am going to make a seam right at the BAL jacks because going any further is going to be a real pain with all that is going on with plumbing. The sheet metal is in relatively good shape about there anyway.

The BAL jacks are going to be fun to remove and I am about 90% sure the bolts are frozen. I guess I will drill and tap new holes slighly offset from the ones that are in there. I can get by without them for the short run.

Where do you find sheet alumimnum that is wider than 4 foot widths?


Perry

[perryg114]

Here are some pictures of the area where I want to make a seam.

[wasagachris]

Hi Perry call Andy at Inland RV. he can sell you the aluminium in the right width in as long a length you need.

Inland RV Center - The Nations Leading Expert in Airstream Innovations

[perryg114]

I think in the short run I am going to leave off the banana wraps and belly skins till I can take the time to put things back together correctly and not hurry and have to do it over again. The insulation is gone and the frame has been painted with POR15. The new floor section will be covered in polyurathane. I will probably put some aluminum tape along the belly seam to keep water out. I will seal some of that area with Vulkem to keep water out. Since it is all open at this point, water will not hurt anything even if a small amount gets in there. There is only about 6ft between the rear tank and the bumper anyway. I want to put her back together properly and not rush this. I need to get the inside liveable before we go on vacation. If I have time I will work on the skins.

Perry

[Kevo]

As crude and sacreligious as it may be This was my answer to a belly pan fix....Pretty easy to remove now if I have to get to something underneath.

[perryg114]

How long you think the particle board will last or is it temporary?

Perry

[Kevo]

Perry, Its not particle board, it's OSB, and there is a huge difference. It also has been treated with three coats of TWP. The honest is answer is that I do not know, considering how infrequently it will get wet. I can say that I have used this combination in other applications ( out buildings decks, etc ) that have stayed in the elements and gotten 10 years before it needed another coat of sealant. I have every hope that this will do as well or better, and if i have to wait ten years to seal it again, I will be ok with that :-)

[marzboy]

Replaceing the belly pan is not as big a deal as everyone makes it out to be. It beats the crap out of frame repair!!

[perryg114]

Everything is a pain the first time you do it.

Perry

[Kevo]

Originally Posted by perryg114

Everything is a pain the first time you do it.

Perry

Amen to that....I have actually pondered finding another one to restore. So I could do all the things I wish i had dome to the first one and in half the time :-)

[perryg114]

It is probably a good time to buy trailers with the economy the way it is. I am not so sure it is a good time to sell them. I have definitely learned a lot about Airstreams in the last few weeks. Did learn one thing and that was stay away from the rear bathrooms if you can and I did.

Perry