Street side rear outrigger

davidz71 · 06-24-2008, 09:37 PM

I just noticed that the street side rear outrigger has rusted through in a couple places on the lower edges where the lower aluminum panel rivets in place. The rivet nearest the frame has pulled through and the outrigger needs to be replaced. If I removed the rear wheel/tire, drilled out the second rivet, cut the outrigger off with a reciprocating saw and ground it down to the frame, could it be towed a couple miles (tire back on) to a welder for the final weld of a new outrigger. Any other suggestions?

Inland RV Center, In · 06-25-2008, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidz71

I just noticed that the street side rear outrigger has rusted through in a couple places on the lower edges where the lower aluminum panel rivets in place. The rivet nearest the frame has pulled through and the outrigger needs to be replaced. If I removed the rear wheel/tire, drilled out the second rivet, cut the outrigger off with a reciprocating saw and ground it down to the frame, could it be towed a couple miles (tire back on) to a welder for the final weld of a new outrigger. Any other suggestions?

Sure can.

Just take it easy on the way to the welders shop.

Or, you can hire a mobile welder, but I am sure the cost would be prohibitive.

Andy

davidz71 · 07-20-2008, 02:01 PM

Well, as to be expected, nothing is as easy as it looks. Most of the outrigger has been cut away and then I realized that two screws or bolts are screwed down from the floor through the top of the outrigger. I couldn't be so easy for me to take the platform off my bed and then unscrew them from topside. No, they are either just under the inner fender well lip or just under the water heater. Now, what do I do? Can I just grind them off from the bottom and let the floor rest on top of the new outrigger with a layer of caulk in between? On top of that, it started raining cats and dogs so I had to pick up my equipment and run for the garage.

davidz71 · 07-20-2008, 06:44 PM

I've successfully cut off two of the bolts and then cut perpendicular to the top piece of metal and through the center of the bolt. I've removed about 8" of the outrigger from the frame side toward the aluminum skin. I have found one more screw/bolt near the edge of the outrigger and am having problems getting into that area to get the last 2" of outrigger. I guess I will just keep cutting until it comes loose. Next will be the grinding wheel to the frame and wire brush toward the back in order to zinc phosphate the frame and apply POR away from the weld. I'll also try to treat the outrigger away from the weld also and then finish it up at the weld site. I'm not sure how I will secure the floor to the top of the outrigger.

davidz71 · 08-09-2008, 05:07 PM

I had the outrigger welded to the frame last Wednesday, cleaned the area up and zinc phosphated the weld area again prior to the final application of POR15 then Chassis Black topcoat which I did on Thursday and Friday. Friday evening I used PL polyurethane black to seal the areas where water could be splashed past the outrigger. Today I masked those areas off to allow the rubber to continue curing and then hit the outrigger surface with rubber undercoating to prevent any rock chipping of the POR surfaced outrigger. The tire is now back on and I am ready to rock and roll.