'74 Argosy 20' Motorhome restoration/rebuild

[PeterH-350LE]

This is the ODMRV stuff I bought a couple of years ago. Works real well for applying covers, Like this battery compartment cover. No mess.

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Peter, that link is for vinyl insert. Is that what you posted in Mike's thread?

yes, I corrected it. Here it is correct link

http://odmrv.com/catalog/index.php?m...roducts_id=919

[bkahler]

Would this tape also be suitable for water heater installation and also for window frame asemblies?

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Would this tape also be suitable for water heater installation and also for window frame asemblies?

yes, super clean to work with. As long as the surfaces are fairly plane, it works extremely well. If you think you need more thickness double it up. Can also be used in conjunction with tempro or Vulkem.
Only small drawback is that you really have to poke the rivet hole, thats why the extra width is better.

[bkahler]

Ok, I'm sold

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Ok, I'm sold

I am almost certain that is what the factory and dealers use for panel replacement. They would never put up with the Tempro mess.

I put up with the tempro, because I really want the sealant to encase the rivets and stems.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by PeterH-Airstreamer

I am almost certain that is what the factory and dealers use for panel replacement. They would never put up with the Tempro mess.

I put up with the tempro, because I really want the sealant to encase the rivets and stems.

I'm in 100% agreement. It was a little disheartening to sit and watch the water drip off the stems of those Olympic rivets.......

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by bkahler

I'm in 100% agreement. It was a little disheartening to sit and watch the water drip off the stems of those Olympic rivets.......

Olympics generally have a bad wrap because of weaker structual strength and leaking. The later is in most cases an installer issue. Other than the lack of sealant during installation, I have found that the wrong clipping and shaving procedure can cause leaks.

First of all, special clipping pliers need to be used to clip the mandrel as close as possible to the rivet head. Second, be gentle when starting the shaving procedure. Let shaver do the work. Applying to much pressure will push the mandrel in, weaken the holding strength and cause leaks.
I pulled a leaking stationary window out recently and found that most rivets stems were pushed back in, causing leaks and poor holding.
This is what you want to see on the back of an olympic rivet

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by PeterH-Airstreamer

Olympics generally have a bad wrap because of weaker structual strength and leaking. The later is in most cases an installer issue. Other than the lack of sealant during installation, I have found that the wrong clipping and shaving procedure can cause leaks.

First of all, special clipping pliers need to be used to clip the mandrel as close as possible to the rivet head. Second, be gentle when starting the shaving procedure. Let shaver do the work. Applying to much pressure will push the mandrel in, weaken the holding strength and cause leaks.
I pulled a leaking stationary window out recently and found that most rivets stems were pushed back in, causing leaks and poor holding.
This is what you want to see on the back of an olympic rivet

Peter,

As we were installing the rear quarter panel last weekend we were having issues with the olympic rivets breaking to early where the bulk of the stud came out of the rivet leaving a hole instead of a protruding stud.

I had rivets from two different bags (suppliers) and it appears the rivets from one supplier were nothing but junk. Most of them broke to soon. Once we switched to rivets from the other bag the problem went away. This Saturday we drilled out all of the offending rivets and installed new ones (from the good bag) and we had no issues with broken studs.

I wish I knew which supplier the bad rivets came from but unfortunately I don't. Nothing like bad parts prolonging a job

Brad

[mayco]

That sucks, try a couple from each bag on some scrap?
Ahhhhhhh, but if the bags aren’t marked it’s still a pickle...hmmmm
Never mind, dumb idea

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by mayco

That sucks, try a couple from each bag on some scrap?
Ahhhhhhh, but if the bags aren’t marked it’s still a pickle...hmmmm
Never mind, dumb idea

Yep, the bags aren't marked

The good news is I might be out of the bad ones now so it may be a moot point. I'm hoping anyway!

Brad

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Yep, the bags aren't marked

The good news is I might be out of the bad ones now so it may be a moot point. I'm hoping anyway!

Brad

Be aware of Brad giving you a bag a rivets for christmas


I had that happen to me with good rivets, the cause being some obstruction keeping the rivet legs from expanding. A new rivet rotated slightly usually fixed that problem. Sometimes I probe the rivet holes trying to find an obstruction prior to placing the rivets.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by PeterH-Airstreamer

Be aware of Brad giving you a bag a rivets for christmas

Spoil sport......

I had that happen to me with good rivets, the cause being some obstruction keeping the rivet legs from expanding. A new rivet rotated slightly usually fixed that problem. Sometimes I probe the rivet holes trying to find an obstruction prior to placing the rivets.

I've had that happen from time to time but this was one after the other just failed on the install. When replaced with one of the good ones there was no issue.

I think the good rivets came from Vintage Trailer Supply and the others I think the others came from either an ebay seller or Out of Doors Mart. I bought 300 from VTS and only 100 from OFDM and I still have almost two bags left of the same style which kind of points to the good ones came from VTS.

In the near future I'll be replacing the long drivers side panel and the same rear quarter as Peanut. I really hope I have nothing but good rivets!

Brad

[bkahler]

In case you hadn't noticed I've not really made any progress on my Argosy since last year. Work has gotten insane, the weather has been miserable and with what little free time I've been able to come up with I've been tinkering with my Dodge truck.

I did take a peek inside my Argosy today to see how it was holding up being parked outside all winter.

Here's a picture of a bucket I set in place to catch the drip coming from the passenger side cockpit window. I believe the drip is working it's way through the sealant at the top of the window on the outside. This spring I'll see about removing the old sealant and replacing with new.



Brad

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by bkahler

In case you hadn't noticed I've not really made any progress on my Argosy since last year. Work has gotten insane, the weather has been miserable and with what little free time I've been able to come up with I've been tinkering with my Dodge truck.

I did take a peek inside my Argosy today to see how it was holding up being parked outside all winter.

Here's a picture of a bucket I set in place to catch the drip coming from the passenger side cockpit window. I believe the drip is working it's way through the sealant at the top of the window on the outside. This spring I'll see about removing the old sealant and replacing with new.

Attachment 362342

Brad

I will use a much more effective and permanent solution for the passenger side leak issue:
I will drill a 1" hole in the floor and cover it with window screen.

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by PeterH-Airstreamer

I will use a much more effective and permanent solution for the passenger side leak issue:
I will drill a 1" hole in the floor and cover it with window screen.

Now I feel I’m a bad influence having spent part of Friday and Saturday at Brads work on Peanut!

All I can say is my luggage is 25kg lighter going back as the new water tank, water pumps, inlet, toilet, plumbing, faucet, etc all got laid out to make sure it will fit.

Of course this has resulted in additional stuff needing to come out......at which point Peanut is actually going to be totally empty!

For what it’s worth, in the UK it is a legal requirement to insert drain points in the floor to release any propane that leaks, I guess this will also let the water out!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by PeterH-Airstreamer

I will use a much more effective and permanent solution for the passenger side leak issue:
I will drill a 1" hole in the floor and cover it with window screen.

Hmm.....your quick response and solution to this problem makes me wonder just what sort of repairs you've been making to your 350.......

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by martin300662

Now I feel I’m a bad influence having spent part of Friday and Saturday at Brads work on Peanut!

All I can say is my luggage is 25kg lighter going back as the new water tank, water pumps, inlet, toilet, plumbing, faucet, etc all got laid out to make sure it will fit.

Of course this has resulted in additional stuff needing to come out......at which point Peanut is actually going to be totally empty!

For what it’s worth, in the UK it is a legal requirement to insert drain points in the floor to release any propane that leaks, I guess this will also let the water out!

I wouldn't say you're a bad influence....you're more of the enabler type.....

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by bkahler

I wouldn't say you're a bad influence....you're more of the enabler type.....

I'll take that as a complement Brad!

[bkahler]

I hadn't started my Argosy since last summer and on Thursday evening I found that I needed to move it so I could load up the remnants of Peanut's interior so it could be hauled to the land fill.

I've had the batteries on a trickle charger the whole time so I wasn't worried about the batteries being a problem. What surprised me was how easily it started once I turned the key. I have a fuel pressure gauge and in less than 2 seconds it came up to pressure so I cranked the starter and probably after one or two revolutions of the engine it fired right up! Needless to say I'm lovin this TBI setup








Peanut has resided inside the shop this past winter and spring as we were taking care of various holes in the shell. That work is just about complete and the plan is to move Peanut back outside and later this summer I'll move mine back into the shop for the rest of the exterior repair work that needs to be done.

I need to replace the left rear quarter panel, an 8 ft section on the lower left side and remove a few vents up top. At that time I'll also re-install the lower front valance for the final time which should complete most of the exterior repairs.

Oh yeah, I need to replace the door with a better one as well so that will take place this coming winter also.

Brad