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05-16-2008, 04:18 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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'73 International 31 center bath
just some pic. of floor and frame repairs.
jim.
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05-16-2008, 05:15 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1973 27' Overlander
Currently Looking...
Jupiter
, Florida
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,060
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You really should have added a "R" rating to the title - those are some powerfully disturbing images, no instant warm & fuzzy there for sure...
NICE WORK - keep the pictures coming!!!
__________________
The days are short and the night is long and the stars go tumbling by.. . ~Airstream~
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05-17-2008, 08:39 AM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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more pic.
some more pic. but the date is off, all work is this last month.
jim.
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05-17-2008, 08:57 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1975 29' Ambassador
San Antonio
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 517
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Jim, those photos sure bring back old memories! You're lucky. My frame was in bad shape and is being completely replaced. Looks like you had a serious leak. Have you located the source? I was looking at photos 5 & 6 in your first post at the rear-ward most cross-member. It's difficult to see but what's the condition of that cross-member?
__________________
Todd
“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome...savvy?”
- Captain Jack Sparrow
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05-17-2008, 10:11 AM
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#5
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4 Rivet Member
1975 31' Sovereign
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 494
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Jim , yep pictures are worth lotsa words. But a few words might just help many of us to be better oriented to what we are looking at.
Looks like your well into it and doin' well. If my eyes don't lie you chose not to remove the belly pan.
happy trails
dd
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05-17-2008, 11:52 AM
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#6
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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monocoque
leak's in rear of trailer were:
1. street side tail light assembly not even fastened. no seal at all just sitting there. dont know how it made it when i towed it home (3.5 hrs.)
2. the back assembly that attaches to frame and lifts up for storage.
this whole area trapped water on top and seeped thru to the end grain of plywood.
3. where the outer shell fastens to "c" channel, and plywood is inside of channel seems to stay dry, all radius areas where the outer skin does not cover end grain of plywood are rotted. this will be addressed by fiberglass and flashing.
re: photos 5&6
the last three cross members were left in place, the bottom half of rear cross member Photo "5" was gone and i fabricated two pieces of 5" angle from 5-1/2" 18 guage track. at rear i made it into a "C". middle one (photo 5 center) i made it a z and one photo "3" towards front of trailer just "L".
the side wings that the banna wrap molds around i am doing today. so far i have 14 done, just fastening along existing. also wire wheeled the frame and painted with por 15.
jim.
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05-17-2008, 11:59 AM
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#7
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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distantdrummer
re: bellypan
i removed all including banana wrap.
rear belly pan could not get out due to curb side axel bracket (post 1 photo 3) that connects to inside of frame.
any suggestions on this removal?
also what else could be done while i still have it all open?
jim.
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05-17-2008, 12:24 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1975 29' Ambassador
San Antonio
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 517
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cuyd
leak's in rear of trailer were:
1. street side tail light assembly not even fastened. no seal at all just sitting there. dont know how it made it when i towed it home (3.5 hrs.)
2. the back assembly that attaches to frame and lifts up for storage.
this whole area trapped water on top and seeped thru to the end grain of plywood.
3. where the outer shell fastens to "c" channel, and plywood is inside of channel seems to stay dry, all radius areas where the outer skin does not cover end grain of plywood are rotted.
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Except for no. 1 nos. 2 & 3 are the classic points for leaks and are the points where I had the same trouble.
Quote:
re: photos 5&6
the last three cross members were left in place, the bottom half of rear cross member Photo "5" was gone and i fabricated two pieces of 5" angle from 5-1/2" 18 guage track. at rear i made it into a "C". middle one (photo 5 center) i made it a z and one photo "3" towards front of trailer just "L".
the side wings that the banna wrap molds around i am doing today. so far i have 14 done, just fastening along existing.
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I thought I had spotted a bad cross-member....have had some experience! I for one would love to see closer photos of how you repaired the cross-member and those outriggers.
Here's what I found on my rig when I first opened the rearward wrap behind the bumper storage box.
__________________
Todd
“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome...savvy?”
- Captain Jack Sparrow
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05-17-2008, 08:39 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1975 29' Ambassador
San Antonio
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 517
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cuyd
distantdrummer
re: bellypan
i removed all including banana wrap.
rear belly pan could not get out due to curb side axel bracket (post 1 photo 3) that connects to inside of frame.
any suggestions on this removal?
also what else could be done while i still have it all open?
jim.
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Here is a photo of the point on my rig where the lower c-channel of the frame meets the axle-bracket. There is a space between the axle-bracket and the trailer frame and the pan sits on top of the bracket. As I recall its a tight fit there and the pan here also sits very close to the axle mounting plate. But once all the rivets are out the pan can be inched back and forth and will slide right out. Finding all the hidden rivets can be a task in itself. Good luck!
__________________
Todd
“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome...savvy?”
- Captain Jack Sparrow
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05-17-2008, 09:11 PM
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#10
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4 Rivet Member
1975 31' Sovereign
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 494
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cuyd
re: bellypan
i removed all including banana wrap.
rear belly pan could not get out due to curb side axel bracket (post 1 photo 3) that connects to inside of frame.
any suggestions on this removal?
also what else could be done while i still have it all open?
jim.
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Not sure Jim.
I have taken note of a member or two who installed some type of backer to make it easier to re-attach the belly pan. But if you used treated lumber strips, those might react with the metal they were hung off of or the aluminum belly pan. If you used aluminum angle it might react with the metal it screwed to. But a couple of length of the trailer strips would (it seems) make hanging the belly back securely alot easier.
Only other thing I can imagine is wiring for some speakers or electrical add on.
Another thing while in floor might be to clean out the heater ducts if accessable. Or are they above floor?
I would surely do everything possible to make the belly of my trailer as impenetratable to vermin as was humanly possible.
Also you might place a write up of your improvements and history of the trailer in a mason jar and seal it up in the belly ( as a time capsule) for some future owner.
__________________
__________________________
____ d'drummer ____
...aahh..rumm..pu..tum..tummm...
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05-18-2008, 12:45 AM
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#11
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3 Rivet Member
1973 31' Excella 500
Marysville
, Washington
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 219
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I'll will be replacing the rear floor on mine soon. It looks like you have a solid sheet of plywood across the back which how I'd like to do it. With only the lower interior skin removed will the channel move enough to accept the solid sheet of ply? Thoughts on not installing it as a solid piece, two halves?
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05-18-2008, 08:45 AM
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#12
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4 Rivet Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 375
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Done
I'll will be replacing the rear floor on mine soon. It looks like you have a solid sheet of plywood across the back which how I'd like to do it. With only the lower interior skin removed will the channel move enough to accept the solid sheet of ply?
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On my 1970 Overlander I was able to install that sheet in one piece by using the opening where the water heater had been removed for additional clearance. You can see pictures of the trial fit here and the finished product here. To do this you will have to have at least two sections of subfloor removed so that the sheet will remain flat with the frame. I am hoping to be able to do the front most sheet this same way by using the door opening. Since the sheet between the wheel wells is a solid piece that will make half of my subfloor not spliced (3 out of 6 sheets).
One problem that I can see if you decide to splice you bathroom floor would be in splice block at the center seam. It would be directly over you black tank and there probably is not enough room for it to clear.
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05-18-2008, 12:59 PM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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monocoque:
cross member and outrigger photos.
as far as bellypan @ axel, my bracket is tight to "C" channel. three are fine but rear street side is the problem.
jim.
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05-18-2008, 01:02 PM
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#14
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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the rest of photos.
jim.
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05-18-2008, 01:12 PM
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#15
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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distant drummer:
yes to all your comments. (trailer strips probably).
wiring i am upgrading to 50 amp so i will have access to 220 also a few extra circuits. ( microwave , computer, gfi, ...)
also where do is best place for exterior cable hook up? (rear bumper storage area)?
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05-18-2008, 01:31 PM
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#16
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2 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 43
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not done:
yes, my rear sheet of plywood is one piece. i placed it from the outside.
water heater has to be removed as per "vhord's" post, my belly pan was already down. i cleaned the c Chanel and all screws and bolts that went thru plywood with a grinder and 5" thin cutting metal blade. i made a template ( post #3 photo #4) with 1/8" hardboard, just slid it all way across and traced outside radius. i could stand on back of frame (rear bumper storage)allowing to slide plywood from street side. with water heater out you could see everything. two of us placed plywood but i would recommend another helper.
jim.
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05-23-2008, 02:00 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
1975 29' Ambassador
San Antonio
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 517
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cuyd
the rest of photos.
jim.
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Jim thanks for posting the photos. Nice work. What is the material you used for the outriggers and crossmember. It looks galvanized? What kind of fasteners did you use? Are those rivets?
__________________
Todd
“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome...savvy?”
- Captain Jack Sparrow
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05-23-2008, 10:15 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1973 31' Sovereign
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,255
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Part of my belly pan was too tightly held between the axle and the frame member. In my case that was OK in that I was dropping the axles anyway since they were totally shot. What I would suggest is that you could at least partially drop the axle that is holding the belly pan too tightly. I used a small rolling floor jack placed under the middle of an axle to drop it entirely. It could be that if you just need to loosen one end that you could support it at just one end. The axle would not need to drop very much you give you enough clearance. You might also be able to get away with squirting a good dose of WD40 into the tight area. Maybe that would be enough to let it break loose.
Malcolm
__________________
Only he who attempts the ridiculous can achieve the impossble.
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08-28-2008, 08:57 AM
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#19
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Airstreamer since 1958
1973 31' Sovereign
Greencastle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 34
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Nice job! Quick question
Well, this is what I'm SO glad I didn't have to do with mine. I've found a few very small rotted spots that I can live with for now.
My question is, what did you do to seal up the exterior when you finished the project?
I'm hoping that if I make the exterior weather tight now, I can avoid such problems down the line. That edge right next to the bumper storage box is what really concerns me. That's where all the damage is localized. All the rest seems fine.
Appreciate any thoughts on sealing this area. Doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to work.
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08-29-2008, 06:50 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
1973 31' Sovereign
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,255
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stickbug
Well, this is what I'm SO glad I didn't have to do with mine. I've found a few very small rotted spots that I can live with for now.
My question is, what did you do to seal up the exterior when you finished the project?
I'm hoping that if I make the exterior weather tight now, I can avoid such problems down the line. That edge right next to the bumper storage box is what really concerns me. That's where all the damage is localized. All the rest seems fine.
Appreciate any thoughts on sealing this area. Doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to work.
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You are cetainly right about that being a problem area for leaks.
One approach is to carefully remove the rub-rail trim around the back caulk under it along the seams and bottom of the wall with Vulkem and reinstall the trim in the wet Vulkem. My trim was fastened on with 1/8" diameter pop rivets. You can use mineral spirits to help clean off the extra Vulkem if too much squeezes out.
Malcolm
__________________
Only he who attempts the ridiculous can achieve the impossble.
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