'76 Sovereign Floor Replacement?

[phoyt]

The frame is ready to drag over to the sandblasting company for an estimate on the cost. I've removed all the remaining bits and pieces.

Is it true that POR15 won't adhear to paint on the frame which means all the paint must be stripped from the frame?

Thanks,
Pete

[Wabbiteer]

In the long run it might be easier to know you're doing the whole frame than trying to decide where to paint and where not to - I left the inside of the ladder frame forward of the axles original w/ new spray paint top coat - but any surfaces to contact aluminum got 3 coats of POR-15, etc. etc..

POR-15 has peeled off where over-coating my OEM frame paint ONLY when heated where welding new outriggers on - acting like a plastic coating over the well-bonded areas of the waxy frame paint but not really protecting the metal is not a total waste of POR but real close.

What is important is getting grease and oil off the surfaces. I used circular wire brushes and the scotchbrite biscuits to remove the OEM frame paint - and found using a solvent for final cleaning just made the paint-filled pits bleed out over the bright clean metal. Once its been stripped use the water-based prep products only or be chasing ghostly yellow-waxy residues bleeding out.

If you do get the frame stripped don't let them remove too much metal by shooting a 'fast' aggregate, the cheapest abrasive available here was coal-slag glass abrasive that left clouds of metal filings behind so was eating 'good' metal. Fast may mean less labor invested for the shop but it also means thinning metals and a springier frame.

POR is paint-over-rust, it likes the texture to bond into. If you go bare metal POR has a treatment to evenly etch and phosphate protect the bare metal.

[phoyt]

Thanks for the info on how you treated your frame... good info. :-) I'm dragging the frame over to the sandblasting shop today for an estimate. I'm guessing it will be out of budget and therefore justify the purchase of a new, higher volume compressor so I can DIY the job using that el-cheapo (but works!) Harbor Freight sandblaster. I used it a few weeks ago on another trailer and it works. Just need to screen the sand to remove the bigger chunks that clog the works. It will take longer but I can sand blast and paint with POR15 in smaller sections.

Glad you mentioned the aggregate. I might have fallen for the faster (cheaper) method if they weren't too out of budget.

Thanks!
Pete

[Wabbiteer]

You can clean & etch/phosphate treat each segment as you finish but with the POR application save it all for a cooler dry 18-hour paint-a-thon, The second coat going on just as the first one reaches 90% cured (small grab brushing fingertips across it) is everything for the seal.

Example - inevitably there will be bubbles in pits that popped and welds that resist even coatings that the second (even do-over nearly immediately third coat) handles... But to wait until the 1st coat cures means 300-grit sandpaper and maybe two coats over that to catch the spots the sandpaper knocked down to bare metal.

Working from quarts - I used canned-air computer cleaning aerosol to flood the fresh open quart surface and the small glass canning style jars I decanted 2/3rds of the quart into, even sprayed as I poured so the ambient air humidity would not be mixed in and start the curing process, absolutely keep POR off the jar rim and then don't hurry up and slosh tip the container to keep lid free of paint.

- The 2nd quart I only used about half of so had two leftover 10-12 ounce jars of POR that then kept for a year
- It releases CO2 as it cures so if your container starts bulging at all either use it immediately or place in safe spot or outer container for when it leaks.
- I used the recommended dilution and maybe more of their thinner for brushing it on, it stretched the paint and made it very fast to apply. And, yes there was the huge glob of sweat that jumped into the almost fresh 1/2 quart, yes it bubbled some as I brushed it out and yes it helped turn the dregs once I applied most of it into something like melted ice-cream but I swear their thinner kept it from killing the containers' worth.

I ended up reusing the aggregate, screening it to remove the flour & paint dust, time to find a new source if you have irregular grains fresh from the bag.

Maybe if you chose coal-slag a smaller grain size and bring the pressure down, its still scouring metal but not as bad as the huge-grain bags I was sold?

[Minno]

We used a black sandblasting abrasive we bought at Menards. Two bags took care of the frame and we have some left over other sandblasting we have to do yet (wheel covers). The abrasive worked well and wasn't too time consuming. Took a day to sandblast.

Kay

[marzboy]

Hey Pete did you figure out your C channel dilemma? I am just a bit ahead of you. I bought a 36" sheet metal break and made my own channel

[Bauxter]

Marzby, Were you able to curve it, or did you apply many cuts and bend around the curve of the shell? What type of aluminum did you use?

[phoyt]

Hi there !

No, I haven't solved it YET... :-) But the theory is that my local AS dealer in Spokane was able to order a replacement piece for me. I'm waiting on their normal truck delivery to show up at their shop to save shipping costs. I'll just have to drive to big city to pick it up.

Was in the big city last Saturday to buy POR15 and visit the Chinese tool outlet AKA Harbor Freight. Looked at those metal breaks because I'd like to fabricate a replacement pan for my fresh water and black water tanks... didn't pull the trigger on that idea yet because a.) don't know how to use it yet b.) didn't think 36 inches would be a large enough break. I do like the looks of the new channel you were able to make.

I also saw a gizmo at HaborFreight that said it was a shrinker or stretcher tool. Didn't see it out of the box but it looked like something that would only work on a flat piece... so I'm guessing that to make a replacement curved piece, we'd have to do what you did and cut notches and bend it?

How easy is it to use that metal break? I may still get one because when it comes time to rebuild the interior, I'd like to use a lot more aluminum inside and that break would come in handy for that.

Thanks,
Pete

[Darkspeed]

You can use a shrinker to turn an L shape into a curved L shape

Metal break is super easy

[marzboy]

@bauxter I used 3003 H13 .032 I didn't make a curved section because the original was ok,but I know it can be done. Check out this guys thread http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ion-49720.html
@phyot Get a break, like darkspeed said it is super easy. It would have been great to get a bigger one, but my wife might have had me committed.

[Darkspeed]

Open door to house
Screw aluminum to edge of door to house
Slam door to house
Flip
Repeat

[marzboy]

Originally Posted by Darkspeed

Open door to house
Screw aluminum to edge of door to house
Slam door to house
Flip
Repeat

Hahahaha! Getto metal break!!

[phoyt]

Well.... had a busy weekend. Dropped the frame off with the sandblaster at 0700 Friday morning and had it home and back in place for more work by 11:30 that morning. By 5 PM I had one quart of POR15 on about 2/3 rds of the frame. It sprays easily and without thinning at all. By 9 this morning (Saturday) I had a second quart on the frame and everything covered by at least two coats from the sprayer.

Now that I have a nice shiny black frame how do I paint it a more suitable color? I stopped at a NAPA store today to buy a quart of silver but was scared away by the NAPA guy who asked me a bunch of questions about what I wanted... then when I had that 'deer in the headlights' look, he started to explain things that I didn't know I had to know just to spray some silver paint.

So now I need to ask, do I need to do anything to the POR15 before painting it with regular paint? Can you tell I don't know anything about auto painting? My brother just called and suggested I just get a few cans of sliver rustoleum to cover just the part that will be exposed. That doesn't feel like the right solution after all this trouble to get it cleaned up and protected.

Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Pete

[wasagachris]

Pete POR sells silver topcoat which is intended for areas exposed to UV rays. I thought you would have got some of that when you bought the rest of the POR products.

BTW how did you make out getting outriggers locally?

[phoyt]

Hi Chris,

Yes you would think I'd be smart enuf to have thought of this and asked about that when I picked up the POR15... to bad that isn't the case. Guess I'll be driving to Spokane on Monday after calling to see if they have what I need.

I need to call the local AS dealer back and find out about the outriggers. I went to their shop last Saturday and left a note about what I needed with the owner. The parts guy called me Monday to make sure he was positive about what I needed and said he'd investigate... by now the investigation should be over so I'll find out Monday.

Pete

[Wabbiteer]

The only places you have* to overcoat is the hitch A-frame and the bumper outside frame section if its visible - and maybe the axle mounting plate - solid outrigger pieces at the wheel wells although they are visible somewhat its not really getting much direct sunlight.

I have not overcoated the A-frame or the bumper frame pieces - Fall 2007 until now and the POR-15 has the sexiest flat matte black appearance from the paint turning into soot. If/when I have the project sealed up enough I can use it I may be painting those but now yet...

[Darkspeed]

If you plan on welding anything to the frame grind off a clean work area as the fumes from melting por-15 are dangerous

Por when cured requires a light sanding for paint to stick or you can use the por topcoat within a short timeframe or you can use the por etching primer

The por uses moisture in the air to cure so it depends on your humidity

[phoyt]

Getting things lined up to put the under-floor system together. I think all three tanks are in good shape. I certainly don't want to replace them unless it is necessary. The gray water tank has me a little worried because if seems very "floppy" almost as if the walls of the tank are too thin. Anyone know if that is normal?

Also, should I re-use or replace the two dump valves while it is all apart?

Thanks,
Pete

[Splitrock]

Are those 1976 dump valves?

[wasagachris]

Hi Pete I would go ahead and change out the dump valves now. Once the belly pan is back in it's a lot harder to change them.