Finally some pics of my shell off

[Frank's Trailer Works]

... and without a commercial account from either vendor, you pay full retail cost. Sometimes a person with a commercial account can order it for you and help you save over 60% on those tanks. Without said commercial account you will pay full retail. Pelland also makes custom tanks.

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

... and without a commercial account from either vendor, you pay full retail cost. Sometimes a person with a commercial account can order it for you and help you save over 60% on those tanks. Without said commercial account you will pay full retail. Pelland also makes custom tanks.

Humm....

[P&K]

I went to pick up my Dexter axles at the factory today. They loaded the axles onto my truck and they looked good, but when I measured them there was a big problem - the brackets measured 66.5 instead of 61.5 . Needless to say I was freaked out. I was so sure that I had measure right. In fact I brought the old axle to the factory to have it measured and based my order on that.
The folks in the office immediately found the error. It was basically a matter of the dealer I ordered through wording things differently than the factory. They stated the bracket measurement as "inside frame" instead of "outer bracket" and this caused confusion. The people at Dexter were super apologetic about my wasted trip. They also took down my address and are going to make the axles in the morning and truck them to me personally at their cost. I have to say that I feel I have recieved old school customer service from Dexter. They were glad to answer my long list of questions when ordering and are going above and beyond to fix a mistake that they probably could have put off on the distributor I ordered from. (I don't blame them either though really, their customer service was excellent as well, its just an atypical axle.)

Its looking more and more like I'll be doing above floor gray and fresh tanks. I have to get this show on the road, and I can't get any of the tanks that meet my needs in time. All-rite wants $750 for the same tank VTS sells for $200 (out of stock for another couple weeks). Screw it. Gotta keep moving. I have to get out of this shop by the middle of October, so I have to get the belly pan, floor, and shell back on fairly quickly. The frame was being sprayed today, so I will pick it up tomorrow. I had 8 4x5 sheets of 5054-h32 in .032 cut for the belly. I also ordered a 4x12 sheet of 2024-T3 in .032 from AirCraftSpruce for various body repairs and patches.

[P&K]

Picked up the frame today and everything looks great...except that they painted the bumper also. I wonder how a gloss black bumper will look? I am thinking of doing black striping instead of the original blue on the belt line and rub rail. I had them paint the tongue and jack black which I like. I guess worst case scenario I will bust out the left over aircraft stripper.

[marzboy]

Yep you gotta keep moveing on this stuf or it will make you insane!!!! My axles took more than two months to get to me. My ordering has been pretty wacked.

[P&K]

I know. No time to waste. Gotta keep on moving. I'm kind of bummed about not being able to put the fresh or gray tanks in the floor, but its a giant trailer so it should be fine.

[marzboy]

I got my tanks from Ronco pretty quickly. Putting them inbetween the frame rails save alot of space!!

[P&K]

Ok everyone, I'm back. I didn't give up, just got caught up in that thing called life. I ordered a gray tank and fresh tank from VTS, along with an Intellipower unit and plumbing parts. Ill finish the belly pan and plumbing rough in tomorrow and will hopefully be lowering the shell back on by Thursday. Plenty of pics to come...

[marzboy]

Copy that on that pesky life thing. I have been trying to get by on a few hours here a day there for over a year now!
Keep on it and you will start seeing results. Getting the shell back on in a huge mile stone

[P&K]

I can't believe I'm saying this... The shell is back down! Rebuilt frame, new belly pan, new c channel, new floor, retro fit gray tank, new waste lines installed, new axles, all done. Now it's time for the fun stuff. I thought I would feel wildly excited, but at this point i feel more relieved. Let me say that a shell off floor replacement is not for the faint of heart. Even the fairly handy will find it challenging. Without this forum I never would have been able to do it. I would highly recommend suspending the shell from above, especially when landing it back in the frame. We used several bottle jacks, two Shepard jacks, two scissor jacks, two floor jacks, a come-along, and a chain hoist to do what could have been accomplished with two overhead chain hoists dropped through the roof holes. The roof of the shop we were in did not line up for this though. Tomorrow will be a day of riveting!

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Congrats about your major accomplishment!!!!

[marzboy]

Originally Posted by P&K

I can't believe I'm saying this... The shell is back down! Rebuilt frame, new belly pan, new c channel, new floor, retro fit gray tank, new waste lines installed, new axles, all done. Now it's time for the fun stuff. I thought I would feel wildly excited, but at this point i feel more relieved. Let me say that a shell off floor replacement is not for the faint of heart. Even the fairly handy will find it challenging. Without this forum I never would have been able to do it. I would highly recommend suspending the shell from above, especially when landing it back in the frame. We used several bottle jacks, two Shepard jacks, two scissor jacks, two floor jacks, a come-along, and a chain hoist to do what could have been accomplished with two overhead chain hoists dropped through the roof holes. The roof of the shop we were in did not line up for this though. Tomorrow will be a day of riveting!

Ok I'm impressed (and a bit jealous) Great job! It took me twice as long as you did to get to the same place. I agree with the suspension but we all don't have a plush work space like some people Great work, keep it up and you'll be done in no time. I am back at the riveting as well as soon as I can wake up my son!

[P&K]

Pics!