Another rear separation tale...

[TinShack]

I learned something new too. I knew about rear seperation but not the repair and elephant ears. Thanks Twink.

Thanks also to bullet4sale for being honest. We need more dealers like him.

[Torii]

Originally Posted by AlbertF

Paula's raised an important point. Floor rot at the rear may often be a precipitating factor for rear separation.

Just re-bolting the channel to the frame is merely an interim repair, because attaching the shell/lower C channel to the frame at only one point won't work for long. The aluminum channel is simply not strong enough for one bolt on each frame rail to do the job. The shell/channel needed to be fastened more or less continually to the perimeter of the floor to spread the load out. And that requires a solid floor. Otherwise, the problem will come back, sooner or later.

Inland Andy has thoroughly detailed the an effective approach elsewhere.

I would add that it should probably be done at the same time as replacing the rotted bathroom floor . . . and I see a bathroom restoration in my future. I'm just hoping to put it off for another couple of years. At least the climate is quite dry here, and things don't rot very fast.

Andy's detailed approach is referenced here although it doesn't seem to live on these forums anymore...

I am currently replacing the rear floor section and my Tradewind did not have any of the signs of rear-end seperation although the floor did rot on the back edge. Mine was either done right originally or fixed later because it already fits Andy's description of a proper repair.