Need a new frame in VA

[JimGolden]

They used to have thousands of square feet of aluminum honeycomb flooring at the Boeing Surplus. I wish I had bought a bunch of it when I worked out there. Super light, super strong, should last forever. But they've closed the place down.

I just did a porch with Trex decking and it made a nice job. But it's really heavy.

I agree with the above. Plywood done right will last. Start with Marine Grade, then varnish it on both sides with something good like Valspar Exterior Spar Varnish.

A trick that Avion did to help their floors last (they were two layers of plywood with a layer of insulation between) was to take the linoleum across the top of it, wrap it down over the sides and come in a few inches and staple it on the bottom. That helps to keep the edges dry. Then they'd put carpet or whatever over top the linoleum. It helps.

[cwf]

My brother is in the Louisiana oilfield and goes thru lots of steel. His recommendation is "US Steel...if you can find it.

[tom p]

I think it will be plain old painted steel and plywood for me. Pretty much all travel trailers are made that way and the only ones that have problems are from roof leaks. Actually the plywood floor in my Airstream wasn't that bad, only a small amount of rot from window leaks around the edges. The frame rusted out so bad because it was parked next to the Atlantic Ocean for 40 years.

I took Bob's advice and called Hibbard's Iron Works in Newport News. I went by there and they are trailer people and seemed to understand what I was looking for and willing to do it. Now I'm just waiting for a price but I think they will more than likely be the ones. Thanks Bob!

[tom p]

After talking to several welders and either getting the cold shoulder, luke warm interest, and quotes to build a frame that never came in, I started looking for something off another camper I could use. Nothing on craigslist that was cheap enough and useable. I started calling around to some local rv dealers. A local dealer had a 2002 Coleman that has been sitting there since 2004. It was a defective trailer they bought from Fleetwood to fix and resell but it never worked out. The floor, walls, and ceiling are so mushy you could punch through any of it. The frame is the only thing good but lucky me, that's all I need! They sold it to me for $400. I think I can make it work with the length the way it is or I might have to add a little length to the front end but it won't be that much of a mod. Now I just have to get the shell demoed off of it. The demo is pretty fun btw

[aquinob]

Not a bad idea at all. Save the windows and doors and you may recoup your 400 bucks pretty quickly. The tanks might be worth something as well. Looks like there is not much holding it together at this point anyway. What kind of axles does it use?

[robwok]

don't forget to potentially save the appliances as well for resale.

[tom p]

Short video, mainly because I wanted to try out my new Gopro. Sorry, no narration I feel stupid talking to myself Anyway you can see my progress on the trailer frame.

https://youtu.be/O_ALIP_4GPs

[JimGolden]

Nicely polished shell there! And the frame is coming along nicely. But, what is that Square Box of Blasphemy in the video??!!! You know we are Silver Trailer Snobs around here

Just teasing dude! Keep up the good work!

[tom p]

The shell is going on the frame tomorrow. I ended up using the Advantech board after Foiled Again's recommendations. I bought it at The Treated Lumber Outlet in Newport News. I buy a lot of treated lumber from them for decks and they were listed on the manufacturer's site as a dealer. It was like $27.50 a sheet for 3/4", just a little more than plywood. I also put some stick on mobile home bottom closure sheets on, it looks like black plastic mesh, it's the same thing that is on my 08 Trail Sport. Anyway, I have it ready to jack up tomorrow, the wind is up right now and it's hot as hell so I'm waiting

[aquinob]

So what kind of mods if any did you do to the new frame to make it fit the airstream?

[tom p]

So about 1,000 blocks and jacks later and the Airstream shell is sitting on it's new trailer. It really wasn't that hard I just had to jack a few inches at a time and block it up, drag the trailer under, then lower it down getting everything on the right tracks.

[Foiled Again]

Yeah! Nothing scarier than moving the shell - and wind? Actually saw one person who failed to brace and tie down his shell LOSE it in some high gusts. Now make sure you get the screws in securely and the rest is minor (Well that's misleading, EACH of the remaining 8000 things you have left is minor, but the totality is overwhelming.).

Paula