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purman · 05-09-2012, 10:09 AM

Yes, that’s right, I finished the remodel about a year and a half ago but with 2 year old twin girls 6 yr old boy and 9 yr old girl it’s just not big enough for them all. Here is my first remodel http://www.airforums.com/forums/f327...dor-44644.html. The bunks are great for the kids but the dinette being taken down every night and pack and plays being put up for the twins isn’t going to work. And I hate pulling the front couch out into our bed every night also

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We considered buying a different trailer with 4 bunks but we have come to love the AS and just can’t part with it or the $12,000 plus for a new SOB.

So here is what is going to happen, it could get long so I will brake it up into a few post. I am also hoping you all will give me some great advice as you all have in the past.

First we had BAD rear end separation. When I connected it back together it still has a 4 inch plus drop in the back. I welding some angle iron under the frame to strengthen it but it doesn’t fix the sag.

Also the shell has slid off the floor behind the wheel wells do to the sag. It hasn’t move any in two year but is a concern.

Also I want a bigger grey tank and fresh tank or tanks. We spend a week in ZION every fall and they only have electric hook up. So this means hooking up and driving to get water and dump. We also want to spend a week or so on the Oregon coast. No dump, water and electric hook ups though, which means dumping grey water in the bushes NO NO or going to dump station. So I want to fit two grey tanks joined together and two water tanks, separate so I can just use one at a time.

So it’s time to start over again with a remodel. This time I know so much more than the first time, and am going to do it right with a shell of restoration.

The nice thing is, I screwed everything in. So I should be able to re-use some of my stuff and gut it in a day or two.

The lay out will remain the same except for a few things
1. The front “L” shape couch will become a queen bed with a 3/8 wall when you first come in the door. It will give the kids a place to play and I won’t have to pull the bed out every night. The part of the couch that was against the wall across from the door will remain, to give a place to sit and put shoes on.

2. The kitchen will stay the same, I like the lay out and can reuse most of what I have in there.

3. The bathroom will remain the same and I can keep most of what I built in there too.

4. Where the twin beds where we put in bunks and a small dinette. This I am going to change up. I am going to put couches on either side, the backs will then fold up to form bunks. Giving me my four beds for the kids. I still need to figure out how I am going to put a table in the walkway between the couches so we have a place to eat. I think I will have to split it down the middle so if half the table is in place you can still walk by to the bathroom. Also will have to figure out storage place for these when not in use.
5. No big deal right!

purman · 05-09-2012, 10:15 AM

So I saw a thread by MKeilx2 http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...lly-89975.html about shell off, and Belegedhel lifted his shell off, and I think this is the way I am going to go. We get some wind here in the springs and I was worried about having it off the ground, and the wind getting under it. This way I can put it on the ground. Plus the frames for pulling it off with can then be used to work on the frame, as Belegedhel did.

I’m guessing I’m going to have to cut and weld the frame to get it straight. I will also be boxing the frame in to strengthen it.

The grey tank I have behind the axles will stay and I will be putting another in between the axles and joining them together. I will put a fresh water tank in front of the axles and the one under the front couch will stay there and be under the bed. Depending on how big of tanks I can fit I will have between 60 and 90 gallons of fresh water and grey storage. I would never drive with all this! But when I roll into camp I can fill them up.

See, when you have 4 girls and only 2 boys the girls like to shower. I use a sun shower when possible but Zion wants a catch basin for those too. plus the girls, well wife, washing up every night uses a lot of water, and more importantly grey tank space. I have a nice big fill cap on the front of the trailer and can pour or pump water in. but I need storage. I thought of a tote but we don't tow with a truck and don't have a place to store it.

Maybe I could build storage under the AS in between the frame for it. I will have to look into it. any Ideas???

So next week I will start the gutting and the posting.

So Please, any Idea and advice is very much welcomed.

purman · 05-25-2012, 10:58 AM

Well, I didn't get the start I wanted. The Kids got out of school on Wed. so now the older kids are home to watch the 2 year old twins I can get stuff done. I had end of the year stuff and had to get the 6 ft fence around the veggi garden to keep the deer out.

So today I got the trailer clean out!!!! can't beleive I had so much stuff in it.

So far I have gotten the front couch out, now to work my way towards the back. My goal is to have the trailer gutted by Sunday. Then I can start taking the bottom skin off on the inside and the belly pan. I will also need to build my stands to lift the shell off with. But it is so dang windy right now I might have to strap the shell down once it is off.

purman · 05-25-2012, 04:45 PM

Well, I got a lot further than I thought I would today. Got everything pretty much out. I need to pull the toilet and the shower/tub tomorrow. also the water heater needs to come out.

Then the drains get disconnected, and start drilling rivets to remove the bottom layer of the inside skin.

You can see the two little helpers in the middle picture. Elsa and Linnea.

Everything came out quick because I screwed most of it in when I did the remodel 2 years ago (well I should say I finished it 2 years ago) It took 2 years to get it done. But this time I will get it done in under 2 months.

Once I get the frame out, my farther in law has a hobby body shop with a frame puller. So it will be down there to get the frame straight, and then home to weld and reinforce it.

purman · 05-26-2012, 06:53 PM

Well I got all the plumbing and wiring out today. The only thing I couldn't get out is he tub shower. It's to big. I also got a few panels off the front and back. And all the rivers drilled out on one side. Can't believe the sides are one long solid piece. Hope to get them all out tomorrow and star on the belly pan.

purman · 05-27-2012, 03:38 PM

Finished drilling hundred of rivets on just the bottom inside skin,but have come to the realization I am going to have to take up the floor. I put a purgo type floor in and I can't get to some of the bottom rivets or pull the sheets out from the bottom. I was hoping to take it off when I pulled the frame out but I guess I have to do it a little earlier.

Also didn't realize the side skins run the whole side. That's about 20 ft on my trailer. That's going to be fun to get out! Think I might have to get the neighbor to help me with that.

purman · 05-28-2012, 10:30 AM

So, I started working on the belly pan this morning. Started by drilling the rivets out

What i have noticed is; the old rivets are a lot harder than the newer softer aluminum ones. It was taking a lot of effort to drill them out laying on my back.

So i'm sure this has been done, but I decided to try and chisel them out. WOW this works great

NOW, I wouldn't do it on the side or anywhere seen as it does leave some scratch marks, but I can chisel 5 or 6 in the time it took me to drill one. It is also a lot less effort to swing a hammer than push up on a drill.

So here is a question? I have aluminum wire in the trail. Just for the plugs, all the 12v is copper, go figure. I was hoping to replace it, but it runs up on the roof and I don't won't or have to remove all the inside panels.

SO are Aluminum rated plugs and switches still available? my local hardware doesn't have any, or know what I was talking about. I noticed the original ones a just plain plugs, and switches. I hate to leave the aluminum in, but it has lasted 44 years, and I really don't want to pull 20+ foot lengths of inside panels.

Wabbiteer · 05-28-2012, 11:40 AM

On the chiseling (if you don't mind the scratches) - either way you might be doing fine until you hit something with a steel mandrel then its either off-center drilling OR elongating the drilled bore into an oval from hard hammering every time. Use a fine punch to drive the steel mandrel deeper than the clamped sheet metals to drill those.

Look at the receptacles on the shelves at the store. Most are stamped Al/Cu. IF you use dissimilar conductor compound and have enough wire slack to trim back to fresh metal and torque each clamp exactly to specs then I might consider staying with what has been provided. BX wire, now type AC is armored wire, is spiral/flexible metal sheathed wire that might make a lot of sense to replace the romex-non-metallic with.

goransons · 05-28-2012, 01:04 PM

An electrical supply house should carry the right switches, wirenuts and the gel they recommend on the connections. If you do all that it's safe. If wire is in bad condition you can always lay down the street side ceiling panel, let it hang, run everything you can reach, lift it back up and rivet in, then lower the curbside. That's how I did the 63 and it worked pretty well.

purman · 05-28-2012, 04:24 PM

That's not a bad idea about laying down just part of the ceiling. The wired looks to be in good shape. I talked to an electrician friend. He said the plugs are $4-$6 each. He suggested to get the paste and pig tail a new wire to the old and hook the new wire up to the out let. I think I will try that first. He said it was just as safe.

goransons · 05-28-2012, 04:28 PM

It is just as safe, but again just make sure you get the special paste and the special wirenut (it's designed for a higher temp). Only question will be if there is enough room in the boxes or not, but in general I've found airstream really clipped wires uncomfortably short in those boxes anyway.

purman · 05-29-2012, 10:02 AM

I think this is some type of relay? It is connected to my water pump and sensors for the water tank. Not sure why It is needed anyone with any ideas???

Learned a hard lesson yesterday. If something isn't coming off easy, there is one more rivet connected somewhere. I was taking of the (banana wraps) I think this is what they are called. Front a rear of my Trailer the wrap on the corners from the shell to the belly pan.

Anyway, the ones in the back come up and fold over the top of the C channel on the floor

What were they thinking. This was the biggest pain to take off. Plus there was one hidden buck rivet holding it on. After pounding and pulling I finally found it. Gonna be interesting getting that back up between eh skin and the C channel.

I want to leave the C channel connected to the shell when I take it off so I have something to brace the shell with when I lower it to the ground. Now to find some time today to get the front wraps off. They don't wrap up and around the C channel, but still have buck rivets under the trim holding them on.

These also hold the skin to the C channel so I might have to put some back in on the front. Have to wait and see.

purman · 05-29-2012, 03:13 PM

Ok these front ones are no better than the back ones. They have a hidden rivet behind the shell. I will not be able to get to this until I pull the shell off. So frustrating.

purman · 05-30-2012, 08:09 AM

Got the Gantry's for lifting the trailer done last night. Will get everything in place and ready to pull today. I think I will wait to do the pulling till tomorrow so I have more time to work on it.

I am also going to put some bolts in the concrete pad so I can strap the AS down once I get the shell off. We do get some crazy winds sometimes and I don't want the shell taking air.

Plus with 2 year old twins and a 6 and 9 year old, you never know what is going to happen.

purman · 06-02-2012, 09:36 PM

OK folks, got the shell off today

The Gantry's worked great!! I had no bracing what so ever, other than the 2x8 down the middle of the AS. It lifted straight up through the front and rear sky lights, and there was no flexing or bowing of the shell.

I did however, forget to take into account the extra weight of the door on one side. The whole thing swung to one side.

Didn't hit the Gantry but gave me a scare... Used a ratchet strap around a gantry and the door frame to bring it level.

I also had to build some stem walls to put under the wall frames because my sides come down pass where the floor would be. I have four of those, 2 front and 2 rear. I also put a 2x4 form the ground to the 2x8 running down the middle, fornt and back. Also added some 1x4's accross the bottom of the stem walls to stop them from moving. Then went from the top of the 2x4 to the stem walls to stiffen it up while it sits on the ground. See pics. We do get some winds aroung here and a storm blew through right after I got the frame out. The dang thing was swaying and moving around.

Once I got the stem walls and bracing in it is really stable

So, I have ordered the por15 and water and waste tanks. Start pulling the decking tomorrow and start taking the rust of the frame. then put the new plywood down. I thought about going with 3/4 TG but realized that 1/8 in extra thickness would change to much stuff. So I stuck with the 5/8.

Going to get a gallon of bed liner to paint the bottom of the plywood with. Myth busters did a deal where they painted plywood with it and it would withstand a blast from C4. Plus it will water prof it and stop it from squeaking on the frame.

Wow a ton to do and a month and a half to get it done..

purman · 06-02-2012, 09:41 PM

Oh yeah, I used the tractor to pull the frame out, as it is more maneuverable than the truck or SUV. I love my tractor

goransons · 06-02-2012, 10:01 PM

Wow, huge progress! Lookin good

purman · 06-03-2012, 11:55 AM

Started pulling the floor off.. Question? the bolts that hold it down are flat on the top and buried in the plywood. Spray on foam insulation underneath so getting to them from under is a problem. I have been grinding them out with a grinder. IS THERE A BETTER WAY OR IS THIS IT?

3Ms75Argosy · 06-03-2012, 04:37 PM

A circular saw set just deeper than the wood, and then make plunge cuts around the bolt. I made a "triangle" set of cuts around each bolt... made fairly quick work of the floor coming out.

Once I had the wood out, then I used a bolt cutter to just snap them off. (looks like a giant pair of pruning shears).
Marc

purman · 06-03-2012, 08:49 PM

Wow, what a day.

Needed some clouds to keep the sun off. Got all the decking off. Then pounded out the spray in foam insulation. That stuff makes a mess and is a pain..

I paid my two older kids a $1 each to pick up all the pieces. They did a pretty good job but left all the smaller pieces. and didn't want to do any more after they got all the big stuff up. So how do I pick up the little stuff in gravel. (well the unfreidly way is a weed burner and they just go away) sorry ozone.

To get the last of the foam off the frame I used my pressure washer which worked like a champ. Pretty much turned the foam to tiny little pieces. (just right for the weed burner) It also took a lot of the surface rust of, so there will be less work with the wire brush that goes in the grinder. That is what is next.

Also got the Gantry's over the frame so I can lift it and spin it.

Also, my Farther in law is coming Tue with his portable auto body frame puller. We are going to straighten the bend in the rear end, and then I will weld in some reinforcement. It drops about 2 inches or so form the rear axle to the rear bumper.