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gutsgolf · 09-13-2009, 03:46 PM

Do i need to take the pan completely off or can i drop the front and then the back to clean them.
Is the pan all one piece.
If i drop each end can i get to the edges or bananna wraps to clean them.

gutsgolf · 09-15-2009, 03:14 PM

I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my question. I have had a 6 way by pass and can't lift too much. I really push it and try. I can't tell if the belly pan is in two parts or one 30 foot long . If two different parts i can handle that. When you drop the front piece do you have acess to the edges to clean them.
thanks

Minno · 09-15-2009, 03:31 PM

Our 1972 sovereign's belly pan got dropped 2 weeks ago: it's in 2 pieces, one in front of the fresh water tank, and one behind the fresh water tank. The rear one goes over the top of the axles. There are 3 different parts to the belly. There are 4 banana wraps, one in each corner. You have to take the banana wraps off in order to get to the belly pan, and at least unrivet the underneath part of the side wrap pieces. You can clean them out once the belly pan is off. It's a very very very very very very messy job! See post #27 of Little Girl Refurb. for a couple of pictures after the belly pan was removed.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f185...b-50967-2.html

Hope this helps!

Chris

airstreamjudy · 09-15-2009, 06:32 PM

Richard,
Wear gloves, face mask and an shirt and pants so that you can take the extra clothers off and throw out. When my pan was dropped by my helpers, immediately they sent me for drinks. When I returned and saw all the filth, bugs and other doo doo I left again. Try to get a buddy to assist you. If I lived closer I would show up to assit you.
We filled up a trash can and my shop vac 2 times before we were happy and a few large trash bags with the old insulation. We used a bug bomb before we opened up everything, opened up the floor, another bug bomb in the belly and then dropped the belly. The evening we closed her up we left a small section open, put another bug bomb in with a string attached. Next day we pulled the string to take out the bug bomb can and closed her up. Nine months later, no bugs except a small ants. I spray every months for the ants. Forgot to tell you that my trailer sat for about 18 years with junk stored in cardboard boxes in her. Dirty job, you'll feel better about what you are carrying around afterwards.

putback · 09-15-2009, 06:48 PM

If you pull it up on ramps befor you start you'll have a much easier time. Just an extra 8 or ten inches of height lets the pan sections down far enough to work and especially reach back to the outside edges. Protect your eyes and lungs, its a terrible job.

gutsgolf · 09-15-2009, 08:32 PM

Thank you all for your input. i really appreciate all the advice. will take some pics. soooo i don't want the wife to see what was down there after all. I can't wait to get it done . hope to help out with the odor problem.

Thanks all you are great

gutsgolf · 09-19-2009, 08:09 PM

When I dropped the pan I was excited, mine didn't look like the others that I have seen.......... I dropped the mid section first and worked my way to the front. First picture is the one I say first, looks ok. Then I got to the front part. Oh my gosh. It looked worse than the others. You guys forgot to warn me about one thing. I wore the gloves, and eye protection. However......... When you pull the wrap around the outriggers the rat pellets fly. They have a lot of velocity. I quickly learned to let them hit me in the face for if you turn your head..... THEY SHOOT RIGHT IN YOUR EAR!!!

gutsgolf · 09-19-2009, 08:12 PM

can anyone tell me where water comes in that is showing up in the belly

gutsgolf · 09-19-2009, 08:29 PM

What is the story about the area that is surronded by the steel frame on the belly. Do i need to drop it for odor control. Any secrets to this little deed.

Minno · 09-19-2009, 09:11 PM

Are you talking about a section that sits about an inch lower than the rest of the belly pan, and is surrounded by angle iron? Maybe 5 by 5 feet square? That's the water tank access panel. In order to get it off, you unbolt and unscrew the front piece of angle iron, and then try to work the 1 inch thick plywood panel forward. Not an easy task, and before doing so, you need to disconnect every pipe going into the water tank. The plywood panel holds the tank in place, so once you remove the plywood, the tank will drop unless you brace it as you slide the plywood forward. Make sure the tank is empty.

Do you need to remove it for order control? Depends on if critters got into the tank area and built nests. No easy to know for sure without opening the area up though. You can certainly leave that for last, as you can remove the plywood with the rest of the belly skin in place.

Chris

memgrove2000 · 09-19-2009, 09:58 PM

Also ... you can access the plumbing for that tank IF>>> you slide the Plywood support open just past the hlaf way point. BE SURE THAT THE TANK IS EMPTY!!

I had to use a flat carpet bar to get mine to start moving. and some of the gas line support screws were in the way...

But with the tank in the driveway you can see how much cleaning it needs. MINE WAS BAD / NASTY.... All better now..

Jim & Susan · 09-19-2009, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gutsgolf

can anyone tell me where water comes in that is showing up in the belly

Take a stroll thru my resto thread here: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f226...nte-15132.html

You can do a search on belly pans and banana wrapes and such for a better explanation in the thread. Basically, the banana wraps were probably installed over the top of the side walls of the camper, water just pours in. The really strange part is that I've seen several bellly pans off off of this era Airstream in person. Some seem to be installed correctly, to avoid the leaks, some are not.

Check your frame closely while you have the pan off. Mine had some pretty bad corrosion (read: rusted thru and had to be repaired).

Jim

VIKING · 09-20-2009, 02:10 AM

The banana wraps on my safari were put on over the panels above them, to better direct the torrents of water into the bellypan area. I was so ticked off when I saw this TOTALLY WRONG construction detail. I can't believe that they built it this way!
Rich

LI Pets · 09-20-2009, 05:52 AM

Been there done that, with the belly pans down I suggest you paint the frame with por -15. Wear a good respirator mask!

Don't put the pink stuff back.

gutsgolf · 09-20-2009, 07:04 AM

Bob are you recommending not to insulate,

LI Pets · 09-20-2009, 10:54 AM

Correct, but that depends what you're doing if anything with the interior flooring.

If you are not upgrading the interior floor you have two choices

1 do nothing wide open if you're not doing any cold weather camping that may be fine.

2. use perhaps Prodex it has been used by others a lot.

If you're redoing the interior floor like with pergo or similar, do nothing under put a layer of Prodex down then the pergo etc.

This will keep your frame and floor from rusting and rotting away with the damp/wet pink stuff.

VIKING · 09-20-2009, 03:35 PM

Sheet foam insulation will solve both the insulation issue and the wet pink stuff issue. Polyurethane foam is not hospitable for rodents as well. It's easy to cut and install, and won't hold water.
Rich

gutsgolf · 09-20-2009, 04:40 PM

good idea thanks

LI Pets · 09-20-2009, 04:42 PM

The issue with that is the edges have sealing against air leaking and diminishing the its R value.

There have been reports that the movement and vibration will cause crumbling.