Trying to get belly pan off stuck... Help

[Dustycowgirl]

I am trying to remove the banana wrap and then get the belly pan off to take a look at the frame. I got the front two pieces of banana stuff off pretty easy but the back left and right side are giving me trouble.... Not sure what to do. It looks like the 68 overlander back curved under. Pieces have a couple buck rivets as well?


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[DFlores]

Do you have pictures?

[DFlores]

My 68 has a fold over onto the channel, that can only be accessed by removing the shell or the interior skins.

Not sure if yours is built like this, but it would make it difficult to remove for sure.

[Dustycowgirl]

I'm not sure either I had no problem with the front two pieces but the back two are stuck

[Dustycowgirl]

Also the frame has spray insulation only year they did that and I think that will make painting it/restoring it more difficult

[DFlores]

Built just like mine in front, they slide right out because they are not wrapped over the channel.

[Dustycowgirl]

So the back two corners should come out the same way correct? Did yours?


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[DFlores]

Originally Posted by Dustycowgirl

Also the frame has spray insulation only year they did that and I think that will make painting it/restoring it more difficult

Yes, removing the sprayed insulation is quite a chore, but it gets better.

[Dustycowgirl]

Here's a pic of the back side piece it appears to be the top part right where it attaches that it's stuck


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[DFlores]

Originally Posted by Dustycowgirl

So the back two corners should come out the same way correct? Did yours?


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The back corner had to be unfolded. Mine folded over the channel.
Mine were riveted again under the outer shell, not accessible from where you are at this point.

[DFlores]

Originally Posted by Dustycowgirl

Attachment 216404

Here's a pic of the back side piece it appears to be the top part right where it attaches that it's stuck


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In your picture, see the small cuts in the aluminum as it goes under skin, those are the slices that create the lips that fold over the channel. See the first picture that I posted

[Dustycowgirl]

I see now. Thanks for the help. What would you suggest now? I'm thinking about going in from the floor down in the back bathroom. I would like to take the subfloor out in pieces from the inside and kinda shim up the edges of shell a little at a time w same sized plywood.

[DFlores]

Originally Posted by Dustycowgirl

I see now. Thanks for the help. What would you suggest now? I'm thinking about going in from the floor down in the back bathroom. I would like to take the subfloor out in pieces from the inside and kinda shim up the edges of shell a little at a time w same sized plywood.

How much of the bathroom is still in the trailer?

[DFlores]

Sorry, as I type this stuff, I think of something else.

Does your belly pan have seams that run in a sort of "L" shape forward of these rear pieces? If so, you can remove rivets from that seam and remove most of belly pan that way

[Dustycowgirl]

All of it as of now. I was planning on tearing it out though I don't want to keep it we do want to replace the floor just wanted to do a shell on replacement of it. Not even sure shell on is possible with the new info and pics you sent

[Stefrobrts]

The bathroom will need to come out if you want to replace the floor under it. Even if you don't want it, I'd advise you to take it out carefully and see if you can rehome it to someone else restoring an AS. Those parts are very hard to find.

If you take it all apart so your trailer is bare inside there's no particular reason you have to lift the shell, you can still do the floor replacement with the shell attached though there is not much holding it together at that point. It will still save you the trouble of bracing and lifting the shell though.

[Dustycowgirl]

Has anyone cut the belly pan straight across at the axels to make it easier to get out

[Dustycowgirl]

Also started working on taking apart the bathroom I am being very careful and will save all parts till the project is totally finished

[Stefrobrts]

Hopefully you can get some more advice from those who have done a whole floor replacement. I have only done a partial, so I did not have to worry about things like the shell being loose or getting out of shape, since only part of it was unattached.

[DFlores]

Originally Posted by Dustycowgirl

Has anyone cut the belly pan straight across at the axels to make it easier to get out

Yes, you will find that when you go buy replacement material that it is sold in sheets that are not as wide as the trailer, so you will end up installing 4 sheets with seams across half way and down the center.