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08-13-2021, 08:15 PM
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#1
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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70's battery box/door question
The photos show my battery box ('73 Safari) taken out of the Airstream.
The "under" shot shows that someone added a plate to attach the hinge to. This seems to put the hinge farther away from the box a bit. I thought at first there must have been damage under that plate and it was a repair, but you can see from the "inside" shot that that is not the case. That metal plate seems to only be there to move the hinge away from the body, unless I'm missing something.
My question is: am I correct in thinking the hinge should be flush with the original floor of the box?
You can see in the picture a few steps back that the door is not aligned well with the camper. Now, I'm repairing rust and wood back there, so a little of that is because the battery box was not supported well. I wonder if moving the hinge was someone's way of "fixing" this.
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08-14-2021, 04:15 AM
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#2
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Site Team
1994 25' Excella
Waukesha
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5,502
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Just a guess here, but with all those extra holes and dead rivets, it looks like the hinge was replaced at some time in the past. Perhaps the original hinge was a single-sided offset hinge and not a flat one, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/ABS-Stainless.../dp/B07H5M5G56
__________________
Richard
11018
1994 Excella 25 Follow the build on Gertie!
1999 Suburban LS 2500 w/7.4L V8
1974 GMC 4108a - Custom Coach Land Cruiser (Sold)
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08-14-2021, 05:46 AM
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#3
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4 Rivet Member
1989 29' Excella
1979 31' Sovereign
1999 25' Safari
Youngsville
, North Carolina
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 344
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Looks like they added plate on bottom but riveted it from top leaving rivets in the way where hinge attaches. Original hinge probably had broken rivets and holes left were too large to hold a rivet, hence the plate which was not properly positioned.
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08-14-2021, 05:48 AM
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#4
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4 Rivet Member
1984 27' Airstream 270
West Chester
, Ohio
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 498
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Looks like it was moved away at the bottom possibly to allow drainage of water intrusion related to the failed seal. It looks cracked and broken which would allow rain water right into that compartment (including access to the sub floor edge)
Maybe replace that seal and see how close you can get to water tight, at least making a drip rail along the top of that compartment opening
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08-14-2021, 07:19 AM
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#5
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Found a good pic of a '72
Unless they changed it for '73, it does look like the hinge was a different shape.
Edit: I'm less sure looking at it again; I think I am seeing the bottom "lip" that holds the black plastic piece in place on the hinge end of the door.
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08-14-2021, 07:34 AM
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#6
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Here's one that shows a bent hinge on the trailer side of the hinge.
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08-14-2021, 08:35 AM
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#7
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Arroyo Grande
, California
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 135
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Greetings, I would agree that the hinge was previously replaced at some point in time but what is a bit odd is that our ‘73 Safari also had that same patch piece nearly identical to yours. Ours also had quite a bit of corrosion that appeared to be from battery boil over and we thought that may have initiated the problem.
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08-14-2021, 10:33 AM
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#8
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenD
Greetings, I would agree that the hinge was previously replaced at some point in time but what is a bit odd is that our ‘73 Safari also had that same patch piece nearly identical to yours. Ours also had quite a bit of corrosion that appeared to be from battery boil over and we thought that may have initiated the problem.
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That is interesting! The "pan" on mine doesn't seem corroded and does seem to be original (there are factory rivets holding it in). The hinge was replace, I'm sure, and I have a new hinge (standard flat hinge) that I'm going to install, but before I do, I want to know if it should be flush with the end of the original pan.
Thanks again
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08-16-2021, 08:40 AM
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#9
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Arroyo Grande
, California
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 135
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We had to replace the rear section of subfloor which required removing the battery box. When we reinstalled, we started by aligning the door assembly both gap and rub rail and then the hinge was reattached underneath. Best to replace the seal first as this also affects door location. Not sure if this answers your question?
Steve
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08-16-2021, 10:13 PM
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#10
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenD
We had to replace the rear section of subfloor which required removing the battery box. When we reinstalled, we started by aligning the door assembly both gap and rub rail and then the hinge was reattached underneath. Best to replace the seal first as this also affects door location. Not sure if this answers your question?
Steve
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Thanks Steve! I think that's how I will proceed.
I am replacing that bottom sheet metal that looks like Swiss cheese. I may double it up for more strength.
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08-22-2021, 07:18 AM
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#11
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Made a new "floor" for the compartment out of diamond plate aluminum.
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08-23-2021, 07:34 AM
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#12
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Arroyo Grande
, California
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 135
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The Diamond plate will be a nice addition. Just curious, are you still using the original plastic battery box liner as well?
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08-23-2021, 01:34 PM
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#13
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenD
The Diamond plate will be a nice addition. Just curious, are you still using the original plastic battery box liner as well?
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Yes, I'm making repairs to the damaged ABS plastic. It was in pretty rough shape. I'm using a slurry of acetone and black ABS sheets I bought on Amazon.
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09-01-2021, 11:32 AM
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#14
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Here's shot under the battery area before I took it all apart. Is the bottom of the battery compartment supposed to be open like this, i.e., not covered by the belly pan?
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09-02-2021, 08:52 AM
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#15
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Arroyo Grande
, California
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 135
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On our Safari, the rear banana wrap is at the same level as the bottom of the battery box which would be even with the weld line on the welded section at the back. I tried to attach a couple of pics, see if it works, a first for me.
Steve
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09-03-2021, 05:33 AM
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#16
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Thanks, Steve!
It's a little hard to see in the pic, but is the belly pan section one continuous section back there? Like it covers the bottom of the battery box so you can't see it?
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09-03-2021, 08:42 PM
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#17
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Arroyo Grande
, California
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 135
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On ours, the piece of aluminum attached to the banana wrap covers the battery box. There is one small piece if the belly pan that fits over the battery box that coincides with the jack point. I’ve attached a couple of more pics. Hope this helps
Steve
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09-04-2021, 05:45 AM
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#18
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Perfect! Thanks! That looks so much better. Will have to rework mine when I put the wraps back in.
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09-04-2021, 06:02 AM
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#19
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Site Team
1994 25' Excella
Waukesha
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5,502
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Shouldn't the vents on the battery box be open to the outside? If your banana skin covers the vent, how are battery gasses being vented?
__________________
Richard
11018
1994 Excella 25 Follow the build on Gertie!
1999 Suburban LS 2500 w/7.4L V8
1974 GMC 4108a - Custom Coach Land Cruiser (Sold)
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09-04-2021, 08:36 PM
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#20
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3 Rivet Member
1973 23' Safari
Germantown
, Tennessee
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 158
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Vents? Do you have a pic? Thanks
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