Truth be known it's my fault due in no small part to my camera. I finally spent an afternoon downloading, categorizing and deleting about 1500 of the 3000+ photo's on the memory card. No small feat in itself. Now newer photos will download to my computer much faster.
Well, fear not, I've actually accomplished a few things. And just as I hoped, this blog is serving to remind myself that I'm actually getting something done around here.
Before winter struck, I managed to put my chrome home back together...mostly. Here are the photos.
Old rotten rear floor with mild rust on frame.
Found the source of my leak in a cracked pipe pictured lower left. Also, typical rot under rear channel in trunk area.
Old floor to be used as template for new. High Density Polyethylene in background.
Big Hole.
The MONEY SHOT: Standing ON driveway, INSIDE trailer.
New flooring, NO PLYWOOD. Underside is sheet of same material used on hockey rink side boards and dump truck bed liners: high density polyethylene. I originally wanted to use a 5/8" thick layer but weight was major factor at 70+lbs for a 4x8' sheet of 1/2".
Instead I used thin layer under combined with a sample of fiberglass/epoxy hybrid I received to equal original floor thickness. I would have used a single sheet of the hybrid but couldn't source a 5/8" thick sheet at that time.
Prepped frame with hours of wire wheel work. The original grey and black paint was still stuck on pretty well. I didn't want to sand blast since frame was relatively clean and sandblasting tends to leave sand and dust everywhere that keeps filtering out for years. Plus, if you believe the advertising, the two coats of Por 15 that followed are supposed to stick better to light pitting and surface rust than to raw steel. If this was a frame off, it would have been faster and more effective to media blast.
I upgraded from 1/4" to 5/16 bolts, washers and nylocks around the perimeter. Lesson learned here: nylon lock nuts gall stainless bolt threads. Never happens to me with normal stainless nuts and lock washers. Tried to remove one and found bolt had to be overtorqued until it snapped. Guess that will be a job for the next owner...since I hope this floor lasts the remainder of my life.
I used plated elevator bolts. I found that standard 1/4-20 x 1-1/4" length weren't long enough where floor overlaps and frame is lowered. Picked up some extras at 2".
This photo shows additional angle stock I welded in across rear under trunk area between frame rails. After talking with Inland RV I agree the flat bar stock is flimsy and reinforcement makes sense. I happened to find a 1-1/2x1-1/2"galvanized angle at my local scrap dealer. I ground off the coating at the ends before welding and fit it under the repainted flat bar. Up top I reinforced the body u-channel with 2 pieces of 1/8" thick 1"x1"aluminum angle inside, riveted to each other to form a U and then inside the original. The bolts across the back now pass through 1/4" galvanized angle, the original 1/4" flat stock, the flooring, then the original aluminum body channel and 2 layers of 1/8" aluminum angle.
This baby's strong now. Hey Frank, you won't see my bumper bouncing now!
And NO, I didn't install the sewer hose cover. I'm going to find a different way to skin that cat so I don't funnel water into the back of the trailer like the original design did.
View from rear, no tanks, belly pan lowered only where flooring repair done.
New floor top view. This side is the 1/2" thick fiberglass/epoxy board I'm testing. They didn't have 5/8" to match original floor thickness, but it could be custom ordered. This is the same material high end boats are using due to it's weather resistance, high compressive and shear strength along with lighter weight.
Weight of 1/2" 4x8' sheet of materials are:
Plywood=42-48 lbs depending on core, treated or non-treated.
Solid HDPE (High Density Polyethylene=70 lbs.
What I used: Glass reinforced urethane=32 lbs.
Costs will vary by suppliers but for a single sheet replacement like this all products I looked at were similar in price.
Note to self: instead of using a spade bit to countersink the elevator bolts, next time use your forsner...much cleaner and easier!
*Dark spot on right is water. Dark spot on left is spilled Por15...oops.
Here's a close up of flooring, showing woven mat. Some surfaces during the factory sanding process. Cost isn't bad, compared to treated or especially marine grade plywood. I didn't have to spend time with chemicals and epoxies sealing edges, etc. Weight is as mentioned, lower than plywood. The only downside might be screw holding ability. For that I can block under at closet & cabinet locations.
We'll see how it all works out as the miles add up.
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