Has anyone removed the pop rivets and replaced them with screws?
I would like better access to the radiator and CAC to clean the area. There is a fixed in place grill that prevents that. I think it was in 2002 FT went to a door grill you can open and clean below the radiator, etc.
It looks that if one removed the rivets, the grill could slide down a little and then let you pull it out from the top.
Perhaps this just a fools errand, not of sufficient benefit to do this? But I dislike not being able to clean that area, found a bird nest in the bottom a few years ago when replaced the radiator.
I think Don Hay told me he can remove a similar grill attached with screws on his GV.
Michael, I have long been considering just such a modification on our coach, a 99' with the same grill set up. Foretravel drilled out and then replaced the rivets when replacing our fuel lines (fuel cooler behind the grill). I just haven't bumped it up high enough on the priority list to make it happen. Simple enough, as long as care is taken in the drilling out the rivets process. There is not much meat on the fiberglass to hold a screw however, so I plan to use clip nuts to provide the holding power. Probably 10-32 size. These can be found at auto body paint a repair supply places, Fastenal, etc. similar to this;
Cage Nuts and Spring Nuts - Nuts - Grainger Industrial Supply (http://www.grainger.com/category/cage-nuts-and-spring-nuts/nuts/fasteners/ecatalog/N-1196)
Don
Thanks Don, you encourage me!
Good idea Mike. You might want to consider using a brass nutsert (sort of a pop rivet with threads) in a piece of aluminum 1"x3"x1/8" perhaps, that gets glued (3M 5200) and pop riveted to the inside of the fiberglass flange. It should be pretty durable and rust resistant.
A set of lifts would be nice as well.
I did as Don described using stainless steel screws. I also put a cut to fit wire mesh grille (approx 3"x3" grid) in the opening before placing the grille back in place. The mesh will keep some "trash" from entering around the radiator. Use a mesh large enough that it won't block, or slow, air flow.
I too did that years ago with the clips but I used nylon screws, never seize up for sure.
JohnH
Long ago when we needed to clean the grass trash out from behind air cooler, we drilled the rivets. Slipped captive nuts aka tinnerman nuts and use screws to hold grill back in place. A drop of silicone on screw threads acts like a lock washer to keep screws from vibrating loose. After cleaning out a LOT of junk out we see a value on keeping a large piece of hardware cloth cable tied to inner side of grill. Our radiator fans act like a vacuum cleaner when driving slowly along a freshly mowed campground driveway.
I just had the radiator replaced on my '99 U320. Part of the process was to remove the body skirt panel between the access door and rear end cap. This entailed removing the short trim piece at the bottom of the end cap, and the horizontal waist trim piece going forward past the access door (to prevent putting a bend in the aluminum trim piece). Looking ahead to when the body has been painted and knowing that this opening for access has a pretty good likelihood of repeating at some point, I decided to change the entire skirt panel into a lift up access door so that when the time comes, no trim or panel removal will be necessary and therefore no re-painting should be necessary. I plan to do this myself once I'm stationary long enough and have the necessary access to tools and at least a rudimentary shop. In any case I'll need to complete it before the full body paint happens next Spring.
'99 U320 Radiator Replacement - Google Photos (http://photos.app.goo.gl/LrjPzdXzfeVur4zJ2)
This may be more than you might want to tackle depending on your situation (not really necessary if you don't have full body paint, your likelihood of needing to remove the panel is probably diminished if you're not a full-timer, etc). In my case I can't imagine pulling all of that apart once the coach has been painted, so I'm gonna bite the bullet. On the bright side, I can consider it an investment of labor as it will reduce the labor involved in any future repair/replacement in that area.
I will post details as it goes.
Rich, we have F B Paint but I still remove panels. It does not affect the look of paint job one iota in MHO. When the trim strip goes back I lay a fine clear caulk along the top that is hard to see and the paint shows thru'
My feeling one this issue is that there is way too much concern about these little things when a paint job is done.
The inside of a coach (and its condition) ways far more importance to a future buyer than minor fixings of this trim strip, again IMHO.
JohnH
Like this?
Yes, like that. I have seen that the later models have the door right from the factory. Seeing that is what made me think it would be a good idea. John H has a point though - one I'll have to ponder a bit. My feeling is that with paint on the trim, when it gets unscrewed and flexed out of the way, what happens to the paint and clear coat? I dunno - probably just over-thinking as usual. But I don't think it will be that difficult a modification, and assuming the next time it needs to be accessed I will be paying for labor, I like the idea of opening a door - it's much quicker and therefore cheaper.
How about separating the trim piece over the access door from the rest of the side body trim? Then instead of bending the long trim piece, you could just remove the short piece on the door and the rest would remain undisturbed.
That would resolve the problem of flexing the trim - as long as I drill one more hole to fasten the end of whichever piece doesn't get a hole near its end once the trim is divided into 2 pieces. But having seen what it takes to remove the body panel and put it back on, I think I'd be more comfortable with a door. Evidently Foretravel thought it was worthwhile, and I guess it's one change that I agree with. A piano hinge, a couple of gas springs and some reinforcement here and there should do the trick.
Rich, taking the trim strip and cutting it is what I have thought about doing (but not). The trim strip flexing has not affected one bit my paint job on it and it has been off at least 4 times to no avail. The panel off gives you even more room to remove rad and as others can attest to you need every 1/4" you can get I believe.
JohnH
I appreciate everyone's persistence in dissuading me from wasting my time with this mod, as in their experience (and after all, experience beats speculation 10 times out of 10) their fully painted coaches have had the panel removed with no damage done to the finish. I have it now from 3 Forum members (including one by private message). I will try to put my worry and nervous energy toward something more productive. A beer sounds about right! THANKS one and all! ^.^d
1/4" clip nuts and 1/4" cap screws. Wanted to use Allen head screws but couldn't find plated ones at that store. Xtreme took the grill out and painted it separately when we had the coach painted.