Before our last trip I noticed that the bottom of my front right compartment (in front of wheel) had separated from the frame. I used a couple of lag bolts to secure it for the trip. Now I have to do a permanent fix. I removed a steel plate from the inboard side of the "box" and found that the frame was rusted through and this is something I can't fix myself.
I'm guessing that I will need a welding shop or RV shop (trying to avoid -$$$) with a hoist. I just wanted to get opinions, hopefully from someone who has experience.
Keith Risch who uses Thomas Welding in nacogdoches. Excellent work at modest price.
That would be a long trip for us. We are planning a trip to the Northwest in August, so someone in that area might be better. Hopefully, we can get it done down here (San Diego).
I wouldn't let an RV shop within 10 feet of that. Best case they sub contract it out, worst case they try to have someone in house weld it. Either way you're better off finding a good recommendation for a welder and going directly to them
Chances are that entire component is compromised actually replacing and reinstalling may be more cost effective. To patch into / onto it will never be as strong. Also need to prevent this from happening again literally for all of us. If you could add one more photo a little father away I could identify closer I think. Any Gate builder can make this
You need to take a real good look at the rest of the coach. Begin with the hidden tubing in the storage compartments and frame work at the bottom of the walls. Look above the storage compartment doors. I needed up basically junking my 2004 due this corrosion. The left sidewall began to sink.
There were other rust issues with this coach when I bought it. Since then I replaced the radiator, CAC and trans. cooler along with all associated hoses. While the radiator was out, I cleaned up all the rust that was visible and had the bulkhead addressed when we were in Nacogdoches. This should be the last of the rust. I bought the coach because it was a mid entry, ISM engine and 36' with a premium paint job. I knew I would not find another like it.
At least this is an isolated small section AND isn't due to a plumbing leak.
Sven, I got your PM. Hard to tell exactly the extent of work required to repair, better said, hard to tell exactly the extent of disassembly required to replace the affected structural members. If you are capable of removing everything, I have an employee out of Ramona that does mobile welding as side work after hours or on the weekends who I can connect you with. The structural repairs themselves APPEAR simple, just splicing and replacing a couple of square tube members. The bulk of the work (labor dollars if taking to a shop) is likely going to be the disassembly to get to the steel, and then the reassembly after the repairs are complete. I will follow up with a PM later this afternoon, I have to run out of the office for a bit.
Sven: I would look around for an AG equipment repair shop, Cat dealer or one of the big tractors sales shop. They are used to working on big stuff and have the equipment to do it. ( hoists etc. ) Don't know if they are that far south but around here it's Holt Bros.
You really don't know how well built a Foretravel is until you try disassembling it. The first photo show the left side of the cabinet with the thin fiberglass sheet and felt removed. It is a Styrofoam sheet sandwiched between two thin fiberglass sheets and framed with flat tubular steel. Since there is no heat source for this isolated cabinet, I don't know why it was insulated. In the last photo, I put a piece of cardboard in to block out the background (generator, etc) to show the vertical steel which might serve as an anchor for the new cage. Hopefully, I have a mobile welder who can do this as a side job.
Excellent job with disassembly. The extent of the damage doesn't seem too bad. I wonder why that particular bay rusted out. I do think the insulation was there because all of the panels are constructed that way and the foam core provides strength and rigidity to the assembly vs. a hollow panel (referred to as a stressed skin panel). Hopefully the other bays don't have any similar corrosion issues.
I'd check the routing of the dash A/C condensate line. It usually discharges up front, close to that location.
My thought also.
I think you have done the hardest part. The welding should be straight forward. A good mobile welder
should be fine. If you have a 50 amp service for the coach you could change the plug on a welder and
use that. That's how I have my welders set up at home.
Make sure You or who ever welds on your Coach is familiar with welding on a coach with a computer controlled engine. On my Detroit it has specific cautions that must be taken as not to do harm to the injection system and other component's. ^.^d
This is great information. I would consider getting your new parts powder coated and mention to your welder you want everything closed welded to prevent moisture from getting in there. Lookin good
Best paint for rust in my opinion is Rust Bullet,better then POR15,spray the inside of the tubes with undercoat.