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Topic: Before, During, After (Read 6516 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #20 –
Well finally today I got the tools out and decided to take a Rolock off. I picked the 2nd from end and was going to do as Brett said and feed my oil line in that hole. Surprise, surprise it came out just perfect and threaded nicely all the way. I took a pic of it to show it is like new condition  pic 1.
I tried to get the line in but it would not turn to travel down the box tube--pic 2,  so I drilled a 3/8" hole thru the side box section that is inline with the one that crosses behind the angle iron--pic 3. Thru this I threaded the plastic line all the way across and sure enough it stopped at 8'--pic 4, so I hooked it up to my Low pressure sray gun--pic 5, and started to blow the wax/oil mixture into the box tube. I slowly pulled it out as I kept spraying so a good amount is thru the complete tube. I then pushed it to go down the side tube as far as possible and sprayed again so oil mix is in the tubes that are below the compartment doors. Once finished I pressed sealing caps into holes to stop water etc entering--pic 6. I did this in both front and back sections so coach is completey done.
Then I put on a fine mist spray tube to coat right across the angle and Rolock bolts and up into the joint of angle iron etc--pic 7.
I am really confident that I do not have any problem at all with rust or Rolocks after seeing what the ones in the worst position are like (in line of tires)
Now that is out of my mind

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #21 –
should have said once the mixture I sprayed underneath is somewhat drier I will again be spraying more undercoating (rubberized) along angle and rolocks as more protection
John H

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #22 –
John,
There appears to be some significant differences in the way the bottom sill is handled between your coach and ours. You did not have to remove some extruded aluminum trim from the bottom sill in order to drill that access hole? Our coach has extruded aluminum trim all the way along the bottom edges on both sides which gives the compartment door gasket a flange and adds a radius at the bottom. Also, the bulkhead angle iron on our coach has 45° cuts on each end where it meets up with the trim. It is difficult to tell from your picture, but it appears that your bulkhead angle iron is square on the ends. If I drilled a hole in the same place you did along longitudinal axis, it would not meet up with the horizontal square tubing of the bulkhead frame member. I will attach a couple of pictures in an attempt to try and clarify what I am talking about.
As you can see, I did drill a hole to access the horizontal frame member in order to heat the tube from the inside out with a mapp gas torch to ensure there was no moisture left inside after rinsing the metal prep prior to coating with Por-15. If I wanted to access this hole in the future, I will have to take this piece of trim off which involves removing all the caulking etc.
Quote from: John Haygarth –
Well finally today I got the tools out and decided to take a Rolock off. I picked the 2nd from end and was going to do as Brett said and feed my oil line in that hole. Surprise, surprise it came out just perfect and threaded nicely all the way. I took a pic of it to show it is like new condition  pic 1.
I tried to get the line in but it would not turn to travel down the box tube--pic 2,  so I drilled a 3/8" hole thru the side box section that is inline with the one that crosses behind the angle iron--pic 3. Thru this I threaded the plastic line all the way across and sure enough it stopped at 8'--pic 4, so I hooked it up to my Low pressure sray gun--pic 5, and started to blow the wax/oil mixture into the box tube. I slowly pulled it out as I kept spraying so a good amount is thru the complete tube. I then pushed it to go down the side tube as far as possible and sprayed again so oil mix is in the tubes that are below the compartment doors. Once finished I pressed sealing caps into holes to stop water etc entering--pic 6. I did this in both front and back sections so coach is completey done.
Then I put on a fine mist spray tube to coat right across the angle and Rolock bolts and up into the joint of angle iron etc--pic 7.
I am really confident that I do not have any problem at all with rust or Rolocks after seeing what the ones in the worst position are like (in line of tires)
Now that is out of my mind

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #23 –
correct I do not have the trim piece-strange!!
My angle is sq at the end and abutts to the side tube that goes the length of bays. I wonder why they did this as your coach is only a year older and no doubt the same grid section of tubing.
I have to say I was delighted to find the Rolock in such good condition, and it is in one of the worst places for crap and water to be thrown up off tyres. I seem to remember in your pics that these wheel end sections have a bouble tube assy ( and the length of bolt would say that, so I fed my oil tube in the bolt hole and into second section of tube and blasted the mixture in there too, so hope to have covered all possible places. I did all 4 corners in that position. You know it really surprises me how good and solid it all is after the roads we have driven on the last 3 yrs in this coach in Mexico and some of the really bad holes in roads we have come across.
John H

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #24 –
Quote from: John Haygarth –
You know it really surprises me how good and solid it all is after the roads we have driven on the last 3 yrs in this coach in Mexico and some of the really bad holes in roads we have come across.
John H

You know John, it really should be no "surprise" to you. :-\  Your last two words are what makes Foretravel shine as they are certainly the operative words, of your entire statement!  CASE IN POINT: Had you "fallen" into those holes, >:(  then you might find yourself saying something other than "surprise" .

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #25 –
John C, the reason I used "surprise" was because of the many FT owners who have had "rust jacking" and some say that the torque and towing effect these Bulkheads too. So, due to this coach living in the "Great white north" as some southeners like to call it for at least 3 yrs plus that "shock" issue of bad roads in some Mexico states, I was pleasently surprised (and happy) with my situation.
John H

Re: Before, During, After & then some...

Reply #26 –
Well folks,
The work continues and each new step brings the endgame more into focus. I am getting excited! I have cut the fiberglass skins to fit the utilities compartment framing and for the first time, I can see the bulkhead joint as it will be when I'm all done with the project. I also cleaned up and painted the bulkhead angle iron with Por15. I am convinced that finishing the painting of the framework was a major milestone. It signified that I wouldn't be doing any more additions, welding, or grinding on the structure. Now I am starting to feel the single-minded focus that tells me the end is in sight. I just wish some other aspects of life would leave me alone for a while so I could give it my full attention! Ha ha, well such is life...
Naturally I took a few pictures and attach them here for your entertainment. I still have it in my plans to do a more extensive step-by-step type write up on the overall project, along with organized pictures depicting each step of the way. Once I do that, it will printed up and put it along with all the other stuff in the owners manuals. we have no plans to sell this coach, but we do have plans to use it extensively! It may well be that somewhere down the road, I will be the one to benefit from my own documentation LOL! ;D

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #27 –
                 Don, wow, very impressive. I don't believe you will have any further bulkhead concerns. Bet you will be happy to finally be able to spend some of your time on the upper side of the coach. :))

          Looks great and appears bulletproof....or should I say rustproof!

    Dean

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #28 –
Thanks Dean, bullet proof is what I was going for, but I will certainly settle for rustproof. I hadn't really thought of it until your post, but I am quite certain that I have spent orders of magnitude more hours under the coach or literally in the belly of the beast then I have spent in the living quarters topside. I can't wait for that equation to flip-flop!
Don
Quote from: Dean & Dee –
                Don, wow, very impressive. I don't believe you will have any further bulkhead concerns. Bet you will be happy to finally be able to spend some of your time on the upper side of the coach. :))

          Looks great and appears bulletproof....or should I say rustproof!

    Dean

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #29 –
Don,
I have been following the work on your  coach, and I must say.
It is simply OUTSTANDING!!
You are by far a master craftsman.

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #30 –
Don, nice job, by the way how is the other end??? Just before you get off your knees!!
John H
 

Re: Before, During, After

Reply #31 –
Thanks Tom!
I appreciate the kind words... my goal is to always try to improve on the status quo if possible (the status quo being before I realized there was a bulkhead issue). Since Tys and I have in mind to explore wild areas for boondocking possibilities, I want to be sure that there won't be a re-occurrence...

John H... Thanks, but the front is fine! I know that for a fact because I peeled off the entire underside skin. And because I removed all of the front bulkhead bolts one by one. The only issue was that the outermost curbside bolt in the front was broken where it went into the backside of the tubing, leaving a nub inside. I could actually have drilled a hole in from the side of the longitudinal tube and remove the stub and welded a nut. But since there was enough room, I merely drilled another hole (the specified size for installing Roloks) alongside of it about 3/8" inboard and installed a new Rolok. The original broken one was about at the extreme outside edge of the angle, so all I did was move the hole inboard a little and it still terminates inside the outtermost longitudinal square tube. I also replaced all of the old front bulkhead bolts with new ones and since the originals are still usable (just a bit of surface rust here and there), I will use them to replace some of the underside Roloks that aren't as pristine. I can tell you, I was very relieved to have all but one of the front bulkhead bolts doing their job. Keep in mind, there is no suspension members up there tugging on the joint like there is in the back...
Don
Quote from: Tom Endres –
Don,
I have been following the work on your  coach, and I must say.
It is simply OUTSTANDING!!
You are by far a master craftsman.