How to support the tip outs of an old travel trailer

[MudiGGer25]

So ive got another thread on here somewhere, not sure, but ive attached 2 pics of the camper in question, ive decoded some of the VIN, and its classified as a Travel Trailer and coachmen bought them out bc its thier world idenifier, and if i punch in a 1981 coachmen on nada guides or rvvaluesonline the have the normandy 1000,2000, 3000 all listed in there.


Anyway, what im trying to figure out is a way to support the floors of the tip outs, preferably without having to place jacks/stabilizers/blocks outside everytime we setup.

Idea A: Run a single 2x4 (8ft for the rear and 16ft for the front) across above each slide out, and bolt it in with 3/8 bolts every 16" and a metal L bracket every 16" also ( the ceiling wooden studs/rafters are 16" on center). then bolt a trailer Dring on each end through the original walls + the 2x4 thats been added and a dring on each side of the floor, and run a cable of appropriate size for 1000lbs (front) and 500lbs (rear).

Idea A, would still require a center support of the front 15ft floor because it currently sags with just support on each end, but most Drings are capable of 500-3,000lbs each so strength is not an issue there...

If my weak point is that the wall cannot support the diagonal forces of the floor/room then i could run a cable or a 4x4 between the 2 walls, at the very top of the room, and use that to spread the weight to the other wall.



Idea B. (assuming a flat surface) use 1" pipe and put a floor flange on the bottom of the floor (facing the ground) and a length of pipe with a "foot" that can be quickly attached before letting the floors down. a few "Dolly pads"/ shims could be used to level it if the ground isnt great.



I was originally just going to redo the tipouts with canvas, but my discs are getting worse in my back and soon ill have to stop working so i can do PT full time and start seeing a chiropractor again, which means we be boondocking fulltime for 1-2months while my back recovers again. (yes i go through this cycle about every 5 or 6 months)

We are actually rather excited for the boondocking, gonna head down into TN, GA, KY and see some new places. im in the process of redoing the insulation, fixing the tip outs and sealing the tip out roof. then adding a 12V system for the solar and LED lights.

Also buying a 3200 running watt LP generator and going to build it into the old furnace/water heater compartment and vent the exhaust underneath + forced ventilation whenever its on

[MudiGGer25]

pics

[happyvibe]

You need to fix the structural issues with the trailer first. It sounds like the floor is not structurally sound at the moment. The bigger issue I see is, it sounds like you plan on pulling this to different camp sights. This is not a travel trailer it is a park model trailer. It is designed to be set up at a trailer park and it stays there. I don't see how you are going to seal the tip outs while you are traveling.

[MudiGGer25]

the floors have been completely rebuilt with the exception of the originAL tin that covers them. it's not that they are weak, it's that there is no support for them. it appears that there used to be some kind of rail that attache'd to the arms welded to tge frame and extended under the tip outs but no resources available to try and figure that out..

it is titled as a travel trailer, not a park model, even the VIN decodes as a coachmen travel trailer conventionAL tandem axle, I can upload the PDF I found that shows the vin decoding.


there are fasteners on both sides of each tip out that could very easily have a cover attached that would entirely cover the opening, so that is not an issue either and I actually have a design to have a few hinges attach a waterproof panel to the "metal/exterior" of the floors that can swing up once the floor is tipped up and locked into place that will cover the rest of the opening and remain flush.

I thought it would be classified as a park model as well but thr VIN says otherwise. look up 1981 coachmen Normandy 1000 or 2000, 3000. they are listed as travel trailers.... so as far as DOT and insurance in concerned it is a travel trailer, just a really big one.

we do plan to go to severalcampsites with it, I have repacked 2 bearing already and gotten 4 DOT 14ply tires for it also.

it's getting all LED marker,tail, and brake lights so I'm good there. I'm just trying to find the best way to support the center of thr large slide out if I can avoid Making a "leg" for it.


I decoded all of the VIN except the year, I think the character is a D because it looks like a 0 but 0 is an invalid character.

we only plan on boondocking for 2 to 3 months down south and south east until we find some land we want to buy then it will be blocked up while we build or renovate a house/cabin. then after that the tipouts will be removed and standard walls put in. just need a solution until the end of summertime. i can bring jack stands but that looks a bit tacky (but the trailer isn't the best looking anyway)

I still have to wire up and install the solar and build a external vented compartment for the g
LPG generator too.

[09 harley]

I used to have my mother-in-law sit under my slide in a lounge chair. Worked great! Wish she was still with us!

[rideandslide]

Never seen a TT look like that ! No matter Vin # says, i would say it's a park model ! Good Luck !