American Coach: Basement Rust Repair

[Chargerman]

I just stumbled across this thread and read it in its entirety. You did a fantastic job! A true Craftsman. I also enjoy undertaking projects that most would shy away from so I can understand the scope of this one. Significant, to say the least.

Hats off to you!!

[Meames1]

Originally Posted by Chargerman

I just stumbled across this thread and read it in its entirety. You did a fantastic job! A true Craftsman. I also enjoy undertaking projects that most would shy away from so I can understand the scope of this one. Significant, to say the least.

Hats off to you!!

Thanks !
I'm the type that always has to have a project going. This winter I'm rebuilding a boat. lol

[OldCars1000]

I have a 1999 American Tradition. The prior owner brushed up against a guard rail and damaged several basement doors. How do I remove them to repair the damage and paint them? Also, one of the doors was bent at the bottom. How do I remove the skin on the door for repair. There is what appears to be a rain guard just above the basement door hinge. A screw behind that skin has come loose and is keeping the front of the basement door about one inch away from the body. How do I remove the rain guard so I can screw the screw back in so the front of the door will be even with the body and prevent rain and wind from affecting the door (blowing it open when driving)? Thanks for your help. oldcars1000 or j.weary@comcast.net

[degkop]

Originally Posted by OldCars1000

I have a 1999 American Tradition. The prior owner brushed up against a guard rail and damaged several basement doors. How do I remove them to repair the damage and paint them? Also, one of the doors was bent at the bottom. How do I remove the skin on the door for repair. There is what appears to be a rain guard just above the basement door hinge. A screw behind that skin has come loose and is keeping the front of the basement door about one inch away from the body. How do I remove the rain guard so I can screw the screw back in so the front of the door will be even with the body and prevent rain and wind from affecting the door (blowing it open when driving)? Thanks for your help. oldcars1000 or j.weary@comcast.net

It depends on the type of basement door you have. I have two types, a hinge at the top and a pantograph type. If you have the hinge type, there is a small set screw in the middle of the door along the top that you remove and then the doors will slide out. On the passenger side, starting at the rear, I have a open bay to the side of the engine that I slide out, then the battery bay door and then the piece over the rear wheels. You will need to remove the struts that hold up the door before sliding the doors out.

As for the rain guard, it is called a belt rail. On mine, there is a rubber trim piece that covers the screws. I used a heat gun to soften the sealant behind the trim and peeled it off, again starting from the rear. Coach Beltline Detail (1).pdf
Should be able to access the screws after the trim is removed.

[Meames1]

Oldcars,
I replied to your PM about removing the doors. I'm copying here for others.

degkop,
While you are correct, you can remove the doors the way you describe by sliding them out...they can also be removed individually without taking everything else off. The hinge releases the doors at about 50 degrees. Also, only the Eagle's of this vintage use the pantograph style hinge

To remove the baggage doors. First, on the outside with the door closed you'll see a very small (#6) screw in the center of the hinge. Remove that screw, it threads into a plastic block that centers the door in the opening. Now open the door and using a small screw driver or pick and remove that plastic block and remember the direction it goes in.
Now, have a helper and remove the two gas struts by releasing the spring clips. Once free, open the door to approximately 50 degrees...hint: it's just past 1/2 way open, while pushing back (inward) against the hinge. While pushing slightly back and opening, once you get to the correct angle you'll feel and see the door go inward towards the hinge, that's the release point. You may have to wiggle a little, but the door will release from the hinge. (much better with 2 people).
Reverse procedure to re-install. Once back on, put the plastic block back in (I used a little dab of urethane sealant to hold in place) close the door and center it as desired. Once centered, re-install little screw into plastic block. Don't worry about lining up old hole in plastic block if it won't, just let screw cut new threads.
Good Luck !

[degkop]

Meames1, when you were putting in the floor and bulkheads, did you need to replace any of the sidewall steel? I have some 0.75x1.5 steel between the basement ceiling and the main floor in the wheel well that needs to be replaced. How is that held to the 1.5x1.5 floor tubing? Welded or screed from above? I started to pull on it and it didn’t readily come loose. Can’t see anything holding it together (other than the rust) and figured you may have needed to replace some of when you were doing your project. TIA.

[Meames1]

Originally Posted by degkop

Meames1, when you were putting in the floor and bulkheads, did you need to replace any of the sidewall steel? I have some 0.75x1.5 steel between the basement ceiling and the main floor in the wheel well that needs to be replaced. How is that held to the 1.5x1.5 floor tubing? Welded or screed from above? I started to pull on it and it didn’t readily come loose. Can’t see anything holding it together (other than the rust) and figured you may have needed to replace some of when you were doing your project. TIA.

Attachment 319118

Yes, I had to replace some of that over the wheel openings. It's tack-welded to the base of the wall steel. The rest of that frame, the part that attaches to the uprights and makes up the door frames is only screwed to the uprights. But, yes it's tacked at the top every so often. Find these tacks and grind them out with a zip wheel in a 4" angle grinder. I cut out rusted sections and butt-welded the new pieces to the existing "good tubing" and then tacked them every so-often like the originals.

[Meames1]

You can see in this picture where I had to replace the whole upper piece above the left front wheel.

[Meames1]

Here is another picture above the battery compartment and right rear wheel. You can see the spot-weld still on the good metal tube and where I cut it out and started replacing it.

[Drewfab]

Originally Posted by degkop

Meames1, when you were putting in the floor and bulkheads, did you need to replace any of the sidewall steel? I have some 0.75x1.5 steel between the basement ceiling and the main floor in the wheel well that needs to be replaced. How is that held to the 1.5x1.5 floor tubing? Welded or screed from above? I started to pull on it and it didn’t readily come loose. Can’t see anything holding it together (other than the rust) and figured you may have needed to replace some of when you were doing your project. TIA.

Attachment 319118

That is welded to the 1.5x1.5 steel tube above it that is the bottom of the side wall. The whole side from roof to bottom of the basement is built and welded together. There is not much weld there and I was able to cut the enter side structure of the basement off and screw a new one from the bottom of that .75 x 1.5 tube.

[OldCars1000]

I have a similar problem with the baggage door panel under the driver's window on my 99 American Tradition. I took off the aluminum guard on the belt rail so i could replace the screws that had rusted away that held the belt rail to the coach. I discovered that there was approximately a 1/2 inch void behind the side of the coach where the belt rail screws to the coach. It appeared to have some rotted plywood that just fell out. I replaced the filler and tried to screw it back on, but ran into what appears to be metal. The rusted screws that broke off appear to be fine thread screws, possible sheet metal screws, but the thread is much finer than sheet metal screws. I had originally thought that the screws would screw into a wood floor of hte coach. Is the flooring on a 99 American Tradition plywood on a metal tubing frame, or is it a metal floor on a metal tubing floor? What type of screws should I use and how long should they be? What type of shim/spacer should I use to fill in the void between the side of the RV and the metal tubing? Is there anything else that I should do or be aware of? Thanks for your help. Old Cars 1000 j.weary@comcast.net

[OldCars1000]

Originally Posted by Meames1

In deep !

Attachment 266071

Attachment 266072

Floor out and on the ground !
Attachment 266073

The white panels used on the top-side and all along the interior of the basement have been torn off here to expose the steel structure and insulation. The panels are fiberglass reinforced embossed panels readily available at Lowe', Home Depot, etc. I'll be using the same panels on reassembly including patching in where I need to cut them off the uprights to replace any bad steel.
Attachment 266074

Hi Meames1, The screws that hold the basement doors that are under the hinge railing have rusted away. When I went to put in new screws I discovered that I have about a 1/2 inch void before I hit metal. I am assuming that his the 1.5x1.5 metal tubing channel that you mentioned in your basement rebuild. Can you tell me what size screws I need to use to replace the old rusted screws? Does a wood floor rest on those metal channels or is the floor metal also? Do you know what used to be where my 1/2 inch void is between the fiberglass skin and the metal tubing? Any recommendations on what material I should use to fill the void? Are there any other issues I should look for while I am doing the repair? Thanks for your reply. I am trying to get it fixed before I go camping in the middle of May. Thanks for all of your help. Oldcars1000

[degkop]

Hi Old Cars. Meames1 is the OG on this, but I will give you my info as he and others (Drewfab) have given me a bunch of info. The screws I used to reattach the fiberglass to the frame were
#14-14 Phillips Flat Head Self Drilling Screws 410 Stainless Steel TEK Sheet Metal Screws #14-4 x 2-1/2 from Amazon or Albany Connectors. You should counter sink the screw heads 1/4” so they sit flush. I have a belt rail detail from a 1999 or 2000. I also have some sidewall construction details that were from a 2000 that have proven invaluable while trying to repair the rust on my coach. I will try to upload or DM them to you.

Roadside sidewall.pdf

[degkop]

Coach Beltline Detail (1).pdf
Basement frame details.pdf