Poor timing>problem>potential disaster>Silver lining

[Airboss68]

After about 6 months of owning our TS, a 3 month, 6,000 mile trip, we decided to go full time for a few years while still physically able.

Made the decision in October last year, got the S&B sold with a closing and move in for the new owners set for March 29th this year. Gave all our furnishings to our son and scheduled movers for March 27th.

New owners sold their old house and had to be out March 26th.

As you can imagine given the current situation this chain of events was less than optimal for anyone.

Got lucky as I had been prepping the TS (repairing, cleaning, replacing etc) and scored a campground spot in Mobile (where my son lives) and was able to get there without any major problems.
Day 3 heard a loud bang, turns out the black tank bracket corroded, broke and tank dropped. Wasn't quite full but plumbing came apart and of course it was the end opposite the drain so couldn't fully drain it. Got it elevated and fastened back into position, plumbing reattached and sealed.

Going back to my purchase of the RV I THOUGHT I did a good pre-buy inspection.

Being 70 and with diffuse arthritis crawling under the RV was not where I was very thorough.

Now with my water bay fully exposed I noted the fresh water tank floor bulging and probing found the floor to be soft. So far all of this is just a problem and ultimately the silver lining. But in looking further found the framework around the water bay (both uprights and lower frame) Rusted to the point of almost not being there at all. There is little doubt in my mind the pending disaster was having the whole shebang drop sometime soon on a bumpy stretch of interstate thus the initial problem was the silver lining.

Now,to get it fixed. Oddly enough all the RV service centers I called were open. Unfortunately none of them wanted to touch "frame welding". Nothing I could say would convince any of them this wasn't the chassis frame.

Finally found a shop nearby by that said "sure we can, just finishing up the same job on a Newmar". Went and looked and indeed it was a Big Newmar with the same problem and they did an excellent repair job.

Moved in with my son and should have the TS back with a new water bay in about 3 weeks.

All of this just reinforces the fact that when buying any used RV, (no matter how well inspected and apparent good condition) you need to budget a significant a mount of $ for after purchase repairs and upgrades.

Now hopefully I can make it to my appointment with Paul's RV for a windshield hoop in mid May and to the Spartan chassis course in mid June.



After that, we'll see where the wind blows.

[rag_ftw]

Good job of making lemonade from a bag of lemons!

Now I have something else to check next time I go to the barn! Gives me something to do while under "house arrest"!

[Herb51]

Originally Posted by rag_ftw

Good job of making lemonade from a bag of lemons!

Now I have something else to check next time I go to the barn! Gives me something to do while under "house arrest"!

yea look inside wheel well there is a angle iron on bottom of water bay they put it on outside and all the road water runs down behind it and rest on floor till it is all rotted away just replaced mine framework was still good now in process of caulking angle iron and putting heavy coat of undercoating on top of that after 2 windshields got the hoop from paul very nice gentleman owned 2005 select for 2 years only used one week rest time undergoing repairs that's a long long story and not interested in telling it good luck and god speed Herb

[Airboss68]

yea look inside wheel well there is a angle iron on bottom of water bay they put it on outside and all the road water runs down behind it and rest on floor till it is all rotted away

Exactly where mine started.

[Bodean56]

My water bay floor rotted as well and I’m currently in the process of ripping it out and replacing the floor with new plywood and a sheet of diamond plate over the top for what I hope to be a nice look when I’m done. I’ll post pictures and the steps I took to complete my work when I’ve completed my project.

I have found that by staying home because of Covid-19 that I’m able to tinker around and repair things that need repaired.

[Airboss68]

Check the struts holding the water bay up at the top for corrosion, mine were almost completely gone.

[Herb51]

I glued 2 sheets 1/2 pressure treated together to get an inch then put 1/8 inch polytex on top of that as moisture bearer sealed wheel well angle iron all way across then undercoated sprayed the hell out of it I figured it will last as long as coach does

[Airboss68]

It has taken awhile but my repair is well on the way to being done. I'd like to take credit for doing it myself but alas age interferes in everything. The work is being done by RV Collision center in Mobile AL.
Below are some photos of the old structure, open water bay after removal of old structure and the start of reconstruction.















As you can see the original subframe was comprised of thin wall angle and in some locations it is completely "dissolved" by corrosion the entire balance of it is severely corroded. It is being replaced with 1/8' coated structural steel. Looking at it I was probably 1 pothole away from disaster.

The gray and black tanks are nested in a 1/8' structural frame that is fastened to the fore and aft plywood walls wit just 3/4' machine screws.
The fore and aft walls (factory) are untreated 3/4" marine plywood. On one aft wall photo you can see the water staining from the tires throwing moisture forward. The gray/black frame screws will be replace by thru bolts thru added steel bracing.

The fresh water tank (appears) to have been suspended from the gray/black frame by some really weak looking galvanized metal banding. My bands were broken and it was setting on the totally rotted out flooring.

The flooring is being replaced by a honeycomb layered on each side by fiberglass fabricated at a local boat repair facility. Hopefully I'll be back on the road next week eaded to Paul's for my windshield hoop.

If you have an older TS I would urge you to look up under the coach aft of the water bay where the subframe uprights are attached just forward of the drive tires as well as probe the underside of your water bay with an awl for soft spots.

[texasrs]

For some unknown reason, your pictures are not there.

Ray

[Airboss68]

OK you are the second notification that can't see them. I'll have to figure it out.

Using dropbox it used to be copy the link, change the 0 digit at the end to a 1 and post it. worked great.

Now I copy the link and it ends in the digit 2. Changed it to a 1 and I can see it but apparently no one else can. Any suggestions.

[Airboss68]

Let's try again>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>












Can you see me now??????

[rhusak]

Airboss..
OMG... where did your coach live? That framing is really ate up... Almost looks like a sea shore deal...
A year ago I discovered a rotted out water bay floor.. I had a slow leak from the hot water heater that I was unaware of... It was pretty far gone... Believe it or not my insurance company (Safeco) covered the repair.. The shop made a new floor out of diamond plate aluminium and covered it in that aluminium type insulated material... I saw the coach when all the rotten stuff was out and nothing but surface rust on the framing. The shop wire brushed all of that stuff and sealed it with an undercoat type spray before installing the new floor...
I replaced the water heater even tough it was still working... Just what I did...
You have done a great job it looks like just really surprised at the "disappearing" frame work...
Ron

[Airboss68]

As best I can tell it was always registered in Texas. Doesn't mean it wasn't up North in the winter.

I don't think it was necessarily salt related as the only are with serious corrosion is just forward of the drive wheels. Balance of coach underneath just has the rust you would expect at 16 years of age.

[texasrs]

Rhusak got them, I think. But, I still don't get any pics.

Ray