Suspension suspense.....!

Well, between being out of town and under the weather, not much has taken place on the trailer front this week except......

1.  The daily dribble of WD-40 on the lug nuts finally rendered the lug nuts removable.  They had been tightened very thoroughly - perhaps too thoroughly.  Problem here....I have 3 non-matching rims yet 2 very good matching tires and one flat spare tire of a completely different size.  There might be some future expense in this department.

2.  With the removal of the wheels, I was able to flip the frame over and work on removing the rust and undercoating of an undetermined, ancient date from the underside of the frame.  At this point I thought a careful inspection of the running gear and the unofficial lift kit would be in order.  Time for some more WD-40 action.

WD-40 - the next best thing to Duct Tape!

With a small effort the carriage bolts securing the I-beam to the frame loosened up.  The bolts will be replaced with new Grade 8 hardware as since the flange of an I-beam is angled in relation to the bearing surface, this caused the bolts to become bent.  I will have to come up with a tapered washer of some sort if I want to keep the "lift kit" in my plans.  The photo also shows the 2-inch rearward offset of the axle.  I'm not sure if there was any science behind this or if it came out of an issue of Better Homes and Hovels, Trailering Illustrated or what.

3.  With the suspension off the frame, I can almost pick the frame up and move it by myself.  The axle assembly is kind of weighty but surprisingly, the foot-long pieces of I-beam are light in comparison!

With the pillow blocks off, things look pretty clean

Curbside

Streetside

Removing the pillow blocks allowed for inspection and the fit of the axle.  There is some wear but nothing that appears to be out of tolerance.....or even looking worn down or fatigued.  Now to inspect the pillow blocks after some cleaning.....

Things look pretty clean...and will look even better after a good beadblasting!

I do notice an interesting feature to the pillow blocks:  In the larger casting, the one that attaches to the frame, there is a wider section at the parting line (it can bee seen in the photo above.  I wonder if it for grease retention or some sort of split bushing?  More research here....
 
So what's next?  Sheet metal!  Last night I moved the skins and wheel wells from Dave's shop in order get things out of his way and to get them a little closer to my house so I can measure or polish or polish some more.  I need to get started on that polishing at some point.  I also need to talk to my friend Mitch about doing a little welding to restore the frame laterals that had fatigued and weakened over time.  I've got some ideas on how to do this while reinforcing all of the frame laterals but his expertise will be the final word.  He's a pretty smart cookie.  And he has a welder in his garage.  And he's just down the block.  Did I happen to mention there might be some polishing to do?

Better get a photo of this label as it may not last much longer

Also on the "to do" list:  Trailer wall design.......when a single thickness of plywood and foil paper insulation simply will not do.  In the meantime, I think spring has arrived!

It made it to 61 today....!

"I.....have a plan!"

Well, now that the trailer has been reduced to individual trailer molecules, the work/fun can begin.  There will be lots of polishing of window frames, cleaning of the frame, restoring the door, collecting of various bits and pieces to finish it out, and so forth but for now it's time to dream.  Dream about how all these various components will come back together - like an exploded diagram in reverse.  What needs to happen is not in question but down to the inch planning for the reconstruction.  Just like my motorcycle, I can envision all the parts as I disassembled them, being categorized for evaluation and each one's future disposition and then the reassembly of the entire trailer.  In order to make sense out of of this and not just cobbling it all back together to make it work, I have been devising a plan.  This plan will take into consideration modifications necessary to enjoy a full size bed, a functional galley, dinette seating as well as improvements to make this trailer a better trailer but not sacrificing the lines and function which makes the Sportsman the ideal trailer that it is.  I apologize for the fuzziness of the exports of the CAD drawings - but I think something is being lost in the  conversion from dwg to bmp to jpg!  Hopefully they convey the idea..........

Looking down through the floor on the left, upwards from the ground on the right

There are three frame extensions that need to be repaired:  the two rear most on the streetside and the one aft of the door curbside.  The welds on the others will all be inspected to ensure there are no weak welds or fatiguing angle that should be replaced.  Also under consideration is the concept of closing in the aft end of the frame to strengthen it - this may be part of a spare tire carrier/rear bumper similar to one seen recently on the Tin Can Tourists Facebook page that I really liked.

I'll have to sort out how the license plate will be incorporated here

Now onto the interior.....

White=Floor, Blue=Seating, Yellow=Bed deck, Red=Galley, Green=Nightstand, Cyan=Cushions

Here we see the dinette seating and the gaucho made up and ready for day use.  The bed is the standard 54" wide allowing for a full size bed to be made up.  The dinette seating is 30" wide so when made down for sleeping, it is standard cot width.  The cross-wise length for both beds is the regulation 75".  This required the galley to be shortened slightly from 32" to 28" requiring a different stove and sink setup.  The ideal stove & sink would be this combination from SMEV.....

....but sadly it is not being imported to the US at this time.  I have some friends who live in England who might procure one for me and bring it with the next time they are visiting the states.  If that isn't possible, then I will refurbish the original sink and utilize a small single burner stove.  Since we enjoy doing our cooking outdoors with our current trailer, the indoor kitchen will be mostly for an early morning mug of hot chocolate or a drink of water right before bed.  I'd rather not do any of the camp cooking inside for all the obvious reasons!

Bedtime!

Here is the same view of the interior with all the cushions folded down (and the bed platforms in place).  As with the galley having to be shortened, the same has to be done with the nightstand by the door.  It will end up being only about 6 inches in width but that is enough for a small book shelf and on the opposite side by the dinette, perhaps a narrow tip-out for a table cloth or placemats.  I'm supposing that either entering or exiting the bed will need to take place with a footstool since going from the stepdown up to the bed will be about a 28-inch rise.  That's OK for me in order to accommodate a full size bed that can be made back into a couch during the day.  The difference between the couch and the aft floor is only 18 inches - pretty average.

Snow is in the forecast for this weekend.......so much for working on the frame in the driveway for now.  I'll have to wait for warmer, drier weather next week.

Happy Birthday, AKF!  Thanks for letting me do what I enjoy doing!

"Asp! Very dangerous! You go first....!"

Last Thursday night I brought the frame home so I could work on it as I had spare time over the weekend.  Friday evening found me and my son working on removing rust, dirt and the remnants of some sort of undercoating using a rotary wire brush.  We made much more progress on Saturday morning including a semi-major discovery.

Saturday was a nice day for outdoor work

As far as the frame goes, it seems to be in fairly good shape.  There are three of the laterals that need to be replaced (the originals had rusted through and came loose with the floor) and I still need to flip it over to remove the grunge from the underside.  This undercoating that I'm encountering is somewhat unevenly applied and is a real bear to remove.  While some of it flakes off easily, the rest of it is still well-adhered and requires careful scraping prior to vigorous application of the wire brush.  From the photo above, you can see the home-brew LP tank brackets and the tongue jack have been removed.  The existing jack was almost too short to lift the hitch off the ball as it was not to mention it was welded to some angle that was welded over the LP tank angle iron....  I will be replacing the jack with one that has a greater extension which will in turn  be welded in the proper place.  Soooo......after all the welds had been carefully cut I began to remove remaining weld and the rust which had formed under the brackets.  Then this appeared......

Wait!  Are those numbers??  Let's clean carefully here.....

So it's really a 1960.....!

According to the title and the registration with a "replacement" VIN (proviso for a damaged or missing stamp or tag), it had been registered as a 1961.  I'm wondering if it is worth it to get things straightened out.  Not to worry, the existing title, registration and the "replacement" tag (just barely visible on inner surface of the right-hand tongue tubing in the uppermost photo) all match but it'd be neat to get the model year and VIN straightened out......if an agreement can be reached on that second to last digit.  It's like an archeological dig!

No doubt about it, Rocky......

...I gotta get myself a new safety chain!

Frame work......and some questions!

My apologies in advance to the unknown photographers and thanks for their good ideas.

I worked amid a shower of sparks last night removing various pieces of angle from the tongue that has been for securing the propane tank and the regulator.  The tank was long gone when I first looked at the trailer last fall and the regulator was full of water when I disassembled things last week.  I don't have any snapshots (if I did they'd have looked pretty good with the sparks from the grinder in the twilight) but here are a couple from last fall showing how things used to be.  I will be attaching a new propane tank base ring and holder at some point in the future when it is time to do so.

It was reeeealy full of water....as was the entire line clear back to the stove!

    The tongue jack is all that is left and it will be moving into the hole in the tongue    

Now for the questions:  should I attempt to rebuild it better than the original or create a permanent platform for a full size mattress?  The original setup was for a 48" wide folding bed which provides for more "living" room when folded in but we need more than that.  A full size mattress is 6 inches wider yet if I go with that width, then I have to lose 6 inches off the 32-inch-wide galley cabinet.  Now this is indeed doable if I were to take the cabinet down to 26 inches in width but then I have to consider my appliance needs.  Also, the nightstand (as seen to the left in the photo below) would need to be drastically narrowed as well.   

Not my trailer but it's the same model.  You get the idea.

The sink is about a foot wide and the stove is somewhere near 18 inches in width so perhaps a different stove will be necessary.  I found a SMEV combination sink and two-burner stove that would be perfect.....

....but it is not being imported into the U.S. at this time.  Panther RV Products has this neat little single burner SMEV unit that would be the right size if I decide to go with my existing sink in order to shrink the size of my cabinet and maintain the ability to at least boil water.  I do like the original two-burner stove but it may need a lot of TLC to get it suitable for use and if so, maybe the newer unit makes more dollars and cents.  Perhaps I should consider a new, small stainless steel sink to match the single burner stove?

You can see how the nightstand was narrowed in this rebuild.

Bigger bed, smaller galley when compared to....

....the gaucho in it's original configuration.

I know he can get the job but can he DO the job?

Another thing I need to think about is how much living space do I lose by making the bed a full time bed and not retractable.  I like being able to hang out inside without having to have the bed part of the seating arrangements; I'd feel better if I could use it like a gaucho for seating and then make it out into a bed come nightfall. All of a sudden, I'm reminded of my dorm room from nearly 35 years ago (see my plan above - cushions not shown)!  But now for the kicker....will we be sinking in between the cushions if we did the three-cushion gaucho?  Or is there some sort of super foam out there or a way to keep the three cushions "together" in some fashion?

So many questions, so few answers......but I think a plan is coming together.

......And the walls came a-tumblin' down!

Today's forecast had been for rain.....but when the sun came up I knew today was the day!

Some call them the Wellsvilles.....others call them the Mendons!

Then the phone rang.......Hello?......Oh, Hi Dave.....Yeah, I was about to head out.....What's that you say?.....  Well then, that'll save me a ton of work......See you in a few......(click)

"The roof collapsed two days ago....."

"......and the wind last night pushed the walls over!"

So now it's only a matter of cleaning up the flotsam and jetsam.......and lots of linoleum peeling!

Funny how all that wood fit into the back of a pickup!

Hey, the former location of a underfloor heater!

Appears some frame repairs will be in order

I count 11 carriage bolts securing the floor to the frame.....with 11 rusted nuts on the other end.  When power tools won't do the job, it's time to bring in the heavy artillery....!!

Dave is back there.....somewhere

One floor with wheelwells....

....and one frame.....but wait, there's more!

Anyone for BBQ?  This grill was wired to the frame!

Look!  The off-road frame riser kit!  Does your Scotty have this???

Personally, I like the extra ground clearance this gives my trailer especially as Korporate Kampgrounds aren't my bag.  I often stay in improved camping areas but many are a little more challenging to get to.  I'm curious why the design of this riser locates the axle 2" aft of the original position.  It is certainly robust enough raising the frame up 5-6" and when driving home two weeks ago, the trailer handled well up through 60-65 MPH.  More research will need to take place here.  I'd like to keep this feature.

Now to get a look underneath the floor and make a shopping list

Three sheets of 3/4" plywood, three 8-foot 1x2's, four 8-foot 2x2's.......

....and with a little luck.....look what I found in a seam in the flooring!

With a sky that blue, can summer be far off?

Today was an incredibly successful day.  Some may look at where I am at now and see only a pile of parts and debris.  This trailer has passed through a spring, summer, fall, and winter in it's 52 years.  It's about to enjoy a new spring, a renewal.  Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, a new life, a resurrection.

What's my next step? 

Well, let's get going on the frame and make that shopping list.....will you join me?

"Fortitudine Vincimus" translated "By endurance we conquer"

Today dawned bright and clear....and the next few days are threatening rain and snow.  Sounded like the perfect time to do some more D and D.....documentation and demolishing!

Out with the dinnette...mind the gap

Though many nails were used, it came right out

Followed by the gaucho

Most of this wood has value as firewood....what I find later does not!

Next goes the water tank

Careful work here (the lid is put away)

I'll have to figure out what I'm doing water tank-wise

So after less than an hour, I had removed the dinette, the gaucho, the galley cupboard, a city water connection through an added backsplash made from Formica over 3/4" Novaply.  The day is still young so the marker and taillights were next.  

Then I thought.....what if I remove a window?  Do I dare?

So far, so good.....that was easy

Two more down

All four came out very easily

A good use for an Oldsmobile

OK, might as well do the door while I'm at it...and the trim

It's still a little cool for air conditioning but what the hay?!?

 It's now 1pm and I have four more hours....should I?  Peel the trailer?  Am I man enough?

You have got to be kidding.....!!!!

OK, that went sort of reasonably well

Expanding foam as a building material...nasty!

I think termites might turn up their mandibles at the sight of this!

Moving around to streetside

And now the front

Lastly curbside.  Yes, lots of foil paper insulation

Might as well do the roof....it's only 3pm!

Note to the casual viewer:  it's beginning to rack sideways!

Roof rolled and banded

All the skins stored away for safe keeping

It's now 4pm and time to take a survey of the day's efforts.  Let's see....

A little bit loose in this corner wouldn't you say?

OK, a lot loose in the front corner!

Meanwhile, over at the right rear corner...

Perhaps a little rework is in order?

It's a good thing I'm not doing this in my driveway!

You know the feeling Sir Ernest Shackleton must have had when he first realized that the Endurance was nipped by the ice and though weeks away, the end was inevitable?  There is a storm moving in tomorrow and high winds are anticipated.  Due to the excessive rot, which I knew was hiding under the siding, it won't take much of a crosswind to finish razing the walls.  I am surprised at how much the metal was keeping things together.  If some of the siding had come loose in transit, it would have been very, very bad.  Catastrophically bad.  I'm glad I felt the pallet wrap and tiedowns were not just a good idea but something that needed to be used.  It would not surprise me if I were to get a call from my friend Dave at the trailer shop before the weekend to tell me that the walls are down.  It'll save me a little muscle.....very little.  At this point, don't lean against that trailer!

Next step:  raze the walls and get a good look at the floor.  More D and D...but not much more.