I ripped off the decking yesterday, day 21, and I got down to the bare frame. It's in solid condition and has only minor surface rust. My dad is an API, American Petroleum Institute, inspector and is quite an expert in metal corrosion and welds and metal fatigue. He says the frame is structurally sound. You never really know what you are getting whenever you buy something like this used and I'm thankful to get his expert assessment. Anyways, it's great to get down to the frame.
Next step will be taking a wire wheel to all the flaky paint surfaces and then prime and paint the entire frame. We live somewhat near the coast and it's almost always humid here in coastal southeast Texas. It would be prudent to paint any exposed metal to prevent any future corrosion.
Oh yeah and we will also assess the frame for any rigidity issues. This frame is kinda more flexible and twisty than I like. We will be welding in some reinforcements to prevent the flexing and twisting. We will also be welding on support members to mount the perimeter of the framing on. This will allow us to build to the 8'6" maximum legal width.
Next step will be taking a wire wheel to all the flaky paint surfaces and then prime and paint the entire frame. We live somewhat near the coast and it's almost always humid here in coastal southeast Texas. It would be prudent to paint any exposed metal to prevent any future corrosion.
Oh yeah and we will also assess the frame for any rigidity issues. This frame is kinda more flexible and twisty than I like. We will be welding in some reinforcements to prevent the flexing and twisting. We will also be welding on support members to mount the perimeter of the framing on. This will allow us to build to the 8'6" maximum legal width.
Yes, bare frame!
The travel trailer mfg. only used 5/8" plywood for the decking! Surprising, the original floor was not bouncy or soft feeling. I will be recycling that plywood to make my solar batch hot water heater. Anything left over will be used for hurricane window protection.
The black tarp looking thing on the ground was the bottom lining of the travel trailer. It's kind of like a synthetic burlap type of material. It's super tough and waterproof. It was so water proof that it held the water that leaked in through the siding and flooring, trapping all that water onto the fiberglass wool floor insulation, which made a soggy mess.
Straight trailer :) I still have to dismantle the slide out mechanisms. The slide outs had electric motors that I will try to sell on eBay.