[VAC] Re: Belly Pan Repair Methods

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Harley,

I'll bet you knew I'd chime in on this thread when Jim Greene wrote that
statement. Some openings I just can't pass up. Here goes:

1 - While you are thinking about how high to elevate your trailer, I suggest
adding these several ideas into the mix. They don't directly impact the
exact questions you asked, but they do impact the amount of effort you'll
end up using for this job.

If I'm correct in assuming you are the one doing the doing, then read on. If
you are not the one doing the doing, then ignore the rest of this.

Start by laying down on the floor on your back in your living room and raise
your hands up. Have your buddy measure the distance from the floor to your
wrists. Now do it again while laying on your side.

That's as high as you want the belly pan off the floor. It's almost too
high. Any higher and you'll be spending a good share of your time under the
trailer - reaching up (almost as high as you can reach).

Reaching means you'll have limited purchase to exert upward force (push)
while holding the belly pan in place and while using your electric drill
getting the old rivets to release themselves and while using the rivet gun
(as when reattaching the belly pan). IMHO, every time purchase is
decreased, strength has to be increased (while mean fatigue sets in sooner).

2 - While you are still in the thinking stage, I suggest you make up a
cushion with something - anything, even two pieces of 2X4X12 nailed together
with a piece of carpet stapled to them. This little "cushion" is for your
head when laying on your back or on your side while underneath the trailer.

Before you laugh out loud, experiment by laying on your back on the living
room floor and holding your head up off the floor for 10 minutes. Then,
decide if that's what you want to be doing while laying under your trailer
for an hour or so as you crane your neck to see what you're doing while
reattaching the belly pan and anything else you have to deal with under
there.

3 - If you wear trifocals, you may want to spring for a new pair of glasses
with the usual trifocals in the lower section and bifocals in the upper
section near your eyebrows. These are commonly made for men who work in the
building trades at jobs which require a lot of reaching over their heads to
do the job. These men ask the optometrist for the "executive" or "golf" lens
which goes across the upper section (not the little bullet bifocals). The
center section is for distance and driving and finding the beer can in the
fridge.

Before you laugh out loud at this suggestion, experiment by holding your
hand over your head and looking through the top of your glasses, while
holding a pop rivet gun (with rivet in it) and trying to line up the rivet
with the tiny moon in your pinkie. Now do it again with poorer lighting and
dust falling on your face (that's what will occur each time you touch the
belly pan).

When reattaching the belly pan, not only will you drill new holes for each
pop rivet (in spite of you believing you'll be able to lineup the old holes
the way they were when you drilled them out and lowered the pan), but each
pop rivet will need to be placed directly into the hole without delay every
time. Why? The more time spent fussing around trying to find the hole and
making it sure it is aligned with the other piece of aluminum, the faster
your arms will become tired and more tired (and less likely to find the
right hole on the first try).

Although I have not used all 500 pop rivets in the box I bought, I didn't
have to go the hardware store to buy more - while in the middle of the job.
A word to the wise. These few ideas were learned the hard way when I dropped
my Airstream's belly pan the first time.

The second time, I was better prepared, i.e. four vice grips instead of one
to hold the overlapping edges tightly (and aligned) while using the pop
rivet gun; a jumpsuit so floor sweepings didn't get under my shirt and rub
skin off my shoulders; two trouble lights instead of one so I didn't have to
look at shadows all the time; four bottle jacks and two long pieces of wood
to hold the belly pan evenly in place instead of none (and having to wrestle
each piece into place by hand to keep it aligned); and finally, having two
pop rivet guns for the inevitable time when one jams and I take it apart to
unjam it only to drop one of the pieces and spend the next half hour
searching for it.

When I look back on my two experiences with the belly pan, it seems
hilarious. But, at the time (105 degrees on a dirt floor with a chain hoist
holding the rear end up in the air with the wheels still touching the
ground), I was not my usual enthusiastic self.

Since then, additional work has been done under the trailer (belly pan
lowered), but I hired out the job. And, I bought a new section of belly pan
to replace the old swiss cheese piece.

Have fun, <grin> --- almost laughing.

Terry

mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net