Agreed, ^Danny. I can see one stretched in the front and being self propelled. Guys, hope the rest of the trip goes more smoothly, now get out and check that hitch (and other things)!
It’s three panels. I’ve never done work like this before, but it seems straight forward. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Your probably in deeper than you want to be but why not offer to fly John in to Texas for some of the renown BBQ & beer with free accommodations for the weekend in the plush new addition parked in front of the Atomic Industries world wide headquarters? Oh yeah,don't forget to mention to bring a box of rivets and a few tools, just in case he wanted to do a demonstration to the locals. HRP
About the only smart thing I did during this whole process of buying my first travel trailer was buy insurance from Progressive before we started our trip home. I've already started the process with them, so I'm hoping this is just a lot of work and not a lot of cash out of pocket. Fingers crossed anyway... I'll keep y'all updated.
The ease of the repair will depend on whether you want it perfect, or are okay with a patch. If you want it factory perfect, there's no real other option than replacing the whole panel or panels. If it were an aircraft, 90% of the time a fairly simple repair would be done with a few flush patches and doublers. Making patches is kinda therapeutic... Sample patch with plain rivets: Doubled repair with flush rivets:
Uh yeah... You need to get your ass to Texas. I'm not going for perfect really... I'm going for a warbird look to match the rest of the patches on the thing.
Take it from those of us who lost our Dads long ago Miller will cherish the adventures that will be associated with this camper for years to come I know I miss the times Camping and Trout Fishing with my dad
Despite the trouble, we had an amazing time... I think Miller and I really connected on a different level as we tackled the ups and downs together. He’s such an amazing kid. Here’s some shots of the damage: The aluminum damage isn’t that scary. Just work really. Replacing three panels would get it done. Of course, the hub and electric brake is pretty much destroyed which will call for a new axle altogether most likely. The thing that scares me is the spring carrier. Essentially, the leaf springs on this thing are hung by steel crossmembers that are riveted to the aluminum outriggers with 8 rivets on each side. Since the “blowout” a number of these rivets have lost their heads. Here’s a shot of an original frame where you can kind of see the relationship between these spring crossmembers and the aluminum outriggers. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
For the crossmember rivets I can think of three options without actually seeing the damage: - Replace the rivets with the same or one-size oversize rivets. - Replace the rivets with "Hy Lok" Rivets, these are essentially a rivet with a threaded shank and a collar that replaces a traditional rivet when you can't get a rivet gun and bucking bar on both sides, but strength concerns rule out a "pop" rivet. We use them for aircraft structure repairs. - Replace with a close tolerance shear-bolt, mind you the shank of the bolt has to be very very tight in the rivet hole, or the fastener will "work" and eventually fail. Here's a Hy Lock: Remember, we are talking 1940s technology. There is nothing ethereal or earthshattering about any of this, its just a matter of finding the right old-timey technique...
Here's a quick and dirty shot of the front side of the crossmember: The rearward side of that crossmember is missing even more rivets... In any case, what would be wrong with replacing all the rivets on each side with 5/16 stainless bolts and lock nuts? I'd still have corrosion to worry about with steel crossmember and hardware mated against the aluminum outrigger, but maybe if I painted everything really well and took some precautions there....
Corrosion wise, you would be better off using a mild steel rather than a stainless steel bolt. Stainless is more galvanically dissimilar from Aluminum than mild steel. In the airplane world, just before you join dissimilar metal fasteners, you coat them with Epoxy Polyamide, which is a yellow high-zinc paint that the galvanic corrosion will attack before the fastener or fastened material. As for bolts instead of rivets, you can get away with them as long as the shank of the bolt fully and completely fills the hole, almost a press-fit. Any gaps will allow the aluminum to move eventually making the fastener turn and wallow out the hole. This is why rivets are superior, when they are bucked the shank actually expands to fill an even imperfect hole. This is probably all super overkill for most applications, but after 16 years of aircraft work, its pretty much all I know...
Since you are in Central Texas, Id start calling around at the small airfields. Try to find an FBO (that's airplane speak for a repair shop) that has an A&P (airplane speak for certified mechanic) that would like to make some side money. You don't get your license without performing exactly these kinds of repairs. They'll have all the tools, bins and bins of fasteners, and will probably show you how to do it in the future.
It's hard to tell without seeing it with the belly pan off, but it seems like a really good way to fix it would be to take out the two aluminum outriggers and the spring hanger crossmembers and replace the thing as a unit with steel outriggers welded to the center pipe and spring hangers welded to the new steel outriggers. Would certainly make the trailer heavier, but a lot stronger I'd think. All conjecture of course... I just really don't want to reframe the thing.
If most of the rivets are still in place, I don't see why some good quality grade bolts couldn't be used? Maybe even get a size larger and drill/file hole so bolt is a snug fit? For something like this, that's probably not going to see hundreds of thousands of miles put on it, I would think it would be fine. But...like most of the guys on here, we tend to overthink, over build or simply have the desire to restore. So bottom line, do whatever will ease your mind when you are towing it down the road. Looks pretty strait forward no matter how you tackle it.
Ryan, here's an idea I had for something different for repairing and covering up your damage around that wheel well. I would straighten and repair the rip with an internal patch and then make a pair of art deco style aluminum fender skirts to put on both sides of the trailer that would be just tall enough to cover the rip in the skin and a bit longer for some style. Sort of a "hot rod customization" to make your own mark on it. I would make it the same gauge aluminum and roll the outside edge to a 1/2" radius which will allow you to hang the skirts on brackets, with a dzus fastener at the bottom in front of and behind the wheel to hold it on tight. I would also bead roll three long lines into it for some more strength and give it some style. Or you could look for some stainless trim to put there instead. Here's a few pics for a general idea of what I am talking about. Imagine something like these from a '37 Chevy only cut down in height. Or these on this '59 Impala that have nice shape and size to them that might flow better on the side of the trailer (but without all the doodads). Here are some Foxcraft skirts for '40s Chevies. You could cut out some cardboard templates to try out your ideas on the trailer to see how it would look. And you could keep using it without any downtime after you do the initial repairs. I had to throw these '34 Fords with skirts in because they just knocked me out when I ran across this site while looking for fender skirts.
Ryan, I will be cutting out those panels on another clipper next week. I will send you a paper template of the three pieces. The brakes on these 70 year old trailers are scary at best. There is a company out here that makes a drop axle in one day in Anaheim CA
Progressive is taking care of all the damages minus the hub... They've been pretty good about it. The only thing is, they won't really let me fix it. Essentially, if I fix it they will give me somewhere around $300 after the deductible. However, if I have a shop (I found a guy with a really great reputation in the DFW area) fix it, I pay the deductible and Progressive pays for everything over that. I think it's gonna be around $3k. I'm cool with it... I just really wanted to use this thing at the HAMB Drags and it doesn't look like I will be able to now.
dang, would have made a great Mobil Command Center. the repair place going to let you take pics for a post?
That's pretty awesome overall. Good info on the insurance BS. Sounds like they may be taking care of you in the end. Plus its too fricken hot to camp right now anyhow.
Bummer it’s not going to make the drags but at least insurance isn’t dicking you around. Really enjoying this thread.
The Jalopy Journal
