Now I Get To Start Over! Remodeling our 1976 Alfa Travel Trailer

OldEdBrady · December 21, 2010, 10:37 PM

I haven't put the old so-called door back yet. But I DID make progress. I removed everything from what I was trying to do, and cleaned it up somewhat. AND, I started cleaning my mess oput of the trailer. Although SWMBO and the rotten kid don't know it yet, I HOPE to be in a campground on New Year's Eve.

SWMBO wanted to have Christmas in the park at Willard Bay, but I convinced her that, with all the junk she got the girl, we wouldn't have room to go ourselves.

So, that part is done. At least I accomplished SOMETHING this week, even if it was just dimplomacy of a sort.

OldEdBrady · December 23, 2010, 02:12 PM

It appears my plans for the New Year, and any long work projects on the Alfa are over for a while. SWMBO is again in the hospital. The pneumonia is back with a vengance.

So, Merry Christmas to everyone, and Happy New Year's. We'll do ours as best we can.

Could be worse...

OldEdBrady · December 28, 2010, 12:27 PM

SWMBO is home again. So, I can go back to doing some things. I can only perform minor screwups for a while, though. I have to keep any eye on her, since she's in worse shape than the last time we went through this.

But, as long as I can foul up something--even a little thing--it means I'm making my kind of "progress."

OldEdBrady · January 01, 2011, 11:22 AM

Third time a charm? I've been attempting to post this, but I guess my ISP is on vacation or something.

Anywhere, I've just been puttering around in the trailer. It's too blasted cold to really do much.

I HAVE doen a small bit of cosmetic work on the living area in the trailer. And, with the rain, snow, partial thawing, etc., I;ve discovered there's a major leak in the left side of the roof. Until it's kinda warm again, I can't do much about it. But, once it warms a bit, maybe I can REALLY make it a major leak.

But, for now, just staying fairly close to home. What with the Old Woman sick, I can't go too far nor too long.

But I'm sure thankful for that furnace. If it wren't for that, I couldn't even go out there and do what damage I've managed to fit in.

OldEdBrady · January 03, 2011, 11:30 AM

Try again.
As most of you know, I purchased a generator some time back. And, I've been looking for a way to include it with the Alfa. There's no way to put it in the trailer unless I want to spend time every time we go out loading it in and then taking it out, and loading it in...

Yesterday I went to Harbor Freight to get a specific item, and, while there, found a bumper mount. This is kinda like a tow bar, but just a tiny thing. I don't recall the price, but it was less than $20.

So, I'll have it welded on the bumper, but I'm not ready to do that yet. I want to get some kinda carrier to put the generator in. I saw one, but I wasn't ready to drop $100 for it. At least, not yet.

I have to have the carrier before any welding is done so that I know precisely (or as precisely as I ever get) where to have it mounted.

Anyway, things are starting to move forward, even if it hasn't been up to 20 degrees for a week.

OldEdBrady · January 06, 2011, 10:48 PM

The cover I had for the propane tanks was one of those vinyl things. Well, since we are now in what's known as an inversion (we have FIVE seasons, some repeating: Spring, summer, autumn, winter, inversion, winter, spring, etc) the air is sorta crystalized. And, it was getting into the vinyl. And it was sticking to the tanks.

I needed to get one filled the other day, and the entire vinyl cover came to pieces because it was stuck to the tank. So, I got a cover made of polypropolene. Took some doing to get it in, but I f9inally managed it.

But, I have to find some new way to mount the batteries. The way they are now, they are right up against the cover. And, if I need to have a tank filled, I'll have to take the entire cover apart (it's three pieces, pluss screws) to get the tank out. If I can rig up something with the batteries, I should be able to pull the cover off as a piece.

We'll see...

OldEdBrady · January 07, 2011, 07:51 PM

It's a good thing I didn't just say, "The heck with it," and buy that carrier. I just found out today that, with a little patience, I can pick up a slightly better one from Harbor Freight for $80 (regulatr price $130). It's on a sale coming up in the next few weeks.

Had a similar lthing happen today at Harbor Freight. I prited out an on-line coupon for a rotary tool accessory kit for $20. When I got there, and started to get it. one of the employees told me not to. He pointed at one near the one I was after. More parts, same price.

I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I KNOW I'll ahve to pay for this somewhere along the line. Y!

OldEdBrady · January 13, 2011, 12:06 PM

Day before yesterday, I was studying the tongue jack. It's obviously the original, and certainly looks all of its 30+ years. So, I replaced it. About $40.

I was fearful that the original was welded, although it did have bolts in it. But, what with paint slapped on, etc., over the years, it LOOKED welded.

But, when I pulled the bolts, the thing came right out. And no; I didn't just pull it. I had the stabilizing jacks down. I may do some dumb things, but I wasn't about to start fooling with the tongue jack unless I had something else to hold the trailer up.

Anyway, pulled right out, put the new one in, and fastened it down with new bolts. Works great.

Then, I discovered the batteries would be a problem. I had them in battery boxes, and the boxes were a bit larger than the battieries themselves and interferred with the propane tank cover. So, back to the RV supplier, and got some slightly smalledr boxes. Exact fit!. That set me back another $20 or so.

But, progress is being made. Slowly, to be sure, but continuing.

Oz · January 13, 2011, 06:46 PM

Ed, you are awesome! There's simply no other word to adequately say it. You are a perspiration to us all! Hm?

OldEdBrady · January 13, 2011, 07:01 PM

Today's project, while not a big major deal, was a bit difficult for me.

I changed the propane regulator. Again, an original was in there. Anyway. ..

After fighting with the old one for a while, I managed to break it loose (not literally "break") from the house line. The mount it was on I'll have to use for the new regulator, but it was all rusty & corroded.

So, I dismounted the old regulator and started the painting process on the bracket. It's gonna take a while for that one, since it has to be done in two steps, plus all that drying time.

I hooked up the new regulator anyway, with new hoses. I got the type where I don't need a wrench; just tighten it down. And these things are right-hand tread rather than the usual left-hand. So I don't get mixed up on that any more and tighten when I'm trying to remove the lines. W%

This also is supposed to be one that automatically switches from an empty tank to a full one, then you supposedly can pull the empty one and have it filled without turning everything off. We'll see.

Anyway, for now, that's where it stands (or, in this case, hangs--until the bracket is dry and I can mount the new regulator).

OldEdBrady · January 14, 2011, 11:22 PM

The paint finally drived. And, I wanted to put everything together. But, overnight, we had rain, followed by snow, followed by ice.

So, I had to thaw out the tanks and the new regulator before (I could do anything.

I have this small propane heater. I c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y used it to melt all the ice from everything, then wiped it down before I did anything else.

Got the mount out, and screwed it in.

The new hoses from the tank to the regulator were too long! What to do?

I turned the tanks, that's what. They are 90 degrees from where they used to be (in opposite directions, of course). Then the cover. I fought with it like I usually do, but not a big deal with the other changes I made (battery boxes and tougue jeck). Got it all together.

Then found one of the propane tanks was empty. So, tkae it all apart again.

Got the tank filled, brought it back, andf put it in. Fought the cover again, and hooked everything up.

Bvecause this is SUPPOSED to be an automastic changeover thing, I turned both tanks on, put the cover in place, and fired up the furnace. Now all I have to do is wait to see whether this thing will actually change tanks automatically when one is empty.

Oh; and the thing about being able to leave one tank open while getting the other filled? It worked.

OldEdBrady · January 15, 2011, 11:36 AM

I've been reading (and re-reading) all this stuff on roof repair. (Yes; I STILL need to do that.)

There's no way I'm going to be able to do all that. Bottom line. So now I have to figure out how in the world I'm ever going to get that roof sealed. And it's something that HAS to be done.

Oz · January 15, 2011, 04:12 PM

Ed,

You're a creative thinker. I know you can come up with alternatives if you are thinking about a roof replacement or tearing everything off to re-seal it. I can tell you that Eternabond tape placed over seams, roof fixture edges, etc. works very, very well. Look at my one day roof reseal project album.

OldEdBrady · January 15, 2011, 04:45 PM

he*&hanks for the confidence, Sob. I've already used a bit of Eternabod in a front corner. Took me about 3 days, and it still looks like He*&. I've thought of several different things I might do, but the edges are where most of the problem is. The entire troof needs to be covered, but those gaps are a real problem.

Maybe I'll figure something out.

Oz · January 15, 2011, 08:23 PM

Possibly a rubber overlay?

JDxeper · January 15, 2011, 08:34 PM

yes, that's what I was thinking also, but that may not be good, LOL

Oz · January 16, 2011, 07:30 AM

If the "gaps" you're concerned about aren't a result of rotted wood separation, Kool Seal (and I'm sure other roof coating manufacturers) make a mesh and a thicker form of the sealant, which is a roof repair paste. Dumb dork me acidentally grabbed a gallon of it thinking I had gotten another gallon of the roof coating. This is specifically made for taking care of gaps... but, not ones that are like a foot wide, better known as chasms, better known as... oh boy, did I make a BIG mistake.

However, if the gaps are along the roof perimeter edges, this wouldn't be the stuff to use. I'm sure you already have a good idea of the overall condition of the roof. If it has years of coatings on it and it's peeling up, cracked, etc. Then, it may be a consideration to keep the TT tarped until more climate weather then strip it and see what extent of repair it needs, if you don't already know that.

OldEdBrady · January 16, 2011, 11:01 AM

There are no chasms in the roof. And there aren't a lot of places to scrape. Most of the roof is bare--never been treated much as far as I can see.

There are small gaps on the edges. Some are small in width, but one, I know, is LONG on the edge.

Some scraping, yes. And, there would be some of it my own fault where I tried to seal some problems as a temporary fix. I never planned on NOT being able to do all this.

However, Arthur Itus keeps coming aorund more and more, and the jerk is getting more prevelant as time goes on. In fact, there are times when I'm sure I won't be able to drive some screw somewhere.

I try to ignore it as much as I can, because there are too many things I need to do. And, I keep doing them. I just get a bit slower at it.

Eventually, I'm gonna figure out something. But, at present, it sure is disheartening.

JDxeper · January 16, 2011, 12:29 PM

Ed
Here's what I did on my 78, removed trim all around where there were seams joined, removed everything on the roof, except the AC( should have done that. Cleaned all the Grey caulk from ever thing, clean the roof of all patching material and junk like that. Then I used mineral spirits to clean everything. Sanded down just about everything, then started using eternabond tape on all seams,
vents everything, after taping I washed every thing down with TSP, using a scrub brush, let it dry for a couple of days, then two coats of white stuff( Kool seal). It was good. except at the diver corner top, a screw punched a hole in the tape and caused a leak. found that by taking off that section of trim. The screw had spun out and wraped the tape around it causing an inch diameter hole. I basically followed Mark's plan except removed trim also. Lots of elbow grease, but not expensive.

OldEdBrady · January 16, 2011, 10:59 PM

As I said, I'll figure something out eventually. something I can handle. Hm?

Oz · January 17, 2011, 07:11 AM

Saran wrap and bubble gum.

coastalgal · January 18, 2011, 04:48 PM

There's a flexible roofing material made of Kevlar (same as used in flack vests) produced by Durabond...on flat roofs, buildings, etc. You could contact the company (google search) and have a piece cut to size. It would mold around edges, etc. I had it placed on a low slope roof (NOT an ideal slope in coastal OR). With a girdle of sorts of neoprene and Kevlar, they encased the skylights, bathroom vents....guaranteed not to leak. Might be worth checking out. In the advertisement it is mentioned using on mfg'd homes.....isn't that what an RV is??

OldEdBrady · January 18, 2011, 07:17 PM

The roof is just gonna wait.

BUT...

Today i got Totally P.O'd at the way things don't work. So, I tackled the rear hatch door again. This time, I took no prisoners. I took out all of the moulding. I removed every single thing that would come out. Then I started fitting things around the door I had built. And fastening down.

Then I cleaned the rear where everything had been, and started putting it all back together, including the door I had built.

It fits. It's in. And that's that. Now I just need to clean up the mess, becuase that thing didn't want to go in there.
.

OldEdBrady · January 20, 2011, 10:58 PM

I wanna go campin'! Even if it's only for a single night.

SWMBO has "discovered" this idea of mine, and is already starting to say it's not a good idea. When did I ever wait for "a good idea"?

I just make sneak over the the campground tomorrow and set up a reservation. And then tell her that I've already paid the money, and we can go or not go, but the money is non-refundable. W%

OldEdBrady · January 22, 2011, 12:40 PM

It always amazes me when something works as advertised.

The new propane regulator actually changed tanks when one was empty! Whoda thought?

However, the solar panel regulator I had wasn't working like it was supposed to. So I got a different one and put it in yesterday. Now, will it work? I'm not holding my breath. That would be two items in a single week that did what they're suppose3d to.