BlackFlagForge wrote:
The cover was quick to let go once I removed the nails, two of the eight I used my cutoff wheel the other six were rusted to the size of half inch toothpicks and ripped loose with a few whacks of the chisel
My major wood damage is in that same area above the stairs that was exposed and a little in the blackwater area because the tank has a crack that was never addressed. I'll do what probing I can and if its just that under layer I'll rotfix/bondo the small stuff but I think I need a full replace on the passenger side. The city was replaced as you saw with pvc and gator fittings, Ill be running pex for all of my water needs, Ky weather can change over night and that stuff is amazing when dealing with freezing.
Ill go take some pics now of the jacks, they are the set that came with the camper as far as the PO knew I'm not a fan of the 3 support points as its starting to weaken and bend the side its on so I plan on welding together a fourth on the passenger side.
The cover was quick to let go once I removed the nails, two of the eight I used my cutoff wheel the other six were rusted to the size of half inch toothpicks and ripped loose with a few whacks of the chisel
My major wood damage is in that same area above the stairs that was exposed and a little in the blackwater area because the tank has a crack that was never addressed. I'll do what probing I can and if its just that under layer I'll rotfix/bondo the small stuff but I think I need a full replace on the passenger side. The city was replaced as you saw with pvc and gator fittings, Ill be running pex for all of my water needs, Ky weather can change over night and that stuff is amazing when dealing with freezing.
Ill go take some pics now of the jacks, they are the set that came with the camper as far as the PO knew I'm not a fan of the 3 support points as its starting to weaken and bend the side its on so I plan on welding together a fourth on the passenger side.
What is bending on yours? My side with one jack has a much longer support. It is a plate of steel with the two sides bent down. The pipe is welded to that plate. You would think that 4 jacks would be better, and if you keep the strain even, they are. The problem is that if you don't keep the strain even, you can put more stress on a 4 jack system than you can a 3 jack system. You could theoretically have most of the weight on two jacks (diagonal) with a four jack system. The 3 jacks work like a tripod and cannot do that. I had to put more space under my camper because that deeper jack mount wouldn't clear the top right rail of my truck bed. If you have that same problem, your structural setup underneath can take advantage of that situation.
My memory is starting to come back. I'll bet that your right side mount is bending. I remember my dad and grandfather removing one of the mounts when I was a kid. I remember it because when the supplier welded the pipe to the plate, it was off center which meant that the nuts were to close to the pipe on one side and you had to use an open end wrench to get it off. My right side pipe goes all the way to the inside end of the plate. Because of that it goes over the pickup bed side wall. This is why I had to space my camper up more. I think that originally that mount on the right side was the same as the ones on the left side. My dad probably removed the right side mount, ground off the original pipe that didn't extent all the way to the inside end of the plate, and welded an new pipe that went from the inside end of the plate all the way to the outide edge of the camper (past the outside end of the plate). That must be the case, because the welds look better on that mount and the pipe is centered on the plate. LOL We haven't had a problem with that right side jack since then.
* This post was edited 07/07/12 06:58pm by 69 Avion *
Ford F-350 4x4 Diesel
1988 Avion Triple Axle Trailer
1969 Avion C-11 Camper
The jack strength isn't your problem, the mount is.
I appreciate you taking pictures of the name of the jacks. I was correct, it was La Jack, except I ran the name together. You even had the patent number, which is 3,155,373 if I read it correctly.
![[image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/M2HB/Avion/2012Avion012.jpg)
Thanks for the pic 69, I used three jacks like that getting it on the first time but it was a LOT of pressure on that single side and it was bending quite a bit, my mounts are the same as yours nothing more than a 12" or so plate maybe .25" thick and a few inches wide with the receiver pipe welded to it with 4 bolts that were factory, one still had the old tape over it so it didnt hurt the cushions.
As far as the structure of these campers go I think they are kind of like a hybrid monocoque structure. The walls, ribs and inner walls create a rigid structure that attach to the floor and wings. The floor, wings and bunk create a rigid shape that hold the walls, ribs and inner walls together in their position. . If the integrity of either one is compromised the structure becomes weak.
My Bunk for example had rotten wood which allowed the walls to move around with weight on the bunk. With the bunk wood replaced, the walls are held where they should be and the load is properly distributed to the ribs and skin. The same was true at the back of my camper.
It's kind of like tents and tent poles. Neither one make a good structure by themselves but together they do the job.
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As for jack mounts. Blackflagforge, your right jack is bending the wing and the walls because the wood in your wings and in the walls above the jack has rotted away. I do like a 4 jack system but the 3 jack system is nice and solid if the wings and floor are in good shape.
The problem with a 4 jack system on the right side is that the jacks will be mounting below the propane box and the water heater. There is not much structure above the jack there to handle the weight. It can be done thought id you choose to do that.
Here is a pic of the jack mounts I made:
![[image]](http://avioncamper.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/img_0444.jpg?w=1000&h=)
![[image]](http://avioncamper.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/img_1390.jpg?w=700&h=)
Repaired center jack mount in the wings
![[image]](http://avioncamper.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/img_0506.jpg?w=1000&h=)
Happy Camping!
Avioncamper.wordpress.com
BlackFlagForge wrote:
That front mount was my weld, I had to repair that jack as the PO broke it trying to bust the rust seize from the first owner.
Thanks for the pic 69, I used three jacks like that getting it on the first time but it was a LOT of pressure on that single side and it was bending quite a bit, my mounts are the same as yours nothing more than a 12" or so plate maybe .25" thick and a few inches wide with the receiver pipe welded to it with 4 bolts that were factory, one still had the old tape over it so it didnt hurt the cushions.
That front mount was my weld, I had to repair that jack as the PO broke it trying to bust the rust seize from the first owner.
Thanks for the pic 69, I used three jacks like that getting it on the first time but it was a LOT of pressure on that single side and it was bending quite a bit, my mounts are the same as yours nothing more than a 12" or so plate maybe .25" thick and a few inches wide with the receiver pipe welded to it with 4 bolts that were factory, one still had the old tape over it so it didnt hurt the cushions.
Does the pipe on your right side mount go all the way to the inside end of the plate? I know that mine on the left side don't and the right side does. I'm trying to remember, but it has been about 40 years ago. I think my dad took that right mount off and put a longer pipe on it which reinforced that mount and kept it from bending.
ticki2 wrote:
69 Avion , tell me more about the check valve for the shower line .
69 Avion , tell me more about the check valve for the shower line .
Here is a link for a float valve in a floor drain. This is not the one I was looking for, but I like the concept, except it is too large.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/floodguard.html
The one that I saw (and an still looking for) was made out of PVC and was originally designed to keep gases from backing up. The way that it worked, it appeared that it would also stop water. They had one that could be installed vertical and horizontal. I can't find it now, but I will keep looking.
69 Avion wrote:
Here is a link for a float valve in a floor drain. This is not the one I was looking for, but I like the concept, except it is too large.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/floodguard.html
The one that I saw (and an still looking for) was made out of PVC and was originally designed to keep gases from backing up. The way that it worked, it appeared that it would also stop water. They had one that could be installed vertical and horizontal. I can't find it now, but I will keep looking.
ticki2 wrote:
69 Avion , tell me more about the check valve for the shower line .
69 Avion , tell me more about the check valve for the shower line .
Here is a link for a float valve in a floor drain. This is not the one I was looking for, but I like the concept, except it is too large.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/floodguard.html
The one that I saw (and an still looking for) was made out of PVC and was originally designed to keep gases from backing up. The way that it worked, it appeared that it would also stop water. They had one that could be installed vertical and horizontal. I can't find it now, but I will keep looking.
http://www.drainmaster.com/hepvo.html
is this the one you mean?