Jim@HiTek
Gresham, OR, USA
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As I recall, you're keeping track of the weight of the steel you're putting in there. It also seems to me that you've added a number of extra steel studs that weren't in the original design by Fleetwood. I imagine you weighed the rig shortly after you bought it.
So I gotta ask...do you think the extra steel you're adding is going to make the engine seem sluggish, underpowered? How about the chassis, are you going to beef up the undercarriage to accommodate the increased weight? Change the springs, shocks, etc.? Swap the engine out for a higher HP?
Curious.
Jim@HiTek
Have shop, will travel!
Visit my travel & RV repair blog site. Subscribe for emailed updates.
Winnebago Journey, '02
Cat 330HP Diesel, 36.5', two slides.
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Joined: 12/14/2003
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Jim@HiTek wrote:As I recall, you're keeping track of the weight of the steel you're putting in there. It also seems to me that you've added a number of extra steel studs that weren't in the original design by Fleetwood. I imagine you weighed the rig shortly after you bought it.
So I gotta ask...do you think the extra steel you're adding is going to make the engine seem sluggish, underpowered? How about the chassis, are you going to beef up the undercarriage to accommodate the increased weight? Change the springs, shocks, etc.? Swap the engine out for a higher HP?
Curious.
1. engine seem sluggish, - no
2. under powered - no
3. beef up the undercarriage - no
4. increased weight - no
5. Change the springs, shocks, etc. - no
6. Swap the engine out for a higher HP - no - not interested in hp - just torque, and no to that as well.
As to why? Ok.
First off, the extra weight of the extra steel is minimal, compared to the entire rig. I do know what it weighed, and by the time I am done, I expect it to weigh less.
Why? Some things are not going back in that came out.
The steel I am using, weighs 1.32 lbs per linear foot. Over 50% of the steel I am welding in, is just replacing steel that was there to begin with.
Looking at the steel on the drivers side wall, where there were 5 full length studs, there are now 10. In addition, the short studs above and below the LR window are equal to about 1 length of wall stud.
So, since I didn't include any horizontal steel, which was used around the other 2 windows that have been removed, we'll just estimate heavy. I won't subtract that weight. So that leaves us with 6 extra studs.
They are a touch over 6' long, so 75" x 6 extra studs = 450", / 12 = 37.5 feet. Multiplied by 1.32 lbs per foot = 49.5 lbs.
Now, remember, there was a second horizontal stud that ran the length of the coach about 3 inches above the base plate, to attach the outside trim, and pop rivets to. So, 19' x 1.32 lbs/ft = 25.08 lbs. So now, our 49.5 lbs, - 25 lbs = brings us down to 24.5 lbs extra.
That doesn't include the weight of the windows, and window frame, plus the extra steel around the window frame.
So, all in all, I'd estimate we basically have a wash as far as weight goes, concerning wall framing.
Everything else being equal, which it won't be, I see no reason to make any reinforcements, upgrades to the suspension, engine and so forth.
Make sense?
If you want to do something, you will find a way.
If you don't, you will find an excuse.
-------------------------------------------------
Good judgement comes from experience.
A lot of experience, comes from bad judgement.
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Jim@HiTek
Gresham, OR, USA
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Ahh, yes. That does make sense. I was thinking you'd used much more than you took out or replaced. Seems as though it's been minimal though.
Carry on...
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Jim@HiTek wrote:Ahh, yes. That does make sense. I was thinking you'd used much more than you took out or replaced. Seems as though it's been minimal though.
Carry on...
Just at first glance, that is what it would look like. Fortunately, that isn't the case.
I do hope to have more ccc when I am done, than what I did when I started though.
Good question, thanks.
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Ok, had a little time to work today. It's amazing how much time some things take that look like it would be a 10 minute job. .. Lol.
Anyway, I was able to work on the passenger side again. In the pic below, we have some green arrows, which indicate new steel in a new place.
As on the other side, I added a piece of steel above and below the window, and will remove the original piece, at a later date, when I re do the windows.
Also, the 3rd green arrow is below the window, and is an upright stud, and just a little to the left of the one that I took out, and it will go all the way to the base plate, indicated by the red circle. I removed the 2 studs that were under the window, that did not go all the way to the base plate.
The yellow arrow is a piece of steel, that I removed elsewhere on the drivers side wall, but is in pretty good shape, so I decided to re-use it. That one also goes to the base plate, also indicated by the red circle. That one is only a few inches to the left of the one I took out, and is on a 2' center with the other studs I am putting in.
There are also 4 blue lines, which indicate studs that I will weld in, after cutting them to length. 3 of them are above the window, and 1 more below the window, in order to keep those studs on 2 foot centers.
I have not welded any of these in yet. I figured I would get things ready and do all of this welding at one time, unlike what I did on the other side.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/passengerinside7.jpg)
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Since we are in the middle of this job, this seems appropriate.
I used to work in a manufacturing plant. We had a small paper that was published monthly, by the employees.
They always had a one liner in every issue. There were several that "stuck" with me, and here is one of them.
"If you truly want to understand something, try to change it".
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BigRabbitMan
Cottage Grove, OR
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fulltimin wrote:
"If you truly want to understand something, try to change it".
That certainly applied to me when I did my engine/tranny conversion!
BigRabbitMan
Gas to Diesel Conversion project
76 FMC #1046, Gas Pusher became a Diesel Pusher
Discussion thread on this site
"You're never too old to learn something stupid."
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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BigRabbitMan wrote:fulltimin wrote:
"If you truly want to understand something, try to change it".
That certainly applied to me when I did my engine/tranny conversion!
Yup, but now that it's over, it doesn't scare you any more. .... Lol.
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Was able to spend a little time in the motor home today.
Gave my tape measure, square, grinder with cut off wheel, grinder with grinding wheel, and drill with sanding disk, a workout today.
Oh yea, and I killed, (fully discharged), two 18 volt batteries as well.
So, I forgot to take a picture of the wall today, with everything in place.
Here is a pic, with 3 red circles with "blue studs" inside them. I did get them cut to length and put them in place today.
Also, the lower right corner, green circle, with yellow stud, I cut and have ready to put in place, so the next step will be to get the welder out, and weld all these things in place. Yay.........!!!
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/passengerinside8.jpg)
That should pretty well finish up the welding for this area, so I can move on toward the back, after this.
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fulltimin
Home is where we Park It.
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Here is a pic of one of the pieces of steel that was below the window. You can see the screw holes in it. This is what one side looked like after I cut it out.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/removedsteel.jpg)
And this, is what it looked like after a few seconds of sanding with the drill and 40 grit sanding disk.
![[image]](http://paddleupstream.com/mohorebuild/removedsteel1.jpg)
Looks pretty decent, I'd say. So, that is why it is getting reused. Also note, that this is not being used in a structural area.
This is getting used below the window again, even though this time, it will be from the base plate to the bottom of the window.
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