Installing the Box

[mmmc101]

I went with 6 gal electric only. Would like to have installed a lp/electric but really didn't have the space for an LP tank. I had orignally purchased a 1500 watt on demand water heater, however after testing it I deceided it wouldn't be adequate for a shower and sink together. If I had planned on an LP tank in the beginning, I probably could have put one somewhere. To far gone in the build to redesign. MMM

[bushpilot]

we have two on-demand heaters in the house...w/ 3 teens at home, i wouldnt have had it any other way....but i think even a small tank in the coach is the way to go....it holds the heat fairly well & doesnt use much LP.

I jokingly say im a slut for an electrical outlet....if i dont have to consume propane or diesel (generator) i won't...even a 15 or 20a outlet serves us well - enough to cool the coach even in the florida or texas heat.

[bushpilot]

correction - our water heater is a 10 gallon (NOT 6 gallon)...precisely its a Suburban SW10DE. I understand (but could be mistaken) - that ATWOOD water heaters dont require anode rod maintenance.

[Bob86ZZ4]

I've got the 6 gallon Atwood ac/propane water heater in mine. I'm pretty sure there isn't an anode in it. And I drive down the road with the gas turned on for it all the time. No problems that I can tell. Same goes for the furnace.

[bushpilot]

as i understand it - if the atwood tank becomes "compromised" it will act as the anode.
and yes we too - have driven down the road w/ the hot water heater on (lp).

have never needed to drive down the road w/ the HEAT (in the house) on.

[mmmc101]

Finished building and installing the accy/storage box doors. The gas springs work great. The door mount for the gas springs break over center when the door is about six inches from closing and hold the door closed. When opening, after the first six inches, you can release the door and it opens itself. My DW thinks they are great. On our previous motorhome the doors were to heavy for her to open/hold open. A word of caution, if you installed to large a spring the door would probably bust you in the mouth! Next will be installing the roof sheetmetal,air conditioner,satellite and power vent. MMM

[Kenn]

Michael your doors look great, very nice finish work. Will you need to limit how far they open when the slides are out? Maybe you could just put some type of rubber bumper under the slides. Keep up the good work. I am neck deep in trying to get through the building permit process with the county so I can put up a car-port.

[mmmc101]

Kenn,your correct on having to limit them when the slides are out. I could have used a shorter stroke gas spring and stopped the door at horizontal but the additional 23 degrees of travel sure makes access a lot easier. May just put a rubber bumper on the bottom of the slide. Would liked to have the roll up doors like yours but just didn't have the room. MMM

[mmmc101]

Just completed installing the one piece alum roof,trim,A/C unit, power vent and in motion sattelite. It's a little crowded on a 12' box but everything has the required space.
Starting the Slideouts tomorrow.
MMM

[Straight Time Stirrups]

Where did you locate the outer trim pieces for the corners of your roof?

[mmmc101]

Sorry for the delay in responding. Was out of town.
The trim (stainless and alum) on the box was purchased from Frank's Custom Trailers in Okla City where I purchased my trailer. I wanted the truck and trailer to match. Frank's does trailer repair as well as sales. Great people to deal with if you need a trailer. They ordered the trim for me from the manufacture Forrest River in Waco Tex.
MMM

[Dragonslayer140]

Michael, I see you went with shaveable rivets to attach the skin, did you also use 3M tape or Sika Bond as well or just the rivets? Are the corner pieces also attached with rivets & or tape? Looks like you placed the rivets about 3 or 4 inches apart (very neatly too). Did they get painted after shaving?

Choice of skin material and method of attachment are still the biggest decision I am working with in the design phase of my build. Concerned with taped joints popping open, but rivets are lots of holes that have the potential of becoming loose and creating a path for water to enter.

Thanks

Dave

[mmmc101]

Dave, I was planning on using Silkaflex-252 to bond the .040 alum to the 2" tubing. However, after doing two test strips and following the manufacture's instructions to the letter, I was still able to pull the alum from the tubing after 72 hours cure time. Also, I have seen two "store bought" trailers with bonded sheeting peeled open like a can opener went down the entire side. That's when I went to the shaveable rivets. The rivets are 3/16" with an "O ring" seal. I predrilled a 2" x 1/8" x 10' flat strip for a pattern to space the rivets all the same. The rivets are spaced at 4" and the studs are on 16" centers. Using the pattern it went pretty fast. The rivets are not painted. Once they oxidize a little they look almost white anyway. I am sure there are some bonding agents that will work well, I just feel better with a mechanical fastener. The only drawback is the price of the shaving tool. At $200 it seemed a little pricey and you need to shave a few "practice" rivets to get the head shaved correctly.
MMM

[Dragonslayer140]

Thanks, Not thinking 200 for a tool is too bad at all. drop in the bucket on the overall price tag of the build.. Did not know the rivets had o-rings that should take care of the seal issue there. Did you put any kind of sealant or tape between the overlapped panels, and the trim and panel? Wondering about water seeping in between the panel seems.

Enjoy seeing the progress pics on your build, very similar look to what i am planning except for a lot longer and another axle.

Hoping you guys get to thaw out a bit back there soon on your side of the Rockies

Dave

[mmmc101]

Dave
Did not use any sealant on the seams. The alum sheets have a two inch overlap and with the rivets on 4" centers they are pretty tight. The cast alum. corner caps are sealed with silicone and attached with screws. The alum top trim is sealed with self leveling silicone roof sealer purchased at a local RV dealer.
I just returned from a 2 week vacation in southern AZ/Cal area where it was a pleasant 80-85 degrees. This morning it is 4 degrees with 3" of new snow and ice.....should have stayed another 2 weeks!
MMM