1989 S1600 White Rhino

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stuartcnz
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by stuartcnz »

It does sound like things are on the improve for you. Like the others have said, break things down to baby steps and an overwhelming job becomes manageable.
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Dennis The Bus Dweller
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

Forward motion is forward motion no matter how short or long… Keep goin. I like the dog pad. I have a few 12 volt bunk warmers that I use but they turn them selves off every 45 minutes to protect the batteries I guess. There about 30” x 50” and they work great.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

I should have got a bunkwarmer. While the pad is "okay" it's not adequate enough for his old bones on freezing and below nights. As soon as either my auction money or disability comes in I'll be able to get the rest of the materials to fully frame and insulate the box.

I've been very frustrated trying to find a carpenter that will work with my income level, or will work out at all. My doc is concerned that I'm still getting shooting pains and they took more xrays so I'm still not quite released to work on my truck. Anyway, I've had a guy that's made himself out to not be who he was then pushed my project off on his cousin, who called me while drunk as <insert colorful metaphor> and said he could work with me because he thought I was an interesting chick. Then debated me on why I was raising the floor so the tanks could be under the floor and insisted I have them installed outside.

Then another guy looked decent via email, but after asking him several times to call me he's so far refused, so I have no interest in working with this one either.

My mechanic felt bad for me so he offered to do the work at the rate most of the least expensive carpenter as long as I pay for a helper to get the truck unloaded, then loaded back up once the floor is framed in. I agreed to this. I hope this arrangement helps turn my luck and gives my battered self esteem a boost.

If y'all do Turkey Day have a good one.
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Dennis The Bus Dweller
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

keep going forward :thumbup:
Peace along the way
Dennis the bus dweller N.Y.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

Dennis The Bus Dweller wrote:keep going forward :thumbup:
Indeed indeed!

The weather has been nice enough that the arthritis isn't nearly an issue and one horse pill sized ibuprofen does the trick! I've rearranged quite a bit of the mess that was in the box and it's now enough that I can actually do some work!

Today I'm going to move enough so that I can finally seal up those holes drilled in the floor and run a bead one the wheel well trim to close off that leak. Thankfully it's rained a bunch since the almost hurricane and there's been no moisture come through since but I want to seal the rot off now before it gets a start.

Questions: what would you suggest I use to clean the areas of the walls so when I stick on the roll seal and use the sealant caulk it sticks well? I was thinking of using some glass cleaner but wasn't sure it would clean up the grime. This is on that big vinyl sticker that UHual uses to cover over those big decorative sticker adverts.

Also, what should I use to secure the windows and doors to the box and what size? Sorry for my noobness but a girl's gotta know!
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

Correction time! I had assumed that the windows were the same as the doors with lots of screw holes in them. They are not. Now I have to figure out how to secure these windows and so far the only way I see to do it is by screwing through the sides into the sections of FRP I cut out for them to sit in.

These are my big windows. The gray tape on the rim around the window is that foam weather sealing tape. I had assumed that the butyl window and door sealing tape would go there. The window on the left has screw holes in it where it looks like someone made their own holes to attach the window.

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In this next pic are my small windows and there are no screw holes in either of these.

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somewhereinusa
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by somewhereinusa »

These windows are made to have an inner trim ring, that sandwiches the wall inside. If, like me you bought the windows at a surplus store you probably don't have them. I got some but not all.
You have to use your imagination for an alternative mounting solution.
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Arrow points to where the screw goes into the channel. Your window with holes probably had the trim ring at one time.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

I got mine from fleabay but yep, no trim rings on any of them.

Tomorrow I go get the rest of the materials needed to build 16' of the raised floor, then it gets built and installed. Once the floor is in I'll be able to get things measured and set up for the windows and side door. Hopefully I'll get those holes cut and them installed this coming week but I'll need help regarding the windows. If I have enough money left I'll buy the materials and get the back wall built and installed next week as well. Then I can finish the last 6 feet of the floor with the ramp and get the stair built on the interior of the side door.

After all that is done I can bring in a plumber and electrician to consult on the expensive work. I'll do as much as I can then pay them to do the rest. It's about the only way I can do it and be able to afford quality work.

I'm in a debate over insulation so I'm hoping y'all can give me some feedback. I'm considering this product:

http://www.insulation4less.com/Insulati ... -Inch.aspx

It will be easy for me to work with and install plus it's so much thinner than the blue/pink board I was considering. It's very cost effective and I've been seeing build threads on Airstream and Avion sites where people have been pleased with the results.

I'm just hesitant because the R values of any insulation reflect optimal conditions and not the reality so I'd be unsure of how many layers I'd actually need. I will be able to have air pockets on both sides of it(about 1.5" on each side) for the radiant value but it won't match the over 3" they used for their testing. Some of the Airstream posts I've seen are as little as a 1/4" of air space on each side.

Have any of you used this or know about other builds that have? I'm really interested in those that have lived in their spaces during winter weather.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Stealth Camper »

Short answer; no.

The foil backed bubble wrap is a barrier to radiant heat and only covers that part of the heat and cold intrusion. (Metal walls on the box do the same thing.) If you have a fiberglass top, then this will help, but still need the foam board on all sides for the "rest" of the heat/cold coming and going. That can be from 60 to 70% of heat/cool loss up to more than 90%. Need foam, too.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

Stealth Camper wrote:The foil backed bubble wrap is a barrier to radiant heat and only covers that part of the heat and cold intrusion. (Metal walls on the box do the same thing.) If you have a fiberglass top, then this will help, but still need the foam board on all sides for the "rest" of the heat/cold coming and going. That can be from 60 to 70% of heat/cool loss up to more than 90%. Need foam, too.
And therein lies my issue, you're thinking of Reflectix which is foil wrapped bubble wrap. Prodex is foil wrapped closed-cell Polyethylene foam with a polyethylene vapor barrier on both sides. If you look at the pictures of both products you'll see the difference in them. Prodex is being marketed as a great insulation for metal buildings which if it does what it claims would be great for the floor but more importantly the aluminum roof.

Only the roof and floor of the box is aluminum, the rest is FRP(fiberglass reinforced plywood).

*IF* it has similar results to foam board the Prodex would cost about $660 for a 2 layer wrap of the interior. The cost of the foam board would be about $800 for a 1.5" layer.

The other reason I was looking at the Prodex is noise reduction which claims it reduces by 19dba per layer.

The floor starts going in today and if I have enough money left I'll get the materials to build the wall that will replace the garage door. It's insulation time after that!
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Stealth Camper »

Ya gotta read the fine, fine, fine print. There is talk about 'prevents 97% radiant heat transfer'.
They all say "we're different", but they are really all the same. If you can get a small sample, cut out a piece and use it as a potholder on a hot skillet handle. If it keeps your hand cool for a while, it may help. (I'm betting it won't.)

Here is a Prodex page, followed by a video about all these radiant barrier products. He gives good ideas on how to use the radiant barrier as part of the insulation system - which is where this stuff really does shine - especially where there is just FRP siding/roofing like your truck. (If you are gonna do the plywood/studs/plywood dead space system, it seems that would cost as much or more than putting in some fiberglass in place of one plywood layer.)

http://www.insulation4less.com/Insulati ... #fragment2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl8GslJ9hnI

This one has even more qualifiers about 3/4 airspace or more and must be used in 'system', and recommends foam or fiberglass, to get to the value.
http://aussieroofing.com/prodex.htm
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by stuartcnz »

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this topic has lost several of the most recent posts! :banghead:
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Headache
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

Here's a reposting of some pics and a video:

The holes in the floor of the box:

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The patches using 3M 5000 Fast Cure adhesive/sealant and .25mm aluminum. My helper used a small wire brush to clean out the holes and steel wool to clean the areas surrounding the holes and to rough up the surface a little.

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I was playing around with my phone and discovered how to record a video, so I made this for someone. It sounds much better now that it's been worked on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Ha9LbO0OY

While I was recording that video there was a coolant leak going on and it was spraying everywhere from mid fan to the ground. I couldn't see it from the drivers seat since that area was below my vision.

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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

The spray area looked worse than what hit the ground.

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After getting it into the shop and letting it run for awhile I found the culprit, this little fitting and overflow hose between the radiator frame mount and upper radiator hose was loose:

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The coolant was dripping down, getting sucked in by the fan and then sprayed everywhere. After the shop tightened the fitting and cut off a fresh section of hose all is good.

They've also finished the PM that was started and inspected virtually everything mechanical. I'm now fairly confident that aside from anything age related or outside of my realm of control(aka other drivers) I should have a pretty decent trip/move. Despite it's being 22 years old I've been told several times now that I chose a pretty decent truck for it's age.
Last edited by Headache on Fri Dec 30, 2011 11:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Headache »

And now some new progress pics...

One of the reasons I chose the older UHaul was because of the air ride. This gives me a couple of benefits the first being that the rear rides just a little better with the extra cushion. The 2nd benefit is that I'll be tapping into the air line system somewhere for an auxiliary air line so I can fill tires and use an air nozzle for cleaning. Work smart not hard!

On this truck one of the air bags had cords showing. Since UHaul maintenance records show no bag repairs or replacements it's my assumption that they are original equipment meaning 22 year old bags! Time for a change!

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The new ones and no they didn't hang like that for long:

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Yesterday the shop removed that big kitchen vent/fan from the roof and patched the hole. The fan raised the height of the truck by 8 inches so now it's back to the original 12 ft clearance. It was too dark for pics so I couldn't get any of the work in progress but this is what was sitting on the aluminum roof:

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The hole for the fan was 18" and I bought a 24"x4" piece of .25mm aluminum. They used 3/16 rivets and then used Flex Seal spray to seal the patch. When the weather gets warmer I'll use the Flex Seal to patch the other 2 leaks then I'll be using a roll/paint on fiber roof coating to cover everything up. That should seal up the entire roof quite well.

When I left the shop was adjusting the clutch. They are also taking out the temporary 12v plug the former mechanic installed for my cat's warming pad because I shifted the not bolted down drivers seat and grounded it against something. Now when I plug the pad in the dome light comes on. The shop is going to remove that plug then rewire the one in the dash so it's live all the time and not just when the key is on.

Next project is building the wall with the bigger RV door in it that will be replacing the garage door on the back of the box. I will be starting that on Sunday. Home Depot, Harbor Freight and Ace Hardware have become my best friends, lol.
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