1989 S1600 White Rhino

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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

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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

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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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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by rlaggren »

Progress in the right direction to start the new year. That's better than 10 resolutions!

Rufus
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

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Just got done talking with Mark O. and it reminded me I haven't updated in a bit. Last week I was to have started on the wall to replace the rear door on the box. While I did get some lumber, most of it was wet and the Home Depot guy didn't seem to care much. The treated plywood was so wet that the top sheet was already wrinkling and the plys coming apart.

I bought some treated 2x4s and some T1-11 siding that was primed. I'm okay with using treated lumber on the back wall because by the time I'll actually live in it most of the off-gassing will have occurred. Also, that back end is going to be brutalized as I go down the road and I won't be able to seal it off 100% from moisture infiltration unless I never drive it when the roads are damp in any way. I'm going to vapor barrier the entire interior wall which will enclose the framing as well, then cover it with regular wood products in the interior. The bathroom and the "shop" area will be located back there so I'm not going to be sitting directly next to the wall 24/7. We should be okay.

I've decided to hit up a local lumber yard this week for the treated plywood being I only need 2 sheets anyway. The wall will get built next week.

However, tomorrow my helper and I will start putting in the raised floor. I'm going to get some things prepped today and the saw starts running tomorrow so that when we are done there will be 16 feet of raised floor installed. I'm not going to entirely finish the floor because I'll need some room to slide the back wall into place and make sure it butts up properly with the sealant tape that will be stuck around the perimeter of the box frame. I'm going to frame up the ramp, raised floor and the drop floor(to cover the ramp when not being used) of the rear and test fit everything. Then when the wall is installed I'll just slip the remaining framed floor sections into place.

I've also decided that I'll be using the foam board to insulate. I just can't get enough info about the Prodex for my kind of application and I'm really not in a position to reasonably carry an experiment. I'm going to put up 4" of pink board in the ceiling and 2" in the sides and basement.

After all that is done I can start thinking about routing plumbing and electrical.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

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No floor yesterday. I forgot the polyurethane construction adhesive to glue things together so I'll have to pick that up this week among other things previously mentioned. Too bad Harbor Freight doesn't carry it because I spent a little money there yesterday. Among other things I got a small LED flashlight with a hanger on it and I also bought a lantern with a crank handle to charge it back up.

I also got the heat gun my helper is going to learn to hate over the next few months as he peels off the vinyl wrap UHaul uses to cover the large colorful vinyl stickers(as well as removing those too) you see on the boxes. He gets to peel off both as I'll be painting the fiberglass on the box and the truck cab when the weather warms up.

Anyway, my helper pulled all the cabinets out so I could number, measure and take pictures of them then he rearranged everything so the damp 2x4s could dry faster and it was all easier to deal with for next weekend when we really start on the floor.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by rlaggren »

Careful with that heat gun around the fiberglass. IIRC, good polyester GRP (the most common kind, used in boat building and for molds) starts to distort at about 225F. That's not very hot. Specs for a common Milwaukee heat gun from Home Depot for paint stripping claim temps up to 1000F.

Rufus
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

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I've heard/read from various sources that using the lower end(aka cheap) heat guns takes a loooooong time to heat up the vinyl on these UHauls. I'll be finding out soon enough. Kinda broke so I'll be doing it myself. At least I have about 4 months to git er done so I can paint. However, patching and coating the roof will be the first official outdoor project when the weather is warm enough.

The truck is out of the shop and in the warehouse again. It's a tight spot. Had to shoehorn it in between 2 boats but it's parked for the winter with 2 outlets nearby. Now I can do things on my schedule at my leisure in a minimum of 40 degrees, no wind and dry. It's just dark in there but thankfully I bought some lights.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Stealth Camper »

Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away, I worked at a place that used those decals. They had a chemical that came in a spray can that we would spray on and it would somehow interrupt the bond and the decal would come off. So many brain cells have gone by the wayside since then that I don't have a clue where we got it, but there might be some help to speed things up out there somewhere??

91% rubbing alcohol helps take the residues off when I have removed one by hand....
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

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Did you have to rinse off the spray when you were done? Did any of the chemicals harm the gel coat if you didn't rinse them off soon enough after using?

Now that my truck is parked I can't really move it and have no way to wash it. I'll try to get some pics of the hole it's stuffed in right now. I'm going to barely have enough room to do what I need to scrape the stickers off. I didn't want to have it pressure washed until I did something with the roof...and yet I still have to clean the roof somehow in order to have a clean surface for the roll on stuff to stick good to the aluminum surface.

I also have to consider the temperature. The warehouse is heated but the temp sits between 40-45 and almost always closer to 40. I have a halogen lamp stand for light and to assist with heating the surface of the walls but I don't want to spray anything flammable in that close of a proximity to the lights. I've got a few months so I'll probably just scrape away while spending time there with my cat.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by rlaggren »

What kind of surface are you looking for? I can see few different options. 1) Don't mess with the decals, just clean, abrade a little (quick hit with a sander) and paint. The decal outline would probably still be visible. 2) Use the sander more aggressively to remove the decals; don't know what happens when you hit those things with a sander, but I'd think rough coat abrasive would get them off. That might rough up the gel coat some, but if you're planning on painting and do a good job of it, the gel coat is kind of redundant.

Have you actually ever got decals off GRP with a heat gun? When I remove paint I have to be darn careful or I'll scorch the wood; that happens at a pretty high temp. If those decals need anything like the heat needed to get paint off, I'd think you're probably going to warp the GRP. Why not contact some people that apply signage and see if they know the way to remove the decals? Unfortunately I suspect the easy chemical way is both expensive and possible quite dangerous to your health. However, there may be other methods. Some body shops may also deal with those things, might ask there also.

Rufus
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

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I want a clean surface, no more sticker outlines that scream out UHaul especially with the dark color I'll be painting it. The demarcation kit that UHaul installed is peeling away in many places and paint doesn't stick well to the vinyl.

I don't want to use a sander if you mean a power sander. I don't feel confident enough to use a sander on the gel coat and most likely wont need it.

I've talked with some glass and vinyl guys as well as others who have done this and they all say the same thing, heat gun and keep it moving.

Whatever I do I have to consider my neighbors(until spring when they move out) so for now my only option is gun and peel.

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And this is one of the blues I'm considering painting it via a budget/$50 paint job method.

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I wish I had that nose on my truck.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by rlaggren »

If the pro's like heat guns, they must work. <g> But man DO keep that gun moving! If there are any decals someplace kinda out of sight, well, you know where to start. <g> Acetone is usually used to clean up GRP and flashes off fast. You have to move fast and keep the rag clean and wet because it doesn't stay around long; a bushel of clean cotton rags would be real helpful. MEK can also be used but I don't use it myself and don't know if long term contact bothers the gel coat. A big cheap window fan or two delay the chemical high... I found I needed them even in a completely open (with cross ventilation from the back door) two-car garage when stripping doors.

The link below goes to a boat site where I've seen several discussions on painting. In particular the merits of using "house paint" and how to make a cheap (relatively) paint look good using "roll and tip" methods. You really need a helper for that but from what I've heard, it's worth it. Sorry, I don't have the exact links but the site search seems to work OK. There are some high rollers there but I'd say more are suffering from "tiny-wallet" syndrome and they're _all_ total DIY freaks.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/

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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

Post by Stealth Camper »

Headache wrote:Did you have to rinse off the spray when you were done? Did any of the chemicals harm the gel coat if you didn't rinse them off soon enough after using?
Sorry it took me so long to get back. No good information for you - don't remember enough. Most of the solvent types might (probably) hurt the finish. I think we wiped then down with alcohol and then waxed the surface. It was on metal panel used in making signs. Enamel paint that we applied.

I guess I would recommend talking to a paint manufacturer or maybe Crane Composites - they make the fiberglass panels used on RVs and trucks.
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Re: 1989 S1600 White Rhino

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The posts I've been looking over to learn about the budget painting methods are all on car sites. This is the one that started the mother of all budget pain job threads:

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/sho ... er=2338616

It's had I think 3 different continuations(thread closed and another opened as in part 1, part 2...) now, it was that famous. Some of the originals checked in and their paint jobs still looked good after 8 years.

http://www.rickwrench.com/index79master ... paint.html

The change to using marine paint was also first posted in that thread after one if the members brothers told him about an easier way to get that mirror finish and that maybe he should try the marine paint which self levels to a certain extent.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/sho ... age=0&vc=1
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