Monetarily Broke = Slow Progress

 

This is the front axle.

You see the dent (arch) in the axle towards the left side.

Bad news.

My wife wants me to replace both axles with new Reliable 3500 lb. axles.  

Reliable 3500-lb Trailer Axle

May be a delay getting around to that due to money shortage.  In the meantime, I need to put jackstands or scissor jacks under at least 3 points on each side and level the frame to construct the sub-floor/ foundation.

 

I've removed the springs and shackles.

Due to rust, just attempting to unbolt them didn't work.  I used the wire wheel in the drill to clean out the threads, then oiled them, and after that it wasn't so difficult to get them off.  I need to totally wire brush them and paint them. 

Brakes & Hubs

 

There was spider egg-sack and cockroach casings inside.

I brushed all that out.

The brake shoes still had plenty of lining on them

and the drums didn't show any signs of wear. 

 

After it was all brushed out ...

here's a view of the spindle.

Notice that the inner and out bearings are different sizes.

1-1/4" & 1-1/16"  respectively.

New axles have 1-3/8" on the inner bearing ... 

which is 1/8" larger than mine, so my hub won't work on them.

although new axles would be nice, I don't want to have to replace everything.

Tanks Back In

 

The support pieces have been fitted and bolted back in place.

The tanks are back in. 

 

Tanks viewed from the rear.

Next up are the axles ...

Just cooking in this heat ... nearly 100°F

very exhausting.

After this was done, I took the steps rod to the shop

and spent the remainder of the afternoon watching O.C.C.

(Orange County Choppers - NY) 

Camping Trailer - For Sale

I saw this recently and it is still for sale ...

 

I think that is in area code 334 ... 

call 334-405-9247 

They may have plugged all the leaks, but not before the damage was done to the frame ... believe me, there is wood rot ... but a 21 ft metal trailer with 18 feet of usable space for a tiny home (3 feet of the trailer is the tongue). 

 

front view 

 

rear view 

 

This was the bed area ... just around the corner to the right is a water heater 

 

I'm just showing one pic from the bathroom ...

Notice the rotted ceiling coming down over the toilet? 

 

The front dining area that can also be made into a bed.

ripple-warped paneling is also a sign of wood rot. 

 

They ripped out the kitchen sink and plumbing.

But hey, they left the stove.

And all the knobs are on it (those knobs are hard to come by) 

 

Yeah, the refrigerator is missing ...

but the dining table is still there. 

You can save the windows, dining area, the stove, the water heater tank, and whatever you want to keep from the bathroom.  There is one tank under the trailer.  And the metal frame needs wire-brushing or sanding or sandblasting before you re-paint it.

Black Frame & Rusty Axles

 

There it is!!!

A fully wire-brushed and painted frame. 

Top, sides, and bottom. 

 

Here's looking at the back section ...

which is finally done! 

 

Then my wife came outside ...

admired the beautifully done frame and said,

"The axles are rusty."

So true ... but they are next up. 

This is a major accomplishment.  I'm exhausted.

De-constructing it was Milestone 1.

Wire-brushing and painting the frame is Milestone 2.

The axles will be Milestone 3.

There is some discussion  about replacing the axles (I have no idea what these are, but I'm guessing 2500 lb 4" drop axles) with 

3500 lb. 4" drop axles. (I have the electric brakes and hubs)

Even if the axles I purchase aren't plumbed for electrical brakes,

I'll just run parallel wiring down the other side of the frame.

Milestone 4: 

The sub-floor framing  with the plumbing to the tanks ...

which means I'll have to tentatively place the tub ...

in order to figure out how to route the 1-1/2" tubing 

up through the sub-floor  ... with 2 vent tubes. 

Aaaaaaccck!

(I'll worry about that later) 

Tank-echtomy

 

I finally decided that I needed to remove the tanks to effectively de-rust and paint the frame. 

 

The only things left are the angle-iron tabs that the supporting metal bolts to, in order to support the tanks. 

 

These supporting angle-irons were originally left bare and never painted.

I'll wire brush them and paint them before putting them back.

The tanks are stacked under the siding.

A token mention of what the trailer originally was - Shasta. 

Not Fast Progression ...

Tires are off.  Working my way back on the frame.

Used a high-pressure nozzle to clean out the two tanks.

From the rear - perhaps you can see the white screw-in caps that I purchased to plug the holes in the tanks so that I don't get anymore leaves and junk inside.

This is toilet paper ... it's been in the black-water tank for a good ten years.  You can still see the hearts, sun, flowers and other designs on it.  

It has yet to bio-degrade.

But now the tank and lines are clear of any impurities.

I can probably use this tank to empty a tub into.