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Post by Teachndad on Jan 20, 2016 23:36:35 GMT -8
Hi Friends, On my 66 Scotsman pictured below, there is a piece of angle iron that sits just behind the base of the spare tire triangle rack. It's at the base of the front wall. Is this original? It can't be. I appears to be a monstrous water funnel to the front edge of the floor. Water runs down off the pompadour front, down the windows and continues it's decent farther down. There is currently a 1/4" gap just behind it. The front wall appears to have been once bolted to the back of the angle iron, but no more. I want to cut it off. My Westerner has no such angle iron welded across the top of the frame, so it makes me wonder what it's purpose is, here. I can add some close up pix later. Comments or ideas? Rod    |
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Post by vintagebruce on Jan 21, 2016 7:51:38 GMT -8
Hi Rod. At first glance it looks like the only reason it is there at all is to have something to weld the tire rack to. Once I saw the mounting bracket was not mounted to it directly, I can only surmise that a shade tree engineer decided the camper needed one more cross brace perhaps because of mounting the tire there. Mounting that extra weight on the front adds tongue weight to the hitch. If the front of a vintage camper was the perfect place for the spare, this would not be the first one mounted like yours I have ever seen. The tire itself is blocking what should be an aerodynamic wind spill point. Can't be boosting your mpg either. My cutting torch or grinding wheel would already be in action if this Scotsman was mine. I like the camper by the way...the position of the spare and that 100% sure water funnel...not so much.
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Post by danrhodes on Jan 21, 2016 8:29:26 GMT -8
Maybe just the type of steel, but the fact that the tire mount and l-bracket all have similar rust patterns while the frame seems mostly rust free makes me think the bracket was added at the time of the tire carrier.
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Post by Teachndad on Jan 21, 2016 22:26:00 GMT -8
Hi Rod. At first glance it looks like the only reason it is there at all is to have something to weld the tire rack to. Once I saw the mounting bracket was not mounted to it directly, I can only surmise that a shade tree engineer decided the camper needed one more cross brace perhaps because of mounting the tire there. Mounting that extra weight on the front adds tongue weight to the hitch. If the front of a vintage camper was the perfect place for the spare, this would not be the first one mounted like yours I have ever seen. The tire itself is blocking what should be an aerodynamic wind spill point. Can't be boosting your mpg either. My cutting torch or grinding wheel would already be in action if this Scotsman was mine. I like the camper by the way...the position of the spare and that 100% sure water funnel...not so much. Hey Bruce, Thanks for your advice on trashing the "water funnel". There was also some bracing tack welded to the tongue, most likely at the same time to reinforce the spare tire mount. See pix below. I think Dan's assertion with the similar rust action to the A frame spare tire mount is correct. Below are some images of the rot that I believe occurred because of the water funnel. Lotsa Rotsa.   Also, notice the additional welded steel reinforcing on the tongue that is tack welded all the way back past the first outrigger. No doubt that was for the spare tire mount. Top side view of the sistered steel reinforcement on the tongue. It stretches from the coupler til past the secound outrigger.  Streetside underneath-  Curbside Underneath -  |
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RinTin
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Post by RinTin on Jan 22, 2016 6:17:29 GMT -8
What are the dimensions of the C-channel main frame? Looks kinda small in comparison to the angle iron cross pieces. That may be why a P.O. felt the need to reinforce.
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Post by Teachndad on Jan 22, 2016 20:31:13 GMT -8
What are the dimensions of the C-channel main frame? Looks kinda small in comparison to the angle iron cross pieces. That may be why a P.O. felt the need to reinforce. Hi Greg, Did you mean reinforce with the front piece of angle iron that I refer to as the water funnel, or the main frame sistered welding. The main frame C- channel is only 2" tall. My Westerner is more robust at 3" tall. I don't have the trailer at my house any more, so I can't measure the width. Suffice to say, it's 1" or maybe 1 1/2". Not sure though. Rod |
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RinTin
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Post by RinTin on Jan 23, 2016 13:31:33 GMT -8
Hey Rod,
I meant the original main frame C-channel, which you say is only 2" tall, with the flat bar welded to it for reinforcement. That 2" C-channel isn't much, I can understand why it was reinforced.
I have no idea if the "water funnel" is original but it appears to have quite effectively aided in the rotting of your floor. As VB suggests, I'd be re-engineering it come rebuild time.
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