wall detached from floor

[povertycoach]

so I was lubing the folding benches/bed, and looked down to where the floor meets the wall and I was seeing driveway.  So I pushed on the wall and the gap widened...holy s***!  I rolled under the coach and could see that not only was a portion of the wall no longer attached to the floor, but that the wall had actually dropped about an 1" from where it was once screwed (using pitiful #10 selfdrilling screws) to the the steel angle floor support.  I tried jacking the wall back up using a 2x4 on my floor jack but it did not move.  It is really not noticeable at all, and I was considering bolting a piece of 1x3 aluminum strip on the outside of the wall using stainless carriage bolts through the steel angle.

Anyone had this problem? 

Besides Creampuff, I have owned a '75 270 Travco, helped work on a friend's Tioga, and it is my firm conviction that ALL of these coaches and probably every other builder's coaches were built like crap out of crap material...I know they are old and take alot of abuse from the road and storage and blah blah blah, but sheesh!

vent over

Frank

[Oz]

Well, if you think about it, look how long it took for this to occur.  The newer stuff is by far, less quality.  Do you think a 2005 rig will be around in 30+ years?  I highly doubt it.

The beauty of owning a vintage RV is that you can use creativity to remedy just about any issue.  You've had some warpage or body brace bend.  But, the structureal integrity apparently seems solid.  You've already explored some possibilities to  correct the problem.

Look at what the base issue is.  If the sturcture in the area is solid, then use a make-shift repair and it'll all be good.  

[JDxeper]

My 78 also has a separation problem I was thinking to remove the outside trim and screw the side to the floor.  also thought about putting a angle iron on inside to see if it would pull in.  let me know if you come up with a good idea.  I'll do the same.
JD

[DanD2Soon]

Today's #10 self drillers really do have a lot of holding power - believe I'd try using them again, maybe a little closer together, and maybe with a predrilled pilot hole and longer than needed by an inch or so to help "draw" the side in a little at a time.  I'm thinking the Colored, Coated, Washered self drillers that are sold to be used on pole barns & metal buildings could be done pretty cleanly in a color that might match or at least compliment your siding scheme.

If you do need to use an aluminum strip to spead the force, most RV shops have the trim moulding strips that have a plastic convex insert to cover the screw heads.

Good Luck Frank

[JDxeper]

Also look at these posts.  http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php?topic=1692.0

JD

[povertycoach]

Thanks JD, and all of those who replied,

I thought I had searched the threads pretty well.  There is a rub-rail that runs the full length of the coach, and I am sure the rusted remains of the screws are behind the insert.  I will install bolts  through the rub-rail, through the wall and into the steel angle and hope that curtails the sagging wall problem.

p-coach