Mike's 1973 D22 Complete tear out. From the Roof down!

[RockwoodMike]

plz do not forget the powder coat

What color??  

[Eyez Open]

plz do not forget the powder coat

What color??  

Black Chrome of course!


https://www.ebay.com/itm/283895555917

[RockwoodMike]

https://www.allpowderpaints.com/powder-coating-colors/black-chrome-2/

Did you notice that your color selection is coming all the way from the Ukraine..??

Here is a local supplier all the way from Florida in the link..

That is a nice color and I should have used that on my steel rims instead of the gloss white!!

That would have made a statement as I am rolling down the highway  

How about I just let it create it's natural patina of rust..Save me some time and money

[RockwoodMike]

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=9818712&cc=0&pt=6860&jsn=1018

I need to hook up the heater box to the engine coolant and test it for leaks with pressure and hot coolant..Need a valve to control everything..

On order and just got the email that it is shipped..

That heater box is original and needs to be checked out

[RockwoodMike]

Made this bracket that attached to the dog house shroud..Now when the plenum is ready to be installed, it will be bolted in place..And not rattle around..

[RockwoodMike]

One of my new holding tanks arrived

Made some brackets to weld up to hang the tank from..Made it that the tank can be dropped easily from underneath...

Pic 1..Bought it from Rec Pro..32 gallons..seamless design..Hang from the 2 ledges on the ends

Pic 2..The brackets designed and cut as usual..  

Pic 3..Clamping it up to tack weld it..Tack it first to see it all fit well..

Pic 4..Welding the front ..tacking it to test fit..

[RockwoodMike]

Pic 5..Tack weld the rear support..

Pic 6..Trial fit..

Pic 7..Everything looks good..  

Pic 8..More welding then paint it against rust..

This is the black tank..Going to use the same design tank(buy another one) for the grey tank..That fits behind the rear axle down the middle..

[Elandan2]

A question about your holding tank mount. Looking at the pictures, what is going to prevent the tank from moving "up" when driving? It appears there will be nothing between the top of the tank and the floor other than the plumbing fitting for the toilet.

[RockwoodMike]

Elandan2..

I didn't even think of that..Thank You Ever So Much..    That could have been a stinky disaster..

It hops up, breaks the top of the tank at the flange..stink going everywhere and to top it off, you can't use the toilet..

Again...Thank You..Thank You..

When I was working this out, all I was thinking was to have it held up so it would not sag..And to have a easy way to remove the tank for repair or replacement..

The original tank was bolted to the bottom of the plywood floor..The floor sagged because the wall that the floor got support from was rotted out..

Because it sagged, the tank split open on one of the seams..

this is a 32 gallon new tank..water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon..so better than 260 pounds full..

I was just thinking downward support to hold all that weight..

Not a thrust upward..My stomach is just churning (just had breakfast) right now just thinking of the disaster prevented..

Not sure how I am going to fix this yet..Everything is fully welded in..

Headed out to the driveway...

[RockwoodMike]

Now something else just came to me..Do you think the bottom of the tank needs some sort of support..The whole tank sits on the 2 ledges at the front and rear..

This tank has no seams..it is about 1/4 thick plastic that is molded in one complete piece..

[Elandan2]

My factory tanks have pen nuts at the top that are attached to brackets that are fastened to the floor. In addition, there are straps similar to gas tank straps around the bottom and attached to the floor. That seems to be enough support although I tend to ensure my waste tanks are emptied for travel. Like you, I am always concerned about the weight while bouncing down the supremely smooth highways we have today. 

[RockwoodMike]

I have a very large supply of Concrete form stakes..5/16 x 1.5 wide by 4 feet long..Used 2 of them to hold the tank from jumping up..

Pic 1..Tacked them in at the edges..That circular cutoff wheel is the approximate location for the 3" flange for the toilet..

Pic 2..Removal try out..With tank installed and floor jack up under it..Removed these 4 bolts shown with arrows..

Pic 3..Rear bracket comes off..shift the tank rearward to get it off the front bracket..

[RockwoodMike]

Down and out from below..

[RockwoodMike]

That seems to be enough support

I will give RecPro a call tomorrow and ask them about that ..A strap or 2 that can be unbolted to remove..

[RockwoodMike]

I will give RecPro a call tomorrow and ask them about that

Just got off the phone with RecPro..Asked about support for the bottom of the tank..They said that they can't answer questions like that on installation of any of their products..

So no help from them..  

[RockwoodMike]

What it takes to fit a new Gray water holding tank..A ton of work  

Here is a new 31 gallon unit..Custom hangers..All clamped up

[RockwoodMike]

Couple of more pictures..

[Eyez Open]

Good thing to observe. I have to remount my gas tank straps on the Rambler. Believe it or not Rambler did not mount the tank straps to align with the rein̈forcement built into the tank.

After seeing your engineering tapping 4 new holes into the frame seems ezy pzzy...well kinda.

[RockwoodMike]

In 1973 the Indian D22 had 2 floor plans..

Pic 1 shows the original floor plan that was used on mine..

Notice the shower stall. It was on a raised platform to sit on top of the rear wheels..Thus removing headroom while standing in the shower..I would have to stoop down to take a shower..

Pic 2 shows the other floor plan..The shower stall is move forward right behind the driver..sitting on the floor with full height head room..

That is what I am doing in regards to this gray tank..The water must flow from the shower stall all the way to the back..

Plenty of frame rail obstacles in the way..

So this has been a large challenge for me to get this right..

[LJ-TJ]

Hope you won't mined a suggestion for consideration on the layout you choose. Put the kitchen table on the ditch(passengers side)of the motorhome with the sink and stove on the highway side. That way you can watch the scenery going by. No body likes sitting on the highway side of the rig starring at transport trucks. Maybe another consideration would be to split the shower on one side of the rig and toilet and sink on the opposite side. Just ahead of a rear bed.That way if you choose to entertain in the evening, people won't have to walk by someone sleeping to use the facilities.Oh and by splitting the the toilet to one side and shower to the other. You can have one door opening one way the other door opening the other way to make a full size bathroom. Just a thought. I know opinions are like ares holes. Everybody's got one.   

[RockwoodMike]

Dang Nabbit LJ-TJ...Now you got me all twitter paated  

Looking at the second plan, I was thinking of spinning the bathroom 180 degrees..And as far aft as possible before it hits the rear wheels..A curtain drawn from port to starboard to close off the rear area..

I just need to sit down and play around with the floor plan..

[Eyez Open]

Perhaps the most convenient aspect of your restoration would be laying down the floor and then being able to map out any layout the heart desires. With uncanny accuracy and very little guess work.

And then there are curtains...

[RockwoodMike]

being able to map out any layout the heart desires.

I have been for the last 2 hours doing just that..Mostly the bathroom layout..

Here is something I came up with..I have been walking in and out of the house with my 25 foot tape measure at least 50 times..From the motorhome to my computer screen back and forth trying to lay this out  

Here is the main problem..Pic 1..These frame center supports..Can't alter or cut them..Must work with them..That means under them with the 1.5 drain pipe..

And because of them, I had to drop the Gray tank down..to allow drainage to it because of these supports..

Pic 2..Screen shot of Autocad, trying to shift things around..

2 non movable objects..The black tank and the rear wheel wells..

Look at the shower (proposed) shower stall location..The drain is aft of those 2 frame rails supports..I don't have to go under them..

With that I can raise my Gray tank up 2 inches where it originally was located in the old floor plan..

Have the bathroom where it shows, but have the shower on the aft side not the forward side..

I got a headache..

[Eyez Open]

Interesting...I would never second guess you... your skill sets run quite deep. But I have only one thought to this process...weld in floor braces/support every 16 inches. Lay down 3/4" flooring one big flat surface. Have a good stiff bourbon and have you way with it.

Sure hope everything is serviceable below the deck. The above manner is the way the Rambler was built. Actually they had a once peice floor 30' long 8' wide very high quality OSB board.

One unique mounting feature. The entire outer perimeter had a one inch deep c channel the floor fit in to. Real brain damage occurred digging out that old board...I'll never forget that.

Your Grey tank placement is a headache I get that, both my Grey tank and black tank are next to each other drivers side...and all the water/ plumbing lines
 The shower does sit 4 " above the floor so it drains.

[RockwoodMike]

weld in floor braces/support every 16 inches. Lay down 3/4" flooring one big flat surface. Have a good stiff bourbon and have you way with it.

The original floor was a layered approach..Started with 3/8 ply..then spaced 3/4 ply with insulation foam between each 3/4 ply ..then topped with one more 3/8 ply..

Even in the non rotted areas, it was soft..you could feel the "Give" as you walked on it..

Convenient access to everything underneath is the first on the list before anything is done..Serviceability is priority one..

And because of the frame rails and such, planning needs to be pretty tight..Or things like drain lines and access to things will be a problem..

I have been looking at this shower pan..It is ABS plastic..Not fiberglass..

https://recpro.com/rv-shower-pan-32-x-24-x-5-right-drain-in-white/

I was just wondering what it would take to build a floor with walls and fiberglass it to seal it all up..
Top coat of white gelcoat to finish it..
These ABS plastic pans sure are cheap in quality..