This is Angelina's husband here, Dorian. Thanks for all the great advice. Our camper is connected to the step part of the floorpack. There is a gap running down the side of the camper where you described. It is showing signs of wear and tear due to oscillation while driving. Also, the steal brackets the turn buckles are connected to were designed for a different model truck and do not fit snugly into to truck bed. This has caused the brackets to shift their edges into the belly of the camper. Not good. I was going to either have a friend of mine weld a shim onto the brackets or bolt them in place. In any case I'm not satisfied with how the camper is secured and would like some advice on how to get this thing locked in place. We are going to hit some really nasty roads out there and need our baby to stay in place. Any ideas to keep her right and tight? Thanks again.
El Grand Rojo is going to Panama
- Thread starter smileyd
- Start date
marty
A Great Guy
gaps
Hi Dorian,
Welcome to the forum. This is a great place.
If you remove your camper from your truck leave it on the jacks and from underneath the camper simply wedge a large screwdriver into the gap to widen it a little more. Then squirt some liquid nails into the gap and remove the screwdriver. smoosh the floor pack back together and drive some 1 5/8 sheetrock screws into it. you will see where the stapels were. then to make it stronger after it is back on the truck or on a platform that supports the floor. put a 1 by 1 or 3/4 by 3/4 piece of wood into the inside corners of the floor pack and predrill them and screw them in the same way. You could even use some thin angle iron on the inside corners.
Marty
Hi Dorian,
Welcome to the forum. This is a great place.
If you remove your camper from your truck leave it on the jacks and from underneath the camper simply wedge a large screwdriver into the gap to widen it a little more. Then squirt some liquid nails into the gap and remove the screwdriver. smoosh the floor pack back together and drive some 1 5/8 sheetrock screws into it. you will see where the stapels were. then to make it stronger after it is back on the truck or on a platform that supports the floor. put a 1 by 1 or 3/4 by 3/4 piece of wood into the inside corners of the floor pack and predrill them and screw them in the same way. You could even use some thin angle iron on the inside corners.
Marty
Marty and Ben are obviously the resident experts on this forum and their advice is probably the best course to take but I used Elmers polyurethane glue when I built my camper, another brand is Gorilla glue, both available at local stores, very strong and waterproof. They do expand some and may require touch up sanding. I've used liquid nails for other stuff and never been very impressed with it, it is thick and makes drawing the wood together uniformly somewhat more difficult (it has been years since I used it so maybe it is different now) but it would be less runny than the polyurethane, especially if applied in a vertical gap. The screws would still be needed to draw the wood together or you could clamp and press together and maybe add some staples if you have access to a pneumatic narrow crown stapler.
Good luck
Good luck
Thank you Marty I will make sure Dorian reads this. You seam to know everything about 4wc's.
Thank you everyone for your input. I'm sure we will have more questions and ideas shortly. We are really enjoying this site.
Thanks Jay for your advice, we have never driven through Mexico or Central America. Only flew. We also live in CA. Southern.
Thank you everyone for your input. I'm sure we will have more questions and ideas shortly. We are really enjoying this site.
Thanks Jay for your advice, we have never driven through Mexico or Central America. Only flew. We also live in CA. Southern.
marty
A Great Guy
glue
Homemade, You are correct in your glue ideas as i myself use a tremendous amount of good exterior glue. However the camper that has a loose main floor
would stand a much greater chance the way i described due to the rot, dirt, rusted staples and loose and flakey wood. please don't get me wrong i am not being smug with you. I have done lot's of fwc remodels and the liquid nails to me seamed to work much better. and agin you are correct the clean up is harder. have a nice day Marty
Homemade, You are correct in your glue ideas as i myself use a tremendous amount of good exterior glue. However the camper that has a loose main floor
would stand a much greater chance the way i described due to the rot, dirt, rusted staples and loose and flakey wood. please don't get me wrong i am not being smug with you. I have done lot's of fwc remodels and the liquid nails to me seamed to work much better. and agin you are correct the clean up is harder. have a nice day Marty
Hi Marty,
I think you and Ben are incredible, not smug at all, frankly your insight and willingness to share your knowlege with others without direct compensation is awesome and commendable. Hopefully you are getting business also, it would be well deserved. Are you and Ben working together or seperate but cooperative (just curious)?
I didn't think about stuff like rot or gaps that a thicker adhesive like liquid nails would be better for filling/stabilizing.
Thanks again for your input.
I think you and Ben are incredible, not smug at all, frankly your insight and willingness to share your knowlege with others without direct compensation is awesome and commendable. Hopefully you are getting business also, it would be well deserved. Are you and Ben working together or seperate but cooperative (just curious)?
I didn't think about stuff like rot or gaps that a thicker adhesive like liquid nails would be better for filling/stabilizing.
Thanks again for your input.
benburnett
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2006
- Messages
- 771
working together
Homemade,
Marty and I are working together here at ATC. Marty and Jeff build the campers and I take care of the business and sales side of our company. Marty and I have known each other since the 8th grade and have worked on an off over the years together in many different arenas.
Sincerely,
Ben
www.allterraincampers.com
Homemade,
Marty and I are working together here at ATC. Marty and Jeff build the campers and I take care of the business and sales side of our company. Marty and I have known each other since the 8th grade and have worked on an off over the years together in many different arenas.
Sincerely,
Ben
www.allterraincampers.com
marty
A Great Guy
camper tie downs
Hi.
So when you get your floor pack tightened up you could bolt four metal plates with an ear on them right to the top shelf of your floor pack. using the ear for an outside tie down. Three of them will be easy. The fronts and passenger rear. make sure to put a 2 by 3 ish 1/8 ish steal plate on the inside
for backing. sorta like most of the other camper mfgs do. the fourth one depending on your cabinet ice box refer or even gas box can be done close to the same. only you will have to get a little friendly with what is there. I hope this helps. Marty
Hi.
So when you get your floor pack tightened up you could bolt four metal plates with an ear on them right to the top shelf of your floor pack. using the ear for an outside tie down. Three of them will be easy. The fronts and passenger rear. make sure to put a 2 by 3 ish 1/8 ish steal plate on the inside
for backing. sorta like most of the other camper mfgs do. the fourth one depending on your cabinet ice box refer or even gas box can be done close to the same. only you will have to get a little friendly with what is there. I hope this helps. Marty
Thank you
Thank you for all your advice. Dorian has been repairing the floor pack. He will explain what happened later. We will send before and after pictures also.
Your knowledge on the subject is very helpful to us Marty, again Thanks.
Thank you for all your advice. Dorian has been repairing the floor pack. He will explain what happened later. We will send before and after pictures also.
Your knowledge on the subject is very helpful to us Marty, again Thanks.
marty
A Great Guy
reply
You are welcome, glad to be of use. We would like to see the pictures of your project.
Marty
You are welcome, glad to be of use. We would like to see the pictures of your project.
Marty
viaje
Angelina,
You guys are going to have a great time! I've done two similar trips and will never forget them.
A couple pieces of advice. Im not sure if its still the same way, but to take ferries and enter into some of those countries you'll have to have a credit card in the same name as the registration of your vehicle. Learned that one the hard way. Had to wait for two weeks in La paz to take the ferry to Mazatlan.
Second, is just a philosophy. Take is slow and enjoy it all. Its hotter than hell and can be very stressful crossing the boarders. If you try and rush it, you'll volver loco! Just try and find the good in it. Even the sweaty border jockys can be funny if you have the right attiture. It's all do-able, just takes paciencia.
Third, your custom interior jobs is beautiful. Im sure the customs agents will love it! They cant bully you with a paint job like that.
So much more to say.....brush up on your Spanish, also gear hmmm...... extra fuel filters, hoses,jerry can etc...
buenas suerte
Mark
Angelina,
You guys are going to have a great time! I've done two similar trips and will never forget them.
A couple pieces of advice. Im not sure if its still the same way, but to take ferries and enter into some of those countries you'll have to have a credit card in the same name as the registration of your vehicle. Learned that one the hard way. Had to wait for two weeks in La paz to take the ferry to Mazatlan.
Second, is just a philosophy. Take is slow and enjoy it all. Its hotter than hell and can be very stressful crossing the boarders. If you try and rush it, you'll volver loco! Just try and find the good in it. Even the sweaty border jockys can be funny if you have the right attiture. It's all do-able, just takes paciencia.
Third, your custom interior jobs is beautiful. Im sure the customs agents will love it! They cant bully you with a paint job like that.
So much more to say.....brush up on your Spanish, also gear hmmm...... extra fuel filters, hoses,jerry can etc...
buenas suerte
Mark
ferry
She may mean the ferry from La Paz to the mainland.
My experience is that the more you can make your rig blend in, the better. The less attention you can bring upon yourself the easier your trip will be. Already you are doing something unheard of by most of the local nationals. They just can't afford travel and/or a pleasure vehicle for the most part. You will get attention no matter what you do.
An interesting note: the German travelers have "Alemania" plastered across the front of their rigs since someone told them that they will get different treatment at the borders if they are thought to be US citizens. This was not our experience at all. We were welcomed and had no problems at Belize and Guatemalan borders. It could be a problem in maybe Nicaragua or El Salvador where we have been involved so much in their national strife (you would think Guatemala would be in that bracket as well) but Costa Rica and Panama are what they are due to American investment and the people likely know this even though we did invade Panama over Noriega.
We found that Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica are quite expensive now. Mostly because of the influx of US and Canadian expats and their buying land and building but also, in Mexico's case, the NAFTA influence. The numbers are huge..(Mexico alone has 500,000 US citizens and 500,000 Canadians living there at least part of the year if not all year). The middle class in Mexico is expanding at amazing rates. I am interested in reports from Panama and Honduras as they are reported as becoming expensive as well.
We have relatives who recently moved to Belize with a business and are building a house in the north near Corazol town. They report that the income required to become a pensianado has gone from $1200 per month to $2000 in a years time. Part of the draw to some other counties in CA was the low income needed for pensianado status....my relative tells me the internet is way behind on the reports and they have risen as well. Let us know.
Something I was unaware of although we try to pay attention to these things, is that most countries in Central America are banding together economically much in the same way as the European Union has done. This should raise their standard of living greatly. I wish them the best. That is the kind of thing that might ease the illegal immigration to the US.
Things like vanity plates can even be a problem when dealing with the authorities. They really like to see a normal number plate. The only times we were stopped by the police in Belize or Guatemala were because the plate we had on the front is a plate with our towns name on it and not a number plate (Truth or Consequences).....my state, NM, only requires one rear plate....I will have a plate made, probably some combination of letters and numbers that will end in the same number as my rear plate. That, because of the number system in Mexico, DF where there are certain days you cannot drive, depending on the last number of your plates. There is a $200US fine if you are caught, I am told.
Sorry about the long post...I am passionate about Latin America....I truly love it down there and look forward to our next trip south.
Brian
She may mean the ferry from La Paz to the mainland.
My experience is that the more you can make your rig blend in, the better. The less attention you can bring upon yourself the easier your trip will be. Already you are doing something unheard of by most of the local nationals. They just can't afford travel and/or a pleasure vehicle for the most part. You will get attention no matter what you do.
An interesting note: the German travelers have "Alemania" plastered across the front of their rigs since someone told them that they will get different treatment at the borders if they are thought to be US citizens. This was not our experience at all. We were welcomed and had no problems at Belize and Guatemalan borders. It could be a problem in maybe Nicaragua or El Salvador where we have been involved so much in their national strife (you would think Guatemala would be in that bracket as well) but Costa Rica and Panama are what they are due to American investment and the people likely know this even though we did invade Panama over Noriega.
We found that Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica are quite expensive now. Mostly because of the influx of US and Canadian expats and their buying land and building but also, in Mexico's case, the NAFTA influence. The numbers are huge..(Mexico alone has 500,000 US citizens and 500,000 Canadians living there at least part of the year if not all year). The middle class in Mexico is expanding at amazing rates. I am interested in reports from Panama and Honduras as they are reported as becoming expensive as well.
We have relatives who recently moved to Belize with a business and are building a house in the north near Corazol town. They report that the income required to become a pensianado has gone from $1200 per month to $2000 in a years time. Part of the draw to some other counties in CA was the low income needed for pensianado status....my relative tells me the internet is way behind on the reports and they have risen as well. Let us know.
Something I was unaware of although we try to pay attention to these things, is that most countries in Central America are banding together economically much in the same way as the European Union has done. This should raise their standard of living greatly. I wish them the best. That is the kind of thing that might ease the illegal immigration to the US.
Things like vanity plates can even be a problem when dealing with the authorities. They really like to see a normal number plate. The only times we were stopped by the police in Belize or Guatemala were because the plate we had on the front is a plate with our towns name on it and not a number plate (Truth or Consequences).....my state, NM, only requires one rear plate....I will have a plate made, probably some combination of letters and numbers that will end in the same number as my rear plate. That, because of the number system in Mexico, DF where there are certain days you cannot drive, depending on the last number of your plates. There is a $200US fine if you are caught, I am told.
Sorry about the long post...I am passionate about Latin America....I truly love it down there and look forward to our next trip south.
Brian
Hi guys,
I appreciate your advice. Everything mentioned luckily we have allready taken a precaution for. I like that you mention it just in case though. Well except for our rig Dorian and I are rather dark. People sometimes think we are from Italy, with a dark tan we could blend in a little. I am studying spanish like crazy right now. My best friend is from Brazil and she speaks fluent spanish. I have also been practicing with a cd's and a computer program.
Yes, La Paz to Mazatlan. I am excited for the trip. I will try my best to take it slow and with lots of patience. Nine weeks left. So much camper work to do still. Thanks for the words on our artistic side. It's getting cooler! We are bring paints with us to work on the inside on the way down.
Pura Vida
Angelina
I appreciate your advice. Everything mentioned luckily we have allready taken a precaution for. I like that you mention it just in case though. Well except for our rig Dorian and I are rather dark. People sometimes think we are from Italy, with a dark tan we could blend in a little. I am studying spanish like crazy right now. My best friend is from Brazil and she speaks fluent spanish. I have also been practicing with a cd's and a computer program.
Yes, La Paz to Mazatlan. I am excited for the trip. I will try my best to take it slow and with lots of patience. Nine weeks left. So much camper work to do still. Thanks for the words on our artistic side. It's getting cooler! We are bring paints with us to work on the inside on the way down.
Pura Vida
Angelina
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