under belly re-install

SS self taping screws. Might have to do some research, but they should be available.

donn0128 wrote:
SS self taping screws. Might have to do some research, but they should be available.

Ditto on the SS self tapping screws. Make sure you use the right sized drill to make the new holes the SS screws will wring off if the hole is too small.

I think I would use self tapping screw/bolts. They have a hex head just like a bolt and a self tapping bit end. If you get them in the same location it would simply drill out the rusted bolt and install in the same hole. They install fairly easily with a cordless drill.

Mechanically fastening is the way to go. I've thought about how I would do this some day and what I would do is use a long strip of sheet aluminum maybe 2-3" wide and pop rivet the first sheet to the strip along with washers (so that screw heads won't stick out too far). Then the overlapping sheet would be screwed down with SS self-tapping screws. Maybe you can re-use whatever is behind the existing screws to screw into again. Then I'd finish that off with Scrim Shield or Gorilla tape to keep moisture out and to make the underbelly a little more airtight. Penetrations for pipes, tank valve cables,etc. can be sealed off with landscape foam which is a black/grey color.

I completely re did my underbelly and designed some things to reinstall and hold the material with a combination of nylon fasteners using the existing sheet metal screw locations along with a system to prevent the material from sagging using a "no drill" system. All my work is in THIS ALBUM with detailed descriptions in the picture captions.

Larry

LarryJM wrote:
I completely re did my underbelly and designed some things to reinstall and hold the material with a combination of nylon fasteners using the existing sheet metal screw locations along with a system to prevent the material from sagging using a "no drill" system. All my work is in THIS ALBUM with detailed descriptions in the picture captions.

Larry

Thanks for all the suggestions --- all good advice. especially like the photo album Larry, thanks.... I always thought of getting under there to add some insulation and re-route some stuff

Nice work, LarryJM! I really like the way you sectionalized your panels.

LarryJM wrote:
... a system to prevent the material from sagging using a "no drill" system.

I understand aluminum angles holding the belly where it's sagging. But you still have to fasten those angles to the frame? If "no drill", then you have to use existing old holes.

Almot wrote:

LarryJM wrote:
... a system to prevent the material from sagging using a "no drill" system.

I understand aluminum angles holding the belly where it's sagging. But you still have to fasten those angles to the frame? If "no drill", then you have to use existing old holes.

You didn't look at all the pictures nor read the captions. The aluminum angles are held to the frame with "beam clamps" which require no drilling or use of holes. That whole underbelly redo did not require drilling A SINGLE ADDITIONAL HOLE in the frame. The existing holes where the original sheet metal screws were, were tapped to accept the 1/4x20 nylon bolts and even those didn't require a pilot drill hole since the sheet metal screw hole was just right for the 14x20 tap.

Larry

LarryJM wrote:

Almot wrote:

LarryJM wrote:
... a system to prevent the material from sagging using a "no drill" system.

I understand aluminum angles holding the belly where it's sagging. But you still have to fasten those angles to the frame? If "no drill", then you have to use existing old holes.

You didn't look at all the pictures nor read the captions. The aluminum angles are held to the frame with "beam clamps" which require no drilling or use of holes. That whole underbelly redo did not require drilling A SINGLE ADDITIONAL HOLE in the frame. The existing holes where the original sheet metal screws were, were tapped to accept the 1/4x20 nylon bolts and even those didn't require a pilot drill hole since the sheet metal screw hole was just right for the 14x20 tap.

Larry

Looks like a fantastic job you did there. So all of your ducts and wiring for the most part were just hanging down unsecured from the floor when you started? That's what I got from your first picture. I need to pull my underbelly and give it a look I guess because that would kinda bother me. The one thing you did that I would've done a little different I think is the way you hung your duct under there. I would put some foam around that strap so there was less chance it would rub through the duct. That duct is pretty thin stuff and the driving and vibrations I think might eventually rub that through right there. Other than that 1 little thing the rest of it looks great. How many hours did you have in that do you think? Looks like quite a bit when you factor in the painting and everything. Again....I'm impressed with the whole job.