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Barth floor construction
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Supporting Member of Barthmobile.com 4/08
Picture of izomage
posted
I was wondering just what the floor construction is on the Barth's. I assume transverse aluminum or steel beams with plywood on top. Are the beams visible and accessible from under the coach ? What about the body to chassis attachment. Are the bolts accessible for checking their condition, like do they retain their nuts ? I have heard of a case where a Breakaway broke many of the body bolts and had to be jacked up, brackets welded, and new bolts fitted. Sounds rather expensive. I suspect the nuts loosened, and over a long period of time, with the body jostling around, the bolts finally sheered and the body partially detached.
 
Posts: 57 | Location: Severna Park, Maryland | Member Since: 08-12-2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Picture of Gunner
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"..Breakaway broke many of the body bolts and had to be jacked up, brackets welded, and new bolts fitted..."

This sounds like an actual (shortlived) problem that has morphed into an urban myth. Early Breakaways had a habit of breaking their SHOCK MOUNTS which required new brackets, welding, etc. (and leading to many lame jokes regarding the origin of the moniker "Breakaway"). I very much doubt the story about the "body bolts" breaking.


"You are what you drive" - Clint Eastwood
 
Posts: 474 | Location: Republic of Texas | Member Since: 12-31-2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Supporting Member of Barthmobile.com 4/08
Picture of izomage
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Well, to be more accurate, I am not sure the bolts actually "broke" but I am almost certain a body became partially detached from the Spartan chassis of a 30 ft Breakaway and major repairs were required. I investigated the class C Lazy Daze, carefully constructed machines of good reputation. One of the maintenance issues was to check the nuts of the body to chassis bolts as they were known to back off and loosen up. Not all of these are even assessable.
 
Posts: 57 | Location: Severna Park, Maryland | Member Since: 08-12-2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Old Man and No Barth
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Aluminum belly pan, 2" +/- transverse aluminum beams, fiberglass insulation in between, high-quality 5/8" plywood on top, floor coverings over that, all sitting on top of the chassis members.

The floor frames are not accessible from below. The hold-down bolts probably are, but I wasn't looking for them when I found out the other stuff.
 
Posts: 1421 | Location: Upper Left Corner | Member Since: 10-28-2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Supporting Member of Barthmobile.com 4/08
Picture of izomage
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Thanks Olroy, Is the belly pan riveted to the frames so that it is easy to determine the location of the frames ?
 
Posts: 57 | Location: Severna Park, Maryland | Member Since: 08-12-2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Old Man and No Barth
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I can't tell you if it's riveted or not. I wasn't underneath to study that aspect. The belly pan is painted, or undercoated.
 
Posts: 1421 | Location: Upper Left Corner | Member Since: 10-28-2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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