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Old 05-23-2007, 07:37 PM   #1
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TT Frame Maintenance with pic's

Fellow Campers

Here is a post on another area of RV maintenance, Your TT frame. I had been looking over the last year at the rust starting to form on the TT frame and this spring it sort of hit critical mass that I needed to get after this before I had a whole lot of scarping and wire brushing come my way.

The frames come treated from the factory, but that treatment does not last long or least here in Central Ohio with some outside storage. My camper was made in May 2004. It sat on the dealers lot until I took delivery in November of 2004. Then it was stored outside for 2 years until this past winter when I finally redid my overhead shed door to get Sunny inside.

So this weekend I did something I should of done last fall. I painted the frame. During the week I had jacked the unit up, pulled the wheels and painted the rims which where also showing bleeding rust coming thru.

Here you can see the level of surface rust I’m talking about. This is 3 years worth since the day it rolled out of Sunline.



And here is the axle area


To see an age progression, see here the same axle area a year before. Now you can see 1 years worth once it starts. Look at the suspension linkage and the main frame.


Since I do not have a slide, my Sunline is low to the ground. So I had to jack it up and I took the wheels off so I could get under easier. (This pic is actually after I’m done)


I wire brushed the rough area and went at it. A 26 foot camper will take 2 ½ quarts. I used Rustoleum Professional Black. You can find it in most hardware stores or lumber yards. It is good paint that you can get easily. There are not too many oil based paints left for metal to the open public other than thru automotive, industrial or agricultural outlets.

And then it comes out looking like this.


And the bottom side now.


This is one time I’m glad I only had a 26 foot camper…. It took the entire day to do this and that did not include the prep work I did during the week. I felt like Gumby under there. :P I’m sure most of you remember him. In case you didn’t here is his pic. With his trusty friend Pokey.



Point in all this, you are not as young as you use to be…and wear old clothes too…

And if you do this, wear safety glasses with a full top and side shields. A drip coming down in your face can do a job on you if it gets in your eye or near it.

Now, I fell better Sunny has a new coat on and will fair a lot better and longer. Get to show her off this weekend at camp. After a wash on the top, she looks like new again.

Happy camping.

John
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Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
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Old 05-23-2007, 09:12 PM   #2
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John,

That's another thing that I've done to all three of my trailers. All three have required intense scraping before any paint is applied. Of course, the whole area was cleaned first to get off any loose dirt (yes, there has been quite a bit). I have painted all three with Gloss Black Rust-Oleum, though the 1550 was originally brown. I thought the black looked better than the brown. One thing I do make sure to do is mask off the spot on the front left of the frame where the frame is marked for what model it's for. Other than that, everything is painted, usually when the bearings, seals, brakes, spring bolts (replaced with zerk equipped bolts), nuts, and bushings are done. Mine were especially rusty after all those years. I knew both '94's spent their whole lives prior to me on dirt/gravel, but the 1550 I don't know about. They were all really bad.

I've painted my wheels also, well only the ones from the 2251, which I later traded to the 2363. Did you spray them? I sprayed them with a bright "polar" white with the tires on. After three years, the paint was starting to peel away on the flat spots between the triangles. I really needed to do them again, but I sold it instead. Unlike yours, my wheels are near impossible to find to replace, due to the old style 0 offset.

I'll try to look for pics of mine to post here too.

Jon
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2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
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Old 05-23-2007, 09:53 PM   #3
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Jon

No I did not spray the wheels. I use the Rustoleum White with a brush. I have all the paint spraying equipment, but in some cases it is faster, thicker and quicker to do it the hand method. Cleaning up the spray gun for 4 wheels, that a job. I have a qt size one.

The frame serial number, did not see that. Where does one look? I found the axle numbers, but no frame.

John
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

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Old 05-24-2007, 05:33 AM   #4
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Hi John,

Did you paint the whole wheel or just touch up spots? I'll tell you, painting wheels to simulate the original baked finish is near impossible.

The only spot on the frame with the serial # is on the tongue near the front, and it's in the form of an aluminum plate attached to the frame. The number on the frame that I referred to before was about a foot back from the very front cross member on the left side, and has the model # of the trailer written with a paint marker. Since each trailer is a different size, the frame length's varied and Sunline marked them with the model # so they could easily tell without getting off the tractor to measure it. I think the number could have been put in a different location through the years, though I'm not sure. For example, my 2363 had the numbers
"2363" painted on the frame. I understand there was another number painted on the tongue, which allowed the tractor driver to see the end of the VIN when looking for a trailer, without having to get off the tractor.

Jon
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2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
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Old 05-24-2007, 08:10 AM   #5
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Hi John,

Very nice job, thanks for sharing.

Did you spray the frame or brush it?

What I found interesting was your front down spot in the full TT picture. Also looks like you did something in the back to extend the gutter. Has those modifications eliminated black streaks? You’ll have to share information on these mods sometime.

Enjoy your camping week-end.
Hutch
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Old 05-24-2007, 10:48 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunline Fan
Hi John,

Did you paint the whole wheel or just touch up spots? I'll tell you, painting wheels to simulate the original baked finish is near impossible.

The only spot on the frame with the serial # is on the tongue near the front, and it's in the form of an aluminum plate attached to the frame. The number on the frame that I referred to before was about a foot back from the very front cross member on the left side, and has the model # of the trailer written with a paint marker. Since each trailer is a different size, the frame length's varied and Sunline marked them with the model # so they could easily tell without getting off the tractor to measure it. I think the number could have been put in a different location through the years, though I'm not sure. For example, my 2363 had the numbers
"2363" painted on the frame. I understand there was another number painted on the tongue, which allowed the tractor driver to see the end of the VIN when looking for a trailer, without having to get off the tractor.

Jon
Jon

I brushed the entire wheel. The area where the spoked center section attaches to the rim is the first plaec to rust. The weld area.

They brushed great and smooth. Looks like new. I did have them laying flat to eliminate the runs.

On the frame tag. I do not have one. The only thing I had was 2499 hand written in white chulk on the side of the frame in like big 4 inch high letters.

John
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

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Old 05-24-2007, 10:56 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PTHutch
Hi John,

Very nice job, thanks for sharing.

Did you spray the frame or brush it?

What I found interesting was your front down spot in the full TT picture. Also looks like you did something in the back to extend the gutter. Has those modifications eliminated black streaks? You’ll have to share information on these mods sometime.

Enjoy your camping week-end.
Hutch
Hutch

I brushed the frame. Spraying would of created a large issue in masking off everything from flying up op the side not to mention the fumes down there with me under it. The metal is rough and the brush worked best in this situation. If I where to of sprayed it, I would of had to use a lot more paint as most flies off somewhere else and does not go on a thick as brushed.

The down spots. Ok the secret is out… I’ll put a post together on just them and glad to share. I get a lot of comments on them. They have 99.9% eliminated the long streak from top to bottom in the front and back. BUT I still get black streaks along the side like the rest of us. But the worst offenders are now gone and it directs all that heavy water in the right place.

More on this to follow.

You have a good camp this weekend too.

John
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

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Old 05-24-2007, 11:08 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnB
On the frame tag. I do not have one. The only thing I had was 2499 hand written in white chulk on the side of the frame in like big 4 inch high letters.
John,

That's exactly what I was talking about. Was it on the frame rails or the tongue? It wouldn't surprise me if the location changed over the years.

Jon
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2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
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Old 05-24-2007, 08:44 PM   #9
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Jon

The 2499 was on the frame rails.

On the front frame plate, the 8 ft long one that spans the width of the TT just behind the battery was hand written in large 4 inch letters in yellow the name of my TT dealer. Must of made it easier to find in the stack on delivery day out the door at the factory.

I guess they really did not want to get off and check VIN numbers....

John
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

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Old 05-24-2007, 09:05 PM   #10
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Here's pics of my 2363:





Jon
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2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
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