General Boards > Redecorating and Updating your Motorhome

Restoration Project - 92 Beaver Marquis

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JCMillerSr:
Finally back to work after the holidays.  While we are still waiting on the new refrigerator to be delivered there are plenty of items to be taken care of.  Spent three days tracking down some of the low voltage wiring issues where things were not working.  Finally diagnosed the majority of the problems were due to an open ground on one of the circuits.  Ran a new ground wire and it looks like all the lights are now working.  Received the new speedometer today which will be installed tomorrow.

While working on the electrical issues I noticed what appeared to be a small leak under the kitchen sink cabinet near the water heater.  After unsuccessfully trying to fit my 250 lb. body into a 24 inch cabinet I determined the only way to truly investigate the problem was to remove the water heater.  As soon as I began the removal it became apparent that the water heater was the culprit.  The back side of the tank was covered with corrosion to the point that I could not believe it was actually working at all.  After completely removing the unit there was no doubt that it needed to be replaced.  The dirt and "sludge" that came out when I drained it was enough to make me lose my appetite!  My guess is that this was the original water heater and had not been drained in 23 years.  Glad my wife did not see what came out or I would be instructed to make this a weekly maintenance item.  Anyway, the new water heater has been ordered and should be installed tomorrow afternoon or the next day for sure. 

Next item on the list will be to figure out how to add some reinforcement to the roof ladder brackets to stabilize the ladder.  Several screws are loose and not really finding anything to tighten up too.  Thinking I will have to use a bolt long enough to go through the entire rear wall and add a metal plate on the inside for backup.  If anyone has dealt with this problem I am open to suggestions.

If all goes well, we will take a break from the restoration portion of this adventure and take a couple of weeks off to travel over to the coast to meet up with some of our long time RV friends.  That is of course depending on whether we have a refrigerator and hot water so keep your fingers crossed.

Edward Buker:
JC,

Sounds to me like you have some stripped out glass holes where the ladder mounts. You may be able to fill them with epoxy or fiberglass strands and resin with a filler. Then re-drill the holes and remount.

You could also make a set of aluminum or Delrin plates with a wider footprint then the current ladder mounts and use 6 new spaced holes in the new metal mounting plate rather than the current 4 holes to add strength. The new plates would extend beyond the current ladder mounting foot, length and width wise, by 3/4 inches and they would be placed under the current plates. You would drill the current ladder mount holes into the new plate and fasten both plates together with either sheet metal screws or you could tap the lower plate hole and use machine screws. Basically you are remounting the ladder with more substantial plates and all new holes near the perimeter of the new plates. You would be using the current mounting holes to fasten the two plate together.

Later Ed

Lee Welbanks:
Helped a friend repair his ladder mounting. Used stainless plates a bit bigger then the ladder feet, matched the holes in the ladder feet, drilled and tapped them for 10/32 SS machine screws that just bumped through the plate, drilled four new holes in the plates  to mount on the coach and even used clear silicone to glue and screw plates and ladder to the coach. It is still holding stong after a few years.
We used the stainless plates so we didn't have to mess with painting. 

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