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08-18-2008, 03:26 AM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Lawrenceville
Posts: 279
M.O.C. #5356
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Rear Belly Sag
The rear belly cover is screwed to the frame around the permimeter which lets the cover sag because of no support. The front cover has two channel bars running from side to side under the belly cover to support it.
My thought is that the material is not of sufficant strength to withstand the contined vibration, bouncing and buffeting by the air flow under the trailer and might fail.
Question is has anyone added support bars like the ones installed on the front cover to keep the cover from sagging and possably failing in the future?
Randy
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08-18-2008, 04:28 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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Randy, if the 3400 is anything like our Mountaineer, you can add screws to the bottom of the floor trusses. I used some self drilling metal screws from Lowe's, with fender washers under the heads.
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08-18-2008, 04:54 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Canon City
Posts: 1,340
M.O.C. #7919
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Will, you bring up a good idea about putting extra screws in those cross members to hold up the belly pan. I haven't pulled the entire cover yet and don't know if there is anything resting on the the cross members that might get damaged. Does anyone know if those members are clear on all Monty models? JB
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08-18-2008, 06:55 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Jolu
Will, you bring up a good idea about putting extra screws in those cross members to hold up the belly pan. I haven't pulled the entire cover yet and don't know if there is anything resting on the the cross members that might get damaged. Does anyone know if those members are clear on all Monty models? JB
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I definitely wouldn't go running screws into anything without knowing what is there. I had the belly down on our unit, and checked the area before closing it back up. Ours actually had one screw into the angle on the bottom of the joist. I just added more.
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08-18-2008, 07:34 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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After we had our underbelly down we did add more screws to keep it from sagging...However remember that the probabilities that your will have that underbelly down again are high and that means more screws to un screw.
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08-18-2008, 07:52 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Assuming you have the pre-2008 belly material that curls and warps like a poorly paved road?
You can add srews all along the crossmembers. To see whats in there, just drop one of the edges and look (use a flashlight if necessary. Once you pull back the tin cowling, it's pretty easy to get in there.
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08-18-2008, 12:44 PM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Lawrenceville
Posts: 279
M.O.C. #5356
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Thanks all very much for the input.
Brad, the unit is a 3400Rl and i had no idea there were cross memeber under the belly pan i could screw to. I will do as you suggest and take a couople of the screws out and inspect it with a flashlight and then screw up in the middle to the belly pan.
If there are not any cross member to screw to, i was thinking of just installing two channel iron's like Keystone did on the front belly pan.
After i pull some of the belly pan down and inspect it, i will let everyone know what i find about what is behind it.
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08-19-2008, 04:12 PM
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#8
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Lawrenceville
Posts: 279
M.O.C. #5356
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Brad, took your advise and pulled 4 screws off on one side of the rear belly pan cover and took a look see with a flashlight and glad i did.
There are cross members running side to side (at the top of the I-beams) but they do not extend down to the same level as the bottom of the frame I-Beams. This is true from the front of the belly pan (At the Axles) all the way back to the rear where the frame I-beams terminate.
So without anything to even screw through to, and since the only supports are the mounting frame for the spare tire and the mounting frame for the rear stablizers, i am thinking about adding two aluminum angle bars (2X2) running side to side (frame I-beam to frame I-beam) between where the spare tire frame and the stablizer frame with 1/4 inch stainless steel bolts where the normal # 10 self tapping (rusted) are.
It will at least support the belly pan like the cross brackets installed by Montana are on the front belly pan.
Any other ideas guys i might use to protect the pan from straching or tearing loose due to sag and bounce??
Randy
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08-19-2008, 04:58 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Randy,
I didn't realize there was that much difference in height. I initially used the back crossmember to hold my JT Stabilizers and didn't think it pulled up that much. I've got several center screws I have added at and behind the axles, but I guess it would get a little complicated around the tanks if the crossmembers are recessed that much.
Brad
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