Electrical Rewiring & A Brief Glimpse of the Tunnel’s End
Today's focus was to rewire the lighting, repair broken wires and reseal them for waterproofing and protection. This step is also the first integral one on our to-do list in order to pass inspection. As of right now, I still need to have the trailer inspected order to get a tag and registration in my name.
Exciting news today as well - the floor boards and side panels were finally removed! Read on and watch how I continue to tear pieces out in hopes of making them better!
Call the Electrician
The trailer was purchased with the three rear top markers not working and along the way home, the front had decided to call it quits too. I am SO thankful for my stepdad who took on figuring out how the wires were running and to feed them through the frame differently so that they were more hidden. This even involved cutting off the steel end cap of the frame in order to gain access! (Don’t worry, it will be welded back on later!)
He found that areas of the wires had been cut/corroded which was causing the issue with the clarence and marker lights. This, along with cleaning the contacts and bulbs fixed the problem and we now have working lights!
After the wires were reconnected he replaced the heat shrink connectors in order to make the bundle more water resistant. To top it all off, the wire loom (the ribbed black plastic tubing that bundles the wires all together) was replaced and tidied up.
Lastly, “Betsy” received a new tag light and had the breakaway battery wires tested to make sure that she would be good to go.
Sanding…Again
At the end of day 3, we sprayed the rust inhibitor all over the newly sanded interior walls around the windows and ceiling to sit for a few days to work on additional oxidation of the rust we just could not sand off.
When we opened the doors today, it worked! There were loads more to sand down which was a good thing and a bad thing. Good, because it helped to remove more rust but bad, because it took almost another full day of sanding everything all over again. I used the handheld mouse sander and now the interior sides were all smooth!
Stripped to the Bone
Next on the renovation list was to remove the 1x4s so that we could get a good look at the frame and remove the side plywood panels.
Easier said than done; we had a heck of a time getting some of the screws out! Thankfully, the floor boards are still in very good condition and only two will need to be replaced from pretty severe water damage from leaking on the left side and back doors. The previous owner had also cut them a bit too short, leaving large gaps where the boards would meet the front trailer wall.
Looking at the trailer completely gutted with all the flooring removed was an intimidating yet exciting feeling. Trying not to think about how much we still need to put back together, it was a feeling of accomplishment to see how far we have come. My highlight was finally being able to rip out the side plywood pieces and see the condition of the metal underneath. I got a pretty bad shin scrape, but it was worth it!
I was so relieved to find that there was no real rust behind the wooden panels and had been painted not too long ago by the previous owner. All I need to do is lightly sand to get a uniform surface finish and to remove the rust spray residue that dripped down from the framing above. There are some areas that could use filling with Bondo, however, unless it is a full hole through the side, I am not going to die on that hill since these walls will be covered again with cabinets, backsplash and siding.
Examining the now bare frame, I had mixed emotions. Most of it looked to be in good condition but there was significant rust and chucks chipping off around the perimeter. Yes, this was to be expected since it was used for horses and their urine is apparently extremely acidic, eating away the metal on all of their trailers.
It was my mentality that while the frame was bare, this was the opportunity to treat and fix any issues, setting us up for a longer lifespan. As it turns out, I was a good thing we looked because, there was an area over the left axel that appeared to be a structural problem. A 1.5’ span seemed to have been patched in the past but has since worn back down. I am concerned that the remaining steel is too thin to ignore and I will need to take it to a welder to get their professional opinion.
It is also my plan is to spray the frame with protective undercoating prior to replacing the boards to help shield from road wear and tear along with salts and chemicals from snowy weather.
While I wait to see if the frame has a structural problem, I prepared it to be sprayed with the undercoating. Having learned to not do double effort with sanding and rust inhibitor spray, I only used a wire brush to get off the obvious before straying the inhibitor. Instead, I am allowing the chemicals to first do their thing over night and then I will put in all of the effort of sanding! Tomorrow we will take a look, sand and prime the frame for sealing.
Keeping fingers crossed the frame rust is not structural!
Heather
コメント