|
11-19-2011, 06:55 PM
|
#1
|
Winnebago Master
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 1,743
|
A little maintenance sure goes a long way.
Well Gang,
It's a cold Saturday, the DW is out spending money with the Daughter so, I get the day by myself. Ever since we purchased our '04 Itasca about 6 months ago, the water heater compartment has looked like something brought up from the Titanic. I've opened it up a few times when showing people and was embarrassed every time. So, today, I became armed and dangerous, sand paper, lacquer thinner, emery cloth, scraper, a variety of tools and dove into that compartment.
As you can see by the pics, it was UGLY! I've had motorhomes before, truck campers, Class Cs, etc. and never had one that looked like that, when it was 7 years old. Oh well, that's what they make paint for. I disassembled most of it and tried out my little portable Sears Sand blaster on everything I could remove. It kind of works pretty cool, that is if you like your face sand blasted at the same time.
Anyway, it all worked out, and, after about 2-3 hours of sanding, scraping, sand blasting, heating parts for paint, etc. it is all done. Man, what a difference. Next project, I'll start working around the coach, on the infamous Winnebago/Itasca inner compartment door area rust. Sure seems like they should have done a better job on those.
Scott
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '08 GL 1800 Gold Wing
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Sophie character, (mini Schnauzer)
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 07:04 PM
|
#2
|
Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 489
|
Come on Scott! You really went down to the local RV dealer and just took some pictures of a New water heater, right?
Sammie
__________________
2015 Tiffin Bus 37AP
2016 Ford Explorer
"A Job Begun is Half Done"
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 07:08 PM
|
#3
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lutz, FL
Posts: 95
|
Great job! Looks like new.
__________________
Bill, Elaine, Addie (Boxer Mix) & Rosie (Boxer Mix)
2008 Winnebago Tour 40WD, 2012 Buick LaCrosse
Blue Ox Tow Bar and Base Plate, US Gear Unified Tow Brake
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 07:15 PM
|
#4
|
Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: North East Texas
Posts: 43
|
you done GOOD
be proud of your gold star
sure makes a difference
__________________
USN Retired, Life time member of the DAV.
Enjoying the 2008 Damon Tuscany 4056, no your eyes are fine, there are 6 slides
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 07:22 PM
|
#5
|
Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 30
|
VERY good work!!!
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 07:31 PM
|
#6
|
Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 20
|
Great Work!
Quote:
Originally Posted by FIRE UP
Well Gang,
It's a cold Saturday, the DW is out spending money with the Daughter...
|
OMG... Was the Itasca stored underwater? Wow.
I've got a glass-bead blaster, full shop, couldn't do half as nice a job as you managed. Bravo! It looks factory-new.
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 07:46 PM
|
#7
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Whitney, TX
Posts: 54
|
What a nice-looking job! I'm sure I couldn't do as well even with the right equipment, but I gotta check into that portable sandblaster. I've been wanting one for years; maybe now is the right time to find one - maybe Santa will bring it!
__________________
USAF, Retired (1962 - 1983)
2000 Itasca Horizon 36LD, 300 Cat
2006 Honda CR-V Toad
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 09:15 PM
|
#8
|
Winnebago Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,666
|
Portable sandblaster? Model # please?
Now for the GRIN - it looks like something someone can do with to much time on their hands. Nice to be retarded......eerrrrr retired, right?
Very nice job indeed.
__________________
Wayne MSGT USMC (Ret) & Earlene (CinCHouse)
2015 Winnebago Tour 42QD - 2020 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve (TOAD)
(RVM-14) It is what it is, and then it is what you make of it.
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 09:39 PM
|
#9
|
Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Caney, KS
Posts: 1
|
Good Job! Time well spent
Tom
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 10:07 PM
|
#10
|
Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Corona, Ca.
Posts: 19
|
Only one Question, do you hire out?
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 10:14 PM
|
#11
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Marquette, Michigan "Da UP"
Posts: 219
|
You did the job and yourself proud
__________________
John & Cathy R.
06 Pace Arrow 38L W24
08 Lincoln MKX AWD
See My RV Upgrades
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 10:20 PM
|
#12
|
Winnebago Master
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 1,743
|
Gang,
Well I certainly appreciate your nice comments. It was a fun little project. I had the tools, the area to do the work, the paint, the little sand blaster and, most important, working on that compartment was right next to the compartment that has my flat screen in it so, I had the movie "Major League" in while I was diligently working. And, to the one that inquired about the little blaster, it's not a Sears, it's a MAC tool. My son got if off a MAC tool truck when he worked for dealership. He did not have a price, it was a few years ago.
But, he says that Harbor Freight has one just like it. And to the one that commented on the fact it looked like the Itasca had been stored under water, yeah, I thought that too. But, here's my theory. Those pressure valves in those heaters have tendency to leak every now and then. It depends on lots of things, like the seal in the pressure side of it, how well the spring is holding and more. So it's possible that, that valve had been leaking on an "On and off again" time frame in such a manor that it never alerted the two previous owners. But, it was simply causing a mess in there.
Thanks again for your nice comments. Very much appreciated.
Scott
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '08 GL 1800 Gold Wing
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Sophie character, (mini Schnauzer)
|
|
|
11-19-2011, 10:39 PM
|
#13
|
Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Chula Vista, Mexifornia
Posts: 6
|
Nice work, you want to do mine?
If We Can't Haul It....You Don't Need It ! Motor-T
__________________
Remember "Without Truck's......America Stops" RVM129
"Take me to the Brig. I want to see the "Real Marines".
Major General Chesty Puller, USMC -"Semper Fi"
|
|
|
11-20-2011, 01:21 AM
|
#14
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 90
|
Great looking job.
The DW has a garden bench that need painted. Guess that will be my excuse to buy a portable sandblaster.
__________________
US Navy Vet, Liberty Tree Member of Oath Keepers, NRA & VFW Life Member, Alaska EMT.
2009 Safari Cheetah 40 SKQ
2009 Winnebago Chalet 231CR
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
|
|
|
11-20-2011, 08:03 AM
|
#15
|
Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 109
|
FireUp,
Nice work.
I shudder to think what the inside of the tank looks (looked) like. Can it hold any water or is it (was it) filled with white salt crud?
__________________
NoMoreAZ
2006 Itasca Horizon 40KD, 2004 Honda CR-V
|
|
|
11-20-2011, 08:52 AM
|
#16
|
Winnebago Master
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 1,743
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreAZ
FireUp,
Nice work.
I shudder to think what the inside of the tank looks (looked) like. Can it hold any water or is it (was it) filled with white salt crud?
|
NomoreAZ,
Thanks for the nice words. As far as the inside of the tank is concerned, I have no idea what it looks like. I did not drain it. I didn't remove the entire water heater to do the job, just removed as many of the components as you see there, sand blasted, cleaned, and repainted all of them, then put them back on, after I cleaned, scraped, sanded and repainted the front face of that heater.
Scott
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '08 GL 1800 Gold Wing
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Sophie character, (mini Schnauzer)
|
|
|
11-20-2011, 02:47 PM
|
#17
|
Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 274
|
Could you come over to mine and show me how that Speed Blaster works?
|
|
|
11-20-2011, 10:49 PM
|
#18
|
Winnebago Master
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 1,743
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaverickBBD
Could you come over to mine and show me how that Speed Blaster works?
|
That's cool. I cracked up reading that. You know, to you and others, I wouldn't mind doing stuff like that as a hobby. I like improving things. My problem is, most of the time, when I try and improve something, I make it worse. But, every once in a while, I do something right and it come out nice. Thanks again.
Scott
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '08 GL 1800 Gold Wing
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Sophie character, (mini Schnauzer)
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|