Wood in a 2006 TM…

07-05-2009, 01:13 PM

Just FYI learned from making a waste water plumbing shield . . .

Was mounting an L type angle bracket along the bottom of the TM above the waste water plumbing just under the side wall. I noticed that was where TM has some fairly large bolts used in attaching the side wall to the metal frame directly behind the tire well and further back towards the bumper a torsion bar guide is bolted there also. So I was thinking that would be a good place to mount this angle bracket that was going to be utilized for its many mounting points later. I was drilling pilot holes for metal screws when I noticed that my metal bit was full of wood. Not metal. Not foam. Thru the aluminum and into… wood. I was told by sales staff at McDonough RV that there was no wood in a TM. That it was all aluminum. Maybe that is true for the shells? But not the floor. My point in posting this is simply to make others aware that there is wood in at least one 2006 TM. How much I do not know. Nor do I know where it all is. I just found some in the floor behind the tire well above the waste water plumbing. Maybe that is the way it is supposed to be. I have no idea. Take what the sales staff gives you always with a grain or two of salt...

**rtcassel** · 07-05-2009, 01:25 PM

http://trailmanor.com/WebDocs/PlantT...ant-tour5.html

07-06-2009, 05:18 PM

There is also wood on the roof, around the vents, to raise them a bit above the roofline. This is not a structural location though, unlike the floor.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 07-06-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grakin

There is also wood on the roof, around the vents, to raise them a bit above the roofline. This is not a structural location though, unlike the floor.

Do you mean the stuff that is visible from outside? I thought that was wood too until I went up there to reseal the vents. Up close, at least on mine, it looks like PVC, not wood.

Dave

07-07-2009, 05:04 AM

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking, I'll let people know what mine is (PVC vs. Wood) when I get a chance to climb up there.

**Bill** · 07-07-2009, 08:23 AM

Should be no surprise.

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=8825

Bill

07-08-2009, 01:06 AM

No way the aluminum skin on the floor would be rigid enough to take floor impacts which is why there is a sheet of ply in there. It won't rot...

07-08-2009, 06:51 AM

Well, it was a surprise to me..

I usually take what people tell me at face value till proved otherwise. What do I know about trailer floors? I just want to make sure that any

out there does not make the same assumption I did. You know what that say about assumptions don't you...

Thanks for helping me to know about the wood. No wood in the shells after a certain point, but still got it in the floor. Hey Lars! If your TM is still rolling after where you take it I got no worries. Except for maybe the termites here in GA... They carry can openers...

07-08-2009, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph

No wood in the shells after a certain point, but still got it in the floor.

Joseph, unless TM has changed their process since last August when I took a tour of the plant, wood is still used at the open end of each shell where the seal is. I imagine that is to allow a little extra flex at that point, which aluminum wouldn't give. As near as I could tell, the rest of the shell is aluminum.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 07-08-2009, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnguy

Joseph, unless TM has changed their process since last August when I took a tour of the plant, wood is still used at the open end of each shell where the seal is. I imagine that is to allow a little extra flex at that point, which aluminum wouldn't give.

That's interesting. I thought the main advantage of having aluminum framing in the shells was having it at that exact spot -- laterally across the trailer, near the seals. IIRC, that's the point most vulnerable to rot. Do I have it wrong?

Dave