388. Strapped

Florence

As it sat, first thing this morning
Note the floor, still attached to the chassis has dropped so much that
it has broken the bottom of the front locker.
Note all the extra chocks inserted to keep the locker floor up.
Note also that the front is parting forward from the van aluminum.
A real mess!

Up and at it first thing. Really no idea how to fix the Giantavan or why the problem occurred in the first place but I had to get it fixed today as we are bound for Rome tomorrow.

When I jack the chassis up it no longer comes up to the proper level but lifts the whole van up. Unfortunately, it is Sunday and no hardware shops are open today. This is easily researched by typing into Google Maps Hardware stores near me. Google lists them all in Florence and nothing is open today. I have some threaded eight millimetre rod and fifty by one millimetre aluminium bar left over from the first repair in Avignon. The idea is to bond the aluminium to the aluminium skin of the van body. The plastic nose of the caravan with the locker in it is an extension to the van.

Rod and bar that I had

The only option I have for supplies is a large supermarket seven kilometres away as I really need Aralidite as I only have half a tube and can't progress without it. Fyfe and I did the twenty minute drive to the supermarket and found it absolutely heaving, cars parked illegally in all directions and a queue for the underground carpark which we couldn't use anyway as Teasel was still on the roof of the Disco. In the end we parked illegally also, about a quarter of a mile away in an apartment block car park - needs must - but the Disco with boat on top stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Inside the supermarket was worse than the outside. Italian supermarkets are mostly closed on Sundays but obviously people want to shop on Sundays. It was huge and every isle had to be navigated at the speed of the queue in front. This congestion even slower for me as I had to retrace my steps frequently as one does when in a different supermarket. Found a large glue section but no two-pack epoxies. A real blow to my plans. Bought a tube of Bison Poly Max Crystal knowing it wouldn't be suitable as I don't have the necessary time for it to cure. The skin of the van is stippled so the glue, by necessity, will be thick and so an air cure glue was likely to be a disaster. 

The shopping list

In the early afternoon Jacqueline appeared and said "Leroy Merlin stores should be open today". I Googled Leroy Merlin near me and to my surprise discovered that there was a store forty minutes away on the other side of Florence. Off Fyfe and I went again and found the place also heaving. We were able to queue for a park rooftop. Got everything on the list except the Disco bits. Bought four packs of Aralidite (UHU Plus Endfest).

10 rivits and glued

Fyfe helped me install the four straps and cut and prepare the threaded rod that will pull the body back onto the chassis, lining up the floor in the process. Brother Tony when queried on WhatsApp

[1:58 PM, 10/7/2018] Philip Royds: Q. How much tension will the alum take?
[5:28 PM, 10/7/2018] Tony Jones: Depends on grade, around 1000kg in direct tension for low quality stuff, would start to yield at about 69% of that
[5:29 PM, 10/7/2018] Tony Jones: I meant 60%. Not that it's much different.

For us non engineers Tony's answer is heaps, the aluminium will take heaps of tension, I very much doubt I could crank on six hundred and ninety kilograms of tension with an eight millimetre nut. Took the whole evening to install all four straps inside the front locker. Went to bed knackered but confident of a good result in the morning when the glue is dry. Will crank everything up before departing for Rome tomorrow morning.

Ten rivets in each and glued