# Belly Drop, Frame Cleanup And Stab Jack Luv



## jeff28rsds (Jul 16, 2005)

I have a 2005 28RSS. It was built Dec 30th 2004, but was titled an 05. It must have been dragged from Keystone factory in Winter with salted roads. The frame, gas line, springs, you name it...It was just plain rusting out at an alarming rate. I could not take it any longer....

1) Dropped the gas line. Dropped the Stab jacks, dropped the fold-steps.
2) Dropped the belly. Broke 4 of the #14 1" long self tapping screws getting them off. Go slow! Just try to nudge them out... Once loose then get a high torque device on them.

3) Once the belly and everything is off, I saw bottom of the I beam looked terrible.
-Wire brush- Round type for Drill, COURSE type.
4) 5" Disc wheel for drill with the 35grit. & 60 grit paper
4.5) Get goggles on! Get a mask on too!
5) Wire brush to flake off all the big stuff.
6) Disc sand the bottom of the I bean. I mean let her rip! Clean all that crap off there.
7) Use airtank to blow off debris.
8) Primer spray paint the bottom I beam. ( I did two coats).
9) then used Rustoleam flat black to coats.
10- Took the wire brush to the gas line. Best I could do. It helped a lot. Then I primerd an painted it too. 
11) Bought the 3M can of rubberized undercoating for vehicles. Put on just the bottom of the I beam.
12) Let undercoating dry. Very hard and solid. Looks great!
13) Wire brush the big rust spots on the black belly material left by the Fender washers & belly bolts.
14) Clean up and spray edge where all the rust stains are on the belly.
15) Start putting the belly back onto the frame with brand new #14 x 1" st screws, and the Fender washers. Do NOT buy the little washers. Those are fender washers that came off.
15) Used a can of the window/door 'great stuff' foam to fill in some gaps. Spray paint it black after.
16) Take the stab jacks and wirewheel them. Degrese & power wash. then a nice gloss black coat of spray paint. 
17) Take the fold steps and do the same as #16. Use other rust treatments if you have issues there.
18) Wow- Look at that underside, steps, and jacks. Looks like a new rig that I see on the dealers lots. I am happy I did this.

19) Phase II- Do the areas on each side where the wheels are. I did not have the time to jack, & yank them. Something for later this summer.

Entire Project - Like 8hrs on Sat and 8 on Sunday.

PS- This was all because I wanted to install a Tornado into the Black tank. I did get that all done too. ;-)

I am curious to see how the frame holds up to my treatments. I know the PM of equipment is the best solution to age.

Shout back with any Q's. 
Jeffrey. 
28rss, 2005 Tahoe


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## Grunt0311 (Aug 23, 2005)

Great job!







I am sure your Outback is thanking you for it!


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Joined a year ago and this is your first post. Very good.

How long did it take to do the tornado flush out of the 16 hours? Did you have to cut the liner to get it off past the drain pipe and control rods?

Happy Camping and Post often.


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## jeff28rss (Jul 16, 2005)

CamperAndy said:


> Joined a year ago and this is your first post. Very good.
> 
> How long did it take to do the tornado flush out of the 16 hours? Did you have to cut the liner to get it off past the drain pipe and control rods?
> 
> ...


Wow- Has it been a year already? Where did the time fly? I'd swear I posted before. Anywho.... The Tornado went in fine. I put it on from the opposite side as the drain outlet. Total time, maybe 1 hour max on that. zip..zip and it was in. 
When the belly was down, I had more room on the opposite side. I used a 6ft hose hit to run over to the sidewall for mounting. I'll post the entire mod-kit for this later.

Thanks to everyone for all the great info on this site! 
JJ


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Now with your second post I see that there was a bi-polar moment when you first logged in. You have 2 screen names. Jeff28rss and Jeff28rsds.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

two screen name is going to make it very hard to increase your post count...


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

WOW!! Great job Jeff
You have to post some pics
But what screen will you use is the real question









Don


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## wicandthing (Jul 11, 2005)

I've got an '05 23RS that's less than a year old. It was in the shop a couple of weeks back with me complaining about the undercarriage rusting. The I-Beams and front axle and half the springs were totally covered with rust. Keystone's reply was "its not that bad....". The dealer finally talked them into letting them spray everything with undercoating. It looks good for now, but with no prep-work I'm figuring 6 months at the most. Then I will be doing what you just finished.......


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## nascarcamper (Jan 27, 2005)

Mine's rusting bad too. Inside the underbelly is fine but the outside of the chassis is looking rough. I'm thinking of spraying mine with a mix of used motor oil and burnt linseed oil. It works well on beach vehicles so it should be fine for the ole Outback.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Wow, That's quite a project Jeffrey!
If you have any spare time, mine could probably use a little touch up!









I think a thin film of rusting may be expected, as I do not recall that the frame is coated under the trailer (only up front), but I may be wrong. Do you have any before and after pictures?

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

> > Frame & belly clean up.
> 
> 
> Inside the underbelly is fine but the outside of the chassis is looking rough


This sounds like a personal problem of mine that I'll take care of when I get home and shower.










Mark


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## jeff28rsds (Jul 16, 2005)

Hi Everyone....Posting in from the KOA in Wapokaneta OH. 2005 Presidents award. How the hect did I get two ID's? And how did you folks see that? Such a newbie ;-)

Anyway, 
I do have before and after pictures which I'll post later. As a general rule, I too expect some rust on the I beams. This was really bad !! When I took a wire brush, and 5" disc sander to it, it flew off in sheets. To update the post a bit, I also pulled off both fold out steps along with all the screw jacks. They were all oxidized and getting a bit rusted. 
To prep them.... 
1) 4" Cup type wire brush. Coarse type 
2) Degreaser & Power washed them.
3) dry em out, and use a rust prevention coating. Any auto store will have several. I use the one that coats over and turns a hard, dark black color.
4) I then used regular ol' Rustoleum Gloss Black. 3 coats. 
5) Once dry- Waxed them just to get a overcoat for water displacement.

The wife is even impressed. The under belly, the steps, the jacks look like it just came off the Mfr. plant floor. I feel so much better now about my rig!

Next is also the front point where the tanks, batt, and tow mount are.

Anyway, pictures coming soon.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

jeff28rsds said:


> Hi Everyone....Posting in from the KOA in Wapokaneta OH. 2005 Presidents award. How the hect did I get two ID's? And how did you folks see that? Such a newbie ;-)
> [snapback]114571[/snapback]​


Moderator's have x-ray vision!







We see all....

Nice work. There's a job you'll never see me do!


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

jeff28rsds said:


> ...snip...
> 
> The wife is even impressed.
> 
> [snapback]114571[/snapback]​


Nuh said....


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Hey Jeff,

Maybe you could do some consulting for Gilligan! I have a hunch his Q.C. and attention to detail could use a little of your input!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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