Putt

[Putts]

The sides of the window are bolted into the steel stud, but to bottom and top were bolted to some aluminum C beams. Here's what that looked like.

Close up.

A virtual buddy of mine on a motorcycle forum who is a structural engineer for huge projects (like the new central railway station in Hong Kong) saw that and told me I had to tie the aluminum to the steel studs or the outside skin of Putt would fatigue and crack. Well, that's why you want people looking over your shoulder as you do stuff like this. So I fabbed up some brackets from the stud that I had cut off for the window.

It was right about here that I did a lot of research on galvanic corrosion. I don't remember it all right now, but as I recall stainless steel has about the same galvanic potential as aluminum, so I used stainless hardware to bolt stuff together.  I also used electrical tape between the brakets and aluminum as an insulator. I've no idea if it's really going to work well, but Morgan Olson had put what looked like electrical tape between the studs and aluminum skin so I figured I'd just follow right along.

Hm...seems like I don't have a full view of the finished window. Oh well, you get the idea.

BTW, galladanb, I did bump into the pic limit for photos the way I do it. Ten.

I feel muzzled. 

 

[highdesertranger]

your structural engineer buddy should have mentioned that in mobile application you shouldn't use 90 degree corners on your windows. if you notice all the RV manufacturers have gone to radius corners on their windows. this is to help with the stress fracturing at the 90. if you notice all airplanes and ships also have radius corners on their windows. just thought I would mention it if you are thinking of install more windows. highdesertranger

 

[Putts]

your structural engineer buddy should have mentioned that in mobile application you shouldn't use 90 degree corners on your windows. 

Ha! Railway stations don't move on their own...guess he's not used to that.

He did point me to some engineering tables about putting a small hole right at the corner before I cut the window hole. That way you don't have a sharp point from which to propagate a crack. Kinda like this.

As I recall the table said for aluminum the hole should be about the radius of the metal.

Also, Putt is built quite a bit different than a normal RV...you know, taco truck. So I'm not too worried about this particular window. 

But I do get your point, and I hadn't thought about RV window having radiused corners for structural integrity rather than just looking cool. Hm. Thanks for that realization.   

Oh... and no more windows for Putt, trying to keep as much stealth as possible.

 

[Ballenxj]

The big, big, big thing that got installed the first year is the window. 
<-------->
It fit perfectly! Woot!

Doncha just LUV it when a plan comes together?

 

[Putts]

Oh yeah. In fact, I had planned to use the existing rivet holes in the stud to attach the window and measured accordingly. When we put the window in, my buddy got inside, put the drill bit in the stud hole, and drilled through the window as I stood outside breathless waiting to see where the drill poked out.

It was damned near dead center in the bolt head groove. 

Alright, maybe a 1/16th off. But that's still damned close all things considered.

 

[Putts]

Last little but critical step was to put in access hatches on both sides. The driver's side hatch will be for access to the water system for filling and emptying tanks, also the 110VAC shore tie. Eventually, when I get a 12V water pump mounted inside, I will also have a hand held shower head inside the hatch that I can bring outside, and will build some mounts on the side for the shower head a little privacy curtain. The access hatch on the passenger side will be for 12VDC and 110VAC cables to supply juice outside while camping. 

And then the other side? Nah, it's the same thing.

 

[highdesertranger]

that's cool. does that access door have a hard ring that covers the mounting screws? got a link? highdesertranger

 

[Queen]

Hiya, Putts! How's life treating you??

 

[Putts]

that's cool.  does that access door have a hard ring that covers the mounting screws?  got a link?  highdesertranger

Not sure what you mean by "hard ring", but I think it's this one.

https://www.rvpartscenter.com/multi-purpose-access-hatch.html

 

[Putts]

Hiya, Putts!  How's life treating you??

Queen? QUEEN! Is that you?



So good to see you here! 

We have to bump into each other in meat space one of these days. :nod

 

[Queen]

Queen? QUEEN! Is that you?



So good to see you here! 

We have to bump into each other in meat space one of these days. :nod

It sure is, so good to see you here!  Hope our paths will cross now that we're ditching the workaday world.  

 

[ArtW]

nice build! and some very different thinking
My current ride is a Honda 600 Silverwing, great commuter, not so great for going off the beaten path
I'm considering a small dual sport, as I'm not much for speed, either
I've had an XL 600 in the past,. but looking at different bikes
How does that TW compare to a 'normal' dual sport with the fat tires and such?
I don't have a build going atm because lack o funds

 

[Queen]

Art - I'm not Putts, but can weigh in on the TW. They are an absolute ball to ride, I've had everything from V-Stroms (both sizes) to Beemer GS and F650, and even a KLR for a short time; what you lose in power with the TW you make up in grunty go anywhere fun. Not something I enjoyed for road use other than running around town, anything over 45-50mph and it felt cumbersome to me.

 

[ArtW]

Hmmm, thanks, Queen, I probably do too much highway for it at this time, then, i commute back and forth to work a lot
might need something in the 400 range

 

[Queen]

Hmmm, thanks, Queen, I probably do too much highway for it at this time, then, i commute back and forth to work a lot
might need something in the 400 range

Putts might have a different take on it though, I started becoming a big fraidy cat my last few years on the bike as my leg degraded, it just wasn't something I felt comfortable on at highway speeds.

 

[ArtW]

ok, I'll await his reply
My rebel 250 was pretty decent even up to 70, I was thinking a 200- 250 DS might be OK up to 60, but those fat tires make me wonder about it's handling, as I noticed a loss of nimbleness (with a gain in stability) when putting a fatter rear tire on my Savage

 

[Putts]

Yup, highway is pretty much out of the question with a TW200; it's just to unresponsive at redline, and it's light weight will have you blown around by every big rig that passes you by---and they will be!

The fat tires are miraculous on sand, and since I plan to spend a good amount of time in the desert and Baja that was a huge factor. It's also light enough to make loading on to a bumper---with a ramp---that I think I'd feel pretty comfortable loading it as I age.

As a grocery getter around town the handling is terrific. My buddy Paul, who is an accomplished life-long motorcyclist (I never use the word biker unless you're talking about Harleys...and he don't do those) bought my old one and he friggen rails it around corners. Motorcyclists have a word called "chicken strips", which is the unworn sidewalls of a rear tire. They were big before I sold the bike to Paul; now even the most outside knobs are worn right to the top. It's astonishing to ride behind him and watch him lay that thing over in corners around town.

The only weird handling bit I've had with it is you have to initiate your corners a little harder that you might think to lean it over. And when on rutted dirt roads, if you're in the rut, as you try to get out of the rut the tire contact patch will move towards the rut wall and will try to tip you back into the rut. So, you have to lean quite a bit harder than normal get out of the ruts, and when the rutting is mild you'll kind of wobble around a bit as the tire contact patch moves around. Once you get used to it, it's not a big deal though...just has a different feel like you noticed when you changed tires.

Lastly, those fat tires just look cool. So cool, that the TW200 is a cult classic amongst Japanese bike builders. Here's a few examples:

And here's one rigged out as a full-on adventure bike.

 

[Putts]

I started becoming a big fraidy cat my last few years on the bike as my leg degraded, it just wasn't something I felt comfortable on at highway speeds.

This, folks, is wisdom. Moto riding ain't for the feint of heart nor physically challenged (unless extraordinarily accomplished). 

There often come in a point in a wise rider's life where, for one reason or another, you know you just done really have "it" anymore, and calling it quits is the smart thing to do. Seen it happen many, many times. Those folks, I still see around the forums. The ones that ain't so smart...we'll they just disappear.

"There's old pilots and bold pilots, but there ain't no old bold pilots."

And you're a lot closer to the immovable objects on a bike.

I sold my FJR for the same reason, Queen, and the KLR is seeing less duty as well. Just getting too heavy to pick up. 

Yup, it's getting heavier. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. 

 

[bullfrog]

My wife has a permanently broken ankle. After seeing what that can do to quality of life and mobility especially if 6 month stents in a wheel chair for needed surgery several times, not to mention the costs we have given up on bikes. At 65 years old even minor pains seem to become major issues when it comes to doing things. Still have a Baja Bug and a Samurai but both are sitting because of repairs my sore shoulder and bad knees don't want to do. Heck even a full day of four wheeling in the Toyota 4 x 4 leaves my neck stiff. Still love to get out but do it much slower now, I guess we need a new term slower than putt!

 

[Putts]

Still love to get out but do it much slower now, I guess we need a new term slower than putt!

Hi Bullfrog. 

Um....knoddling? Seems risky.

Bimble? Nah, to fast probably.

Ambling?  To close to ambulance....and we don't need that.

I thought about it for a solid ten minutes and I think below putt you enter the spectator zone.