Autosleeper Kitchen Out

[mikey9]

To let my bodyshop do the lower fridge panel - I need to get the side kitchen (91 Autosleeper Trident) out - or at least out of the way.

Obviously need to disconnect fridge/gas/elec and sink - water.

Has anyone else done the same and can you tell me anything I should look out for when removing (other than a hernia )

[Nicola&Tony]

I plan to do this at some point as well, so any photos you take during the dismantling / removal would be really useful mikey. I've only ever taken the fridge out so far.

Tony

[kevtherev]

Mikey
It would benifit a lot of 'sleeper owners if you could write an account of your work and add pictures.
There are a few of us that need to remove the woodwork.

[1664]

bet you wish you'd kept quiet now

[mikey9]

Bloomin' eck - no pressure there then

I was hoping this was old hat to everyone else - and I can be a ham "interfered with" bugger - liable to break things rather than think it through carefully (that was why I hoped someone else had done this before me!)

Plan to take kitchen out after 13th sept but before bith of sprog no 2 towards end of that month - then give van to bodyshop to fit panel - deal with the edge of the floor, finish painting from earlier this year

Will take pics:
- before
- after removal (so we can all see what the damage is to the channel where the water collects)
- during (if I can get out to the bodyshop)
- and - finally hopefully a finished van.

Don't hold yer breath tho - as this two sprogs thing looks like it may become time consuming......especially as the mrs will prob have a cut and shut

[mikey9]

....whats going on with the spell checker?
I typed in "hamfisted bugger" (a yorkshire term for clumsy oaf) and it came out as "interfered with"..........ooooeeer - wasn't me gov!

[kevtherev]

gets all embarrassed with fists fisting and "interfered with"

[Grun]

mikey9,
I had a go at mine, about eight years ago. The carcass of the units seemed to be screwed (and glued?) to the cheap and nasty particle board floor which itself was covered by equally cheap and nasty carpet well soaked with the water that had got in through the side vent for the fridge cooling. (I suspect that the vent design is such that water thrown up by the front wheel is neatly deflected into the interior where the carpet holds it nicely in contact with the van body thus ensuring the maximum rate of corrosion).
In the end, apart from removing the fridge, and anything else that would detach easily, and fearing I would cause too much damage if I tried to get the lot out, I seem to remember that I just followed Michael Caine's instructions and 'Just blew the bloody doors off' I am slim and fairly agile, so able to work through the openings, and life's too short.
Managed to get rid of all the rotten carpet , and sawed and chiselled out the chipboard floor from behind the units, got rid of the vent panel and replaced it with a welded steel panel. (Still got the gas vent in it of course). Arranged some internal venting for the fridge heat exchanger, and made good the rest of the area behind the cupboard doors. Used ply and plastic floor tiles IIRC. At the same time I did the window surrounds which were rusting everywhere that the converters had cut them into the original panel van. Found quite a few other things that needed attention the deeper I dug into hidden depths lurking behind the units and the various bits of trim.
As you can tell I am no fan of Autosleepers, but now it is fairly well sorted it'll do for the time being, and I did not pay a lot for it. One owner from new it had been used as a mobile office for an insurance agent and never camped in, the fridge still had the manufacturers label on a cord inside.
Much prefer my Westie Bay though.

Mike