# Repairing Mobile Home with bent frame?



## VERN in IL (Nov 30, 2008)

I got a 1986 Starlite single wide home.


We live up on a hill, and when they delivered the trailer, they pulled the trailer up the hill, the rear frame hit the ground and bent.


The frame from the hitch to the rear axle is straight, then the frame bends up toward the rear.

Now what this has done is below the laundry room, the joist do not sit on the frame. So every time the washer has a load unbalanced, the whole trailer starts shaking.

What makes matters worse is below the washer is the ac/heat duct work, and the plumbing along side it.

I'm looking at "adjustable outrigger floor supports"










Could this stop the shaking?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Unless you can completely eliminate the gap, you'll still have problems. Can you use shims to fill the gap along with the adjustment.


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## VERN in IL (Nov 30, 2008)

Darren said:


> Unless you can completely eliminate the gap, you'll still have problems. Can you use shims to fill the gap along with the adjustment.


I am not sure, I am planning to tear into this next summer, the underpinning is hiding everything. What I know is what my Dad told me.


Will the weight of the trailer hold the shims in? Should I devise a wire with turnbuckle wrapped around I beam and bolted to floor joist? Would that prevent upward jumping of the joist after shimming?

A more difficult way would be to slightly jack up the floor joist, sister a joist along side that is sitting on I beam and screw them together, but I got duct work in the way.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

VERN in IL said:


> I got a 1986 Starlite single wide home.
> 
> 
> We live up on a hill, and when they delivered the trailer, they pulled the trailer up the hill, the rear frame hit the ground and bent.
> ...


For my own clarity, you are saying the 'I' beam is bowing (spooning) upwards at the rear of trailer?
The joists running perpendicular to 'I' beam near rear of trailer are not sitting on I beam? 
I like the shimming idea...throw some construction glue on them as you tap them over the I beam. 
Or, one could throw up a 2x4 strapping under washer (across 3 joists), then a post to ground, sitting on a concrete block firmly planted in earth. 
How much deflection are we talking here?


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Can you get us some pictures?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Shimming each joist is the best way to do 

You could use either wood or metal shims, and make them long enough to allow nailing or screwing the ends to hold them in place


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Chain each end of the trailer down to deadmen. Put a 20ton hydraulic jack under the bend and straighten it out. No shimming needed.

WWW


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

wy_white_wolf said:


> Chain each end of the trailer down to deadmen. Put a 20ton hydraulic jack under the bend and straighten it out. No shimming needed.
> 
> WWW


Had to look up what you meant about deadmen....was wondering what putting dead men under trailer would accomplish....
Like your idea though.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

melli said:


> Had to look up what you meant about deadmen....was wondering what putting dead men under trailer would accomplish....
> Like your idea though.


Deadman increase the jacking force. Without them you simply jackupone side like when you have to change a tire. Having a deadman in front and behind the the sag (lowspot allows you to put more pressure on that spot than without them.

WWW


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