Fabrication and Finishing
Custom Fabrication and Welding for RVs, Overland and Fleet
About 10 min left
OCRV Center fabricates custom bumpers, racks, storage systems, mounting structures and replacement components in steel and aluminum for recreational, overland and commercial vehicles. Fabrication work runs $1,000 for a simple bracket or rack to $20,000 or more for a full structural rebuild or a complex commercial build out.
A large amount of what walks through our door cannot be fixed with a part number. The coach is nineteen years old, the manufacturer went under in 2011, and the component that failed was proprietary. Or the vehicle is an overland build where the rack that was welded on by a previous owner cracked its mount because it was never engineered for the load.
Both of those are fabrication problems, and fabrication is why a shop needs a welder who understands load paths rather than just someone who can lay a bead.
Structural Fabrication and Load Path Design
The difference between a fabricated part that lasts and one that cracks is almost never weld quality. It is where the load goes. A rack bolted to a roof that was designed to carry nothing but its own weight will pull its mounts through the substrate regardless of how well it was welded.
We design mounting into structure that can take it, spreading load across framing members rather than into panel skin, and we add backing plates where the existing structure needs help. That is unglamorous work that adds hours to a quote, and it is the reason our fabricated mounts do not come back.
Replacement Parts for Discontinued Components
Patterning a discontinued part starts with whatever reference survives. The opposite side of the vehicle, the damaged original, or the mounting geometry left behind after the part broke off.
From there it is cut, formed, fitted and welded in the correct material. Aluminum components get aluminum, not steel painted to look like it, because a steel part bolted to an aluminum structure sets up galvanic corrosion that will destroy the mount within a few years in a coastal climate.
Material Selection Matters
Mild steel, stainless and aluminum each have a place. Mild steel is strong, cheap and easy to work but rusts if the coating is ever broken. Stainless resists corrosion and costs considerably more. Aluminum is light and corrosion resistant but has roughly a third the stiffness of steel for the same section.
We select for the actual application and the environment. In Long Beach coastal air, that decision matters more than it would inland.
Overland, Expedition and Recovery Structures
Overland builds concentrate enormous load into small mounting areas. A winch bumper transfers recovery loads directly into the frame horns. A roof rack carrying a tent, water and fuel puts a substantial dynamic load into the roof structure every time the vehicle hits a washboard.
We build these to handle the real load rather than the static load, which is a meaningfully higher number. We also inspect and reinforce what previous owners built, and we are frequently the second shop involved because the first one welded to sheet metal.
Commercial and Fleet Fabrication
Fleet fabrication covers headache racks, tool storage, equipment mounts, ladder racks, interior shelving structure and lift gate mounting repair.
The priority here is repeatability and downtime. Once a design is proven on one unit, we build a fixture so the remaining units in the fleet come out identical, which cuts both cost and the time each vehicle spends off the road.
What Is Included
- Load path assessment before any design work begins
- Mounting spread across structural members rather than into panel skin
- Backing plates added where existing structure requires reinforcement
- Material selected for the actual application and coastal environment
- Dissimilar metal isolation to prevent galvanic corrosion
- Full corrosion protection on all fabricated steel before installation
- Fixtures built for repeat fleet work so multiple units come out identical
Our Process
- 1
Requirement Review
Actual loads, use case and environment established, including dynamic loads rather than only static weight.
- 2
Structure Assessment
Existing vehicle structure evaluated to determine where load can safely be introduced.
- 3
Design and Pattern
Part patterned from reference geometry or designed from scratch, with mounting spread into capable structure.
- 4
Material Selection
Steel, stainless or aluminum chosen for strength, weight, corrosion exposure and compatibility with the mounting structure.
- 5
Fabrication
Material cut, formed and welded with the process appropriate to the alloy, then test fitted to the vehicle.
- 6
Finish and Protection
Coated or painted, dissimilar metal contact isolated, hardware selected to match the material.
- 7
Installation and Load Test
Mounted to specification and loaded to verify the structure behaves as designed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fabricate a part for my RV if it is no longer made?
Yes, and it is a substantial part of what we do. We pattern from whatever reference survives, whether that is the opposite side of the vehicle, the damaged original, or the mounting geometry left behind, then cut, form and weld a replacement in the correct material. Coaches from manufacturers that went out of business are common here, and fabrication is often the only path that keeps them on the road.
Why did my roof rack crack its mounts?
Almost always because the load was introduced into panel skin rather than into structure. A rack carrying a tent, water and fuel puts a large dynamic load into the roof every time you hit washboard, and a roof designed to carry nothing but itself will eventually pull the fasteners through. The fix is redesigning the mounting to spread load across framing members with backing plates, which is more work than the original install but is why it stops happening.
Should custom parts be steel or aluminum?
It depends on the load, the weight budget and what it is bolting to. Steel is strong and inexpensive but rusts once the coating is broken. Aluminum is light and corrosion resistant but has roughly a third the stiffness of steel for the same section, so it needs more material. The critical rule in a coastal climate like Long Beach is not mixing them carelessly, because steel bolted to aluminum sets up galvanic corrosion that destroys the mount within a few years.
Can you build the same modification across an entire fleet?
Yes, and that is where fabrication gets efficient. We prove the design on the first unit, then build a fixture so every subsequent vehicle comes out identical. That cuts both the per unit cost and the time each vehicle spends off the road, which for a fleet is usually the number that actually matters. We schedule multi unit work in batches so you are not down across the whole fleet simultaneously.
Custom Fabrication and Welding is performed in shop at OCRV Center, 23281 La Palma Ave, Yorba Linda, CA 92887, serving Long Beach, California and the surrounding region. Call (949) 799-3387 to discuss your vehicle.
Get Your Vehicle Looked At Properly
Call the shop, describe what happened, and we will tell you what the realistic scope and timeline look like. All work is performed in shop at our 35,000 square foot facility.