The 23D thread

[explore more]

Last night we picked up our 2007 ocean breeze 23d. We will be downsizing from a fc30 30 to this for full time living.

I can't believe what a lowrider this is. We will be installing the 3" lift asap. I've been spoiled witg it on our 30 footer. I thought the 23 footer wouldn't need it since it was so compact , but there's so little ground clearance everywhere.

I've also got 14" tires. I'm considering swapping the hub and brake assemblies on the trailer so I can run 12" nev r adjust brakes and bearings and run a 6 lug wheel. Then I can test for 16s. I don't think there's going to be room for 16s at full compression, but time will tell.

[RFP]

Just a quick "hello" from Colorado and to report that my little "folding table" project has proven to be a great success (see post 270). We love it...

Rob

[explore more]

You do amazing work, and that table is no exception

[explore more]

Stupid question #1 (more to follow)

Does the rear window prop open , or is it just an emergency exit? I'd like to get a crossbreeze going.

Also, i did some measuring of the wheelwells and the spacing between axles between me 2010 fc30 and my 2007 23d. The dimensions are the same, within a half inch, so I'm betting 16s will fit.

My 16" wheels and Michelin tires are 2.75" taller in diameter than my 14s that came on the 23d. So that means about 1.5" of ground clearance from the taller tires alone. That's still not enough for me, so I'll still be doing the 3" lift block.

If it ends up being the same part number as my 30 footer used, I'll just be swapping those lift blocks over to the 23 footer to save time. I hit the road full time in the 23 footer in a week. Lots of videos to come documenting my process and the differences between the two trailers.

[RFP]

Originally Posted by explore more

You do amazing work, and that table is no exception

Thank you very much... I'm sure that others have done something similar. If there's no need to convert the dinette to a bed, this seems ideal... well, at least to us.

[explore more]

I have a 2007 with a #10 axle (with the 10" drums and annual-lube-axles).

I called dexter to see what it would take to swap the hub assembly to nev r lube axles and nev r adjust brakes and a 6 lug spindle. While it may be possible, they said it'd be cheaper and easier to just buy an entire new set of axles.

I have suddenly decided that I'm just fine with 5 lug wheels.

[tinbender]

Axle swap ..... Got the same one that is now standard on the 23s. Nevrlube, 15" wheels and tires, self adjusting brakes, 6 lugs. Like the larger brakes a lot. Never had any problems with the 10" brakes, they were also self adjusting, but the difference between them and the 12" is substanial. Gained a couple inches ground clearance, enuf that I had to move the hitch head up. Have towed it 2500 miles since the swap and happy with it.

[Wconley]

Originally Posted by explore more

Stupid question #1 (more to follow)

Does the rear window prop open , or is it just an emergency exit? I'd like to get a crossbreeze going.

We keep a couple short sticks in the window sill between the glass and screen. We can open the rear window and use the sticks to prop open the window a few inches. When open the sticks sit on top of the slotted window latches to keep them in place. Make the sticks short enough to fit between the window locks. Not too eloquent but it works.

[explore more]

Originally Posted by tinbender

Axle swap ..... Got the same one that is now standard on the 23s. Nevrlube, 15" wheels and tires, self adjusting brakes, 6 lugs. Like the larger brakes a lot. Never had any problems with the 10" brakes, they were also self adjusting, but the difference between them and the 12" is substanial. Gained a couple inches ground clearance, enuf that I had to move the hitch head up. Have towed it 2500 miles since the swap and happy with it.

What do new axles cost? (Ballpark figure is fine.)

[switz]

Our 2015 23D International Serenity came with the 14" wheels and GYM ST215/75R14C tires on 10" brake drums. Despite being an upgrade to the Flying Cloud model, it still had manual adjust drum brakes.

So I installed the SenDel 15" T03-56545T wheels (matches the 16" T03-66655T wheels on our 2014 31' Classic) with the 5 lug nut bolt circle and 15" Michelin LTX (P) 235/75R15 XL tires with the Dill 1506-453 TPMS senders inside and Centramatic wheel balancers (part number 200-221) at the dealership before leaving with the new trailer. That raised the trailer 1.1". We had to trim the curb side leading wheel well edge to match the street side. There would not have been sufficient clearance for the 16" Michelin LT225/75R16/E LTX M/S2 tires like we have installed on our 2014 Classic.

It was 2,000 miles to get to the conversion center A&P Vintage Trailer Works in Paradise, TX. We checked the wheel bearings and found one set completely scored from lack of grease and the other three were low on grease.

When we upgraded the 10" wheel backing plate to auto adjust brakes, we also replaced all the wheel bearings with USA made Timken bearings sets:

Timken Set 4 ($7.70) and Set 17 ($8.80) wheel bearings
Timken 441151 ($2.98) bearing seal
ordered from Amazon for 10” brake drum and axles

[explore more]

Good stuff, thanks. I need to learn how to trim the fenders.

[Hoonanea]

Originally Posted by switz

We had to trim the curb side leading wheel well edge to match the street side.

Can you describe a little more what was involved with trimming the wheel well? I was considering the same wheels and tires for my 2012 23D but body work concerns me. Thanks!

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by explore more

Good stuff, thanks. I need to learn how to trim the fenders.

You may not have to trim. Mine where fine. I just bent the extra 1/2 aluminum over hang up and that gave me about 1" clearance on the front tire.

[GMFL]

Here is a pic. Note trim bent up

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by RFP

Just a quick "hello" from Colorado and to report that my little "folding table" project has proven to be a great success (see post 270). We love it...

Rob

Rob, just wanted to let you know I received the screws. Thanks. Haven't yet tackled the pantry fix but that's on my list.
Jim

[switz]

As I mentioned earlier, our 23D had non-matching cut outs for the wheel wells with the curb side being about 2" shorter on the front edge that the street side. So much for quality control!

So we loosened the wheel well trim piece and trimmed the radius in the skin to come within ½" of the front plastic wheel well liner just like on the street side. That gave us the necessary clearance for the 15" Michelin tires.

I am sure that is why they failed to install the Airstream brand name at the factory on the rear of the coach as they knew there would be QC issues as another failure of the QC manifested on the dealer's lot.

The Westinghouse marketing claim of the 60s that "the quality goes in before the name goes on" told me we lacked the QC throughout the 23D in many areas and the dealer should have corrected many of them discoverable by actually being in the trailer doing the PDI instead of sitting at the coffee table in the lounge.

[Docinabox]

Originally Posted by explore more

Good stuff, thanks. I need to learn how to trim the fenders.

For better or for worse, I removed the trim. I only needed to do this near the curbside front tire. You have to remove the sheet metal screw that secures it and then bend away the trim. After this, you can mark out the anticipated line for your cut which you can blend into the mid/upper portions of the front wheel well. Probably the best way to take this cut in a controlled fashion, is to just use a Dremel tool and cut the sheet metal away ( up to this point, I've noticed that using scissoring type tools do not leave an aesthetically pleasing edge) then you can lay the trim back down onto the new cut edge and replace the sheet metal screw. When you look at the wheel well, you realize it's Just excess aluminum from the outer sheet. One wonders why the curb side does not match the street side.

[explore more]

I just finished installing my custom 4" lift kit on my 23. Now I need some bigger tires to fill out the wheelwells. I'm debating between 15 or 16" wheels with some 29 or 30" tires.

I wish there were an easy way to add pics from a mobile. They're all on my Instagram page for now.

[Docinabox]

Originally Posted by explore more

I just finished installing my custom 4" lift kit on my 23. Now I need some bigger tires to fill out the wheelwells. I'm debating between 15 or 16" wheels with some 29 or 30" tires.

I wish there were an easy way to add pics from a mobile. They're all on my Instagram page for now.

Wow! That seems like a huge lift. Should be an interesting video.

[explore more]

Someone has to pioneer the limits of a lift.