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Rog0525 · 03-29-2004, 11:04 AM

I need help in determining what may have caused the below illustrated damage to my frame and belly pan.
The frame is twisted on the rear curbside, causing the belly pan to tear loose from the rivets in that area.
I had the trailer totally inspected by a local full service RV dealership on 3/19/04 including testing the brakes.. I just noticed the damage yesterday. It was not there before the visit to the shop.
The trailer cannot be towed in it's present condition without causing more separation of the belly pan.
I called them to ask how they jacked it up, and they advised that they jacked it up by the frame as they always do, but the service manager has agreed to come and look at the damage in the next couple days.
I urgently need input and opinions from my fellow streamers here before he comes.
I don't know of any other way this damage could have occurred.
Since the plastic sewer cap is also broken, I'm thinking they may have lifted that corner with something such as a forklift??
Thanks.

Rog

**Janet H** · 03-29-2004, 11:07 AM

Photos? Be sure to check photo size....

Silvertwinkie · 03-29-2004, 11:10 AM

I guess the real question without pics is where on the frame did they jack it up. There is only one place you can safely jack up an Airstream and that, from my understanding is right by the axle on some plate. If they did it anywhere else.....

Rog0525 · 03-29-2004, 11:22 AM

Sorry, I used the URL link to attach the photos. They show up on my end but obviously not on yours, so here we go:

Rog0525 · 03-29-2004, 11:26 AM

another view

85MH325 · 03-29-2004, 11:33 AM

Rog...

Are there any marks on the belly skin that would correspond with a shop floor jack or similar? It's a little difficult to tell from the photos. You mentioned that the frame is tweaked in that area? It looks like they must have jacked it up using a floor jack or something on that corner of the bumper...

Roger

Rog0525 · 03-29-2004, 11:52 AM

Roger, the circled item IS the bent side member of the frame, which extends slightly below the bumper and belly pan (before damage). Sorry for the poor photo quality. My digital camera is only 1.3 MP

Rog

85MH325 · 03-29-2004, 12:28 PM

In order for the C-channel frame member bottom to have torn and bent like that, it would have had to have caught something stationary while the front of the trailer was was turning to the right. It would almost have had to have been in motion; If the trailer wasn't in motion, than whatever was under it was; and it wasn't something light to bend steel in that fashion. The belly pan would have bent easily with a jack, but if that is truly the frame rail... there was a substantial amount of force involved.

If it were up on a jack and moved while the jack was under it and the jack wedged into something when it started to fall over, that might have occurred. That's the only way I can think of that the steel would not only be pushed down, but outboard from the inside like that... Unfortunately the quality of the photos isn't quite adequate to match holes and damage, etc.

There still ought to be some kind of tool mark or transfer marks from whatever caused the damage.

Roger

Rog0525 · 03-29-2004, 01:37 PM

Roger, I very much appreciate your input. I think I may be confusing the issue with incorrect terminology and poor photos. The portion of the frame that is bent (not torn) is not "C" channel.
If you look at the undamaged frame on the streetside in this photo, perhaps you will have a better idea
of what I'm referring to.
After re-reading a post from Inland Andy on THIS thread, I am convinced that the damage was caused by improper jacking (the post starts with "Stephanie. The "ONLY" place to lift a single axle Airstream.....).
I think that post is a 'must read' for anyone who will be jacking up a trailer.
Guess I'll just have to duke the issue out with the RV guy when he shows.

Thanks,
Rog

thenewkid64 · 03-29-2004, 02:12 PM

Rog,

I think you may be right. After looking at all of the pictures it looks like they placed a floor jack under the rear of the trailer and lifted it causing the additional metal that is normally straight to become deformed. I do not know if the deformation of that piece could cause enough twist to pull the belly pan loose, but it is hard to say without seeing it in person.
I wonder why only one side is bent?

Silvertwinkie · 03-29-2004, 02:30 PM

One side could be bent cause they figured out they made a mistake the first go at it..... I do notice a bit of rust under there and by the bumper...not that it would have twisted the frame, but could be why a bit of jacking could have finally broke the belly pan free.

I was jacking my '80 Olds at the side jackpoint about 2 years ago. I heard this thunk....then I smelled gas....the stress/torque that the frame was going through finally broke the then severely rusted metal fuel line...perhaps the sam thing happened to the bellypan.

Hidalgo · 03-29-2004, 03:22 PM

agree, all around. The idiots at the RV location were the guilty parties!
Sweet little lady, does not deserve to be treated like this!
Will teach a lesson for future airstreams that may be heading in their direction.

j54mark · 03-29-2004, 03:44 PM

On the plus side, I see no creases or dents in the skin.

Mark

**Stefrobrts** · 03-29-2004, 04:01 PM

Scary stuff, Rog! Now I don't feel like such a paranoid for hanging over someone's shoulder when they're working on my trailer. I think I'll make that a rule from now on. Sorry to see that happen. Can't wait to hear what the mechanic says when they look at it.

Kistler · 03-29-2004, 04:50 PM

I was under my trailer a coupla weeks ago adjusting the brakes and I noticed the belly pan has a wrinkle on one side near the drivers side rear wheel actually. As far as I know no one has ever jacked it up -- pardon the expression.

Rog0525 · 03-29-2004, 04:54 PM

If it is indeed true that Airstream trailers should never be lifted via jacks under the frame, I already have some ammo to use in my complaint with the RV guy, since they admitted to doing just that.
I have emailed Airstream tech support to inquire about proper "jacking" technique, hoping to get some advice "straight from the horse's mouth".
The RV folks involved are a Fleetwood dealer but are listed in my '71 owner's manual as an Authorized Airstream service center.
If anyone has further info or suggestions, please submit. I'm really upset about this. I was going to start stripping, priming and painting the tongue and bumper today but I'm putting all on hold until this issue is resolved.
I can only imagine that a frame shop would charge a king's ransom to straighten the frame, if that's even possible.

Rog

59toaster · 03-30-2004, 07:36 AM

Rog:

Did they have to move the coach at all once you brought it there?

I hae to agree with one of the previous posters, The damage apears to me to be from severly dragging the rear of the coach while it was being turned.

In that last picture it apears that the bumper is high on the curb side but that could be a trick of the angle.

Rog0525 · 03-30-2004, 08:27 AM

Toaster, I had to leave the coach with them for 2 days because they were very busy. It appeared to be in the same spot on their parking lot where I left it when I picked it up. If they did all of the work outside (a question I will ask), a gust of wind could have blown it off the jacks.
There are no scratches on the underside of the bumper which would be evidence of dragging.
The bumper is level on both ends, the angle of the photos is deceptive.

Rog

Rog0525 · 03-30-2004, 08:47 AM

I did a quick walk around of the trailer before I left the RV yard. If the belly pan had been hanging as it is now, I would have noticed that. That obviously occured because of the frame damage and the vibration during the return trip.

Rog

Pahaska · 03-30-2004, 09:02 AM

If it is indeed true that Airstream trailers should never be lifted via jacks under the frame, I already have some ammo to use in my complaint with the RV guy, since they admitted to doing just that.

before I had my trailer jacked to install the Centramatic balancers on the hubs, I emailed Jim Parrett at Airstream with the question whether to jack on the axle mounting plate or the marked spot on the frame rails.

His answer was to use the spot on the frame rails and he attached several photos of a trailer in the Airstream shop jacked up by the spots on the frame rails. he said that you can use the axle mounting plate, but if there is more chance of doing damage if it is not jacked exactly right.

I figured that the factory knows best, so I had the tire shop jack mine at the spots on the frame rails and all went well.

Several weeks ago, I pulled my trailer off the pavement and on to some grass that I didn't know had been undermined by running water. The wheels dropped and the rear of the trailer came crashing down on the pavement; the rear extension of the frame that mounts my bumper is bent in exactly the same way that it is in the photos. Unfortunately, the upward impact also dented the lower corner panel of my trailer slightly.