Foiled AGAIN Starts AGAIN

[Foiled Again]

Backed up to the Hensley and hit it dead cold accurate the third time - so close the first time it wasn't funny. I too reread the instructions about 30 times before going out and hitching - just to avoid making an idiot of myself.

BTW I'm not looking for a life partner - but if you're a lone woman who is hunting for one, Buy an Eddie Bauer.

I've taken mine to my second campground - and when you open the back hatch you'll have a BIG crowd in very short order. 90% male and 99% totally unaware that Airstream has a toy hauler. When I demo the options available they are all asking for Colonial's web page, so I hope the Botticelli's are getting a lot of inquiries. My one "wish list" addition would be a built in wet/dry vacuum to clean up the drool the lookers leave behind.

I'm making a screen room to custom fit the hatch - so my "toys" are sewing machines right now.! Right now I'm using two 12 inch high folding footstools for acess and seating in my mini-porch. The bumper does well as a bar table.

More later. Paula

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Backed up to the Hensley and hit it dead cold accurate the third time - so close the first time it wasn't funny. I too reread the instructions about 30 times before going out and hitching - just to avoid making an idiot of myself.

Does your TV have a rear camera? I bet Pahashka's trick would work for you too. Bright colored rope attached to the bottom of the open stinger box with a magnet then straight lined out on the ground held in place by a weight (I use a big hook) and you can ride the stinger over the rope in your backup cam and pretty much nail it first time. (Tempted to use an Anchorman reference about 60% of the time it works every time but the success rate is much higher than that).

Also, on the ProPride, sometimes the angle of the box changes from the last unhitch to the next hitch and when that happens I have to adjust the WD jacks so the stinger doesn't get hung up in the box. Does the Hensley work the same way?

And congrats on the magnetic qualities of your EB :-)

[dkottum]

One thing that caught my interest in the EB when we were shopping for a new 25' Airstream was the adaptability and access to the living area. (A difference of $10k in price was more than we could justify, among other less significant items.)

It appears you could easily unbolt one or both sides of the dinette seating and replace it with a more comfortable recliner. The easiest possible conversion, and converting back to original as well.

Perhaps you have considered it?

doug k

[switz]

If you have a backup camera and use a Hensley (or ProPride), Take a piece id 3/4" wide by 6 or 8" long white tape and put it centered along the top of the stinger. This has to be replaced every so often. Then put a short piece centered above the Hensley hitch opening on the trailer. It is a breeze to align using the camera and all I have to to is check elevation when close.

[twobikes]

I was going out this morning to do the white tape trick. I couldn't find white tape. But I did find some of that really nice thin tough shiny silver Tape they use to seal ductwork. It looks oh so Airstreamy And works great. The backup lights reflect off of it nicely.

[KJRitchie]

EB don't work in Texas. You open the back and all the hot air comes in.

Kelvin

[BigAl]

But that's why you are in Texas right?
Al

[switz]

I used white electrical tape. I have to replace it every so often on the stinger, so the 50' or whatever in a roll will last a long time.

[traveluminum]

I happened to see a post that said you are from Virginia Beach, so I started reading old posts you replied to. If I back up a bit, two and a half years ago, my parents were following us across west Texas with their sob. Since I can see through our Airstream, I got to see them fishtailing and rolling across the interstate. I made a u turn through the median. When I got back to them, the truck and trailer were upside down. Dad was scratched up a little, and mom was fine, but we were all mentally shaken. We were able to salvage a lot of parts from that trailer. When we started rebuilding a 1959 Tradewind for them, we realized we needed all the parts that make a trailer, so we bought a wrecked 2003 Airstream Classic off eBay. In the meantime, we bought a 1957 Overlander, which was gutted. So we started looking for another wrecked Airstream. What a long winded way to say we bought your 2006 wrecked Airstream. We are glad you are ok, and hope you'll be glad to know the Airstream is a donor. The door, window, and compartment door went to another 2006 Safari. The awning is now on my parents 1959 Tradwind. The wheels and tires are now on our 1973 Overlander. And everything else will be used for our 1957 Overlander. Like a Phoenix.

[karenjude]

Small world

[SmokelessJoe]

I am traveling in Taiwan just now, enroute to Vietnam and Korea, but I wanted to write saying that Traveluminum's post was one of the more interesting to appear here. Phoenix for sure.


Sergei

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by traveluminum

I happened to see a post that said you are from Virginia Beach, so I started reading old posts you replied to. If I back up a bit, two and a half years ago, my parents were following us across west Texas with their sob. Since I can see through our Airstream, I got to see them fishtailing and rolling across the interstate. I made a u turn through the median. When I got back to them, the truck and trailer were upside down. Dad was scratched up a little, and mom was fine, but we were all mentally shaken. We were able to salvage a lot of parts from that trailer. When we started rebuilding a 1959 Tradewind for them, we realized we needed all the parts that make a trailer, so we bought a wrecked 2003 Airstream Classic off eBay. In the meantime, we bought a 1957 Overlander, which was gutted. So we started looking for another wrecked Airstream. What a long winded way to say we bought your 2006 wrecked Airstream. We are glad you are ok, and hope you'll be glad to know the Airstream is a donor. The door, window, and compartment door went to another 2006 Safari. The awning is now on my parents 1959 Tradwind. The wheels and tires are now on our 1973 Overlander. And everything else will be used for our 1957 Overlander. Like a Phoenix.

Damn, wish we'd cleaned it up better. At least the tires and rims were Michelin 16's. They were pretty new tires too. WATCH OUT if "everything else" includes the AXLES. Check the rear axle on the street side carefully. It might have been bent, have metal fatigue, cracked, or become misaligned due to hitting a rock months before the last trip. May even have been the cause of the wreck.

Here is a funny request. I lost the remote for my Dyson HOT fan/heater. It's about the size of a BIC lighter. Any chance you found it? Would like to get it back (if it isn't just TOO lazy to admit I use a remote for a fan that's 10 feet from my bed).

Paula

[traveluminum]

Thanks for the info on the axles. I did find the remote about two weeks ago. Send a PM with your address, and I'll send it to you.

[traveluminum]

Oh, and the new Michelins were recalled. Replaced with brand new ones free. I almost felt guilty about that. Almost.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by traveluminum

Oh, and the new Michelins were recalled. Replaced with brand new ones free. I almost felt guilty about that. Almost.

Almost my foot... ENJOY them, it's a rare case when you WIN against big business. I'm happy you got the NEW replacements even if they only had 1000 miles or less on them.

BTW - hate to tell you this, but the refrigerator stopped working the night before the wreck. Couldn't get it going on electric or gas, but I presumed it was something minor and was planning on getting it looked at once I reached my destination. I didn't have too much food in it and emptied it before the wreck so you don't have to worry about opening the door to ancient rotting fish or cabbage. Remembering the wreck it did pull loose from the floor - so it might have sustained other SERIOUS damage. Hope not. Bench test everything thoroughly before you use it PLEASE. Don't want to hear you got the big dirt nap from leaking propane.

Uh... about the black tank. Wish I could tell you I'd just emptied it and ran the rinsers the night before the wreck, but sorry. Recommend hermetically sealing it, putting it in a large field and incinerating it!

[traveluminum]

Thanks for the warning on the refrigerator. I checked it out, and found out it was not working. We had it repaired at nucold in Arkansas while camping there, and was cooling good during a test. As for the black tank, I'm pretty sure they are all equally nasty.

[flygrrl]

So, so glad to hear you were not injured, Paula, but very sorry about your sweet rig.
Does this mean you will be tracking down that lovely thing from e-Bay? I don't think it sold, and did have your name written all over it.

[flygrrl]

Didn't check the date, old news, sorry!
Leonie