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wasagachris · 05-19-2011, 10:11 AM

Mike I tried just pulling mine out and ended up with a tangled bent up mess that I had to cut up to get it out. I hope you can learn from my mistake and cut it in the first place. You could possibly cut it leaving enough of the old one in place to patch it back together using another piece under it for a joiner strip.

Bauxter · 05-19-2011, 12:04 PM

sounds like a plan that may work. I plan on getting the higher brackets for the axles, and will have room to seam the pans once the axles are in changed out.

Bauxter · 05-19-2011, 08:01 PM

My 21' piece of aluminum is on the way! If there are any rivet buckers near Columbus, Ohio, you are welcome to join the fun. I will be removing the old panel and re-installing the new one Memorial day weekend. Malt-based adult beverages will be very cold and amply supplied. If anyone is interested, please shoot me a note.
After the panel is on, I will be bracing the body for the big lift-off. (no not the space shuttle)...the 31' shell. I think I will use bottle jacks to lift the body about a foot, brace it, and pull the frame out to work on it......I think..

Bauxter · 05-31-2011, 06:39 AM

The new HF electric metal shear made quick work of the trimming on the 4' X 21' 2024T3 panel. Prepping the trailer took a lot of time in making sure all of the old rivets were out of the holes, and the ribs and stiffeners were ready to accept the new panel.
The riveting will be done this week. I am using solid rivets. Looking back, I am thinking that Olympics would have been much easier to use, as "bucking helpers" are very hard to come by in my neck of the woods.
Once the panel riveting is complete, the next step is to build a platform to remove the AC, then dismantle the platform and use the lumber for the internal support structure, for the shell removal.
Shell liftoff is scheduled for 2nd week of June.

wasagachris · 05-31-2011, 06:51 AM

Mike that looks much better than having that big crease down the side.
Buck (solid) rivets is the way to go. Much stronger and Olympic's are very prone to leaking.
Do you need to remove the A/C for some reason or are you pulling it to make the shell lighter? I lifted mine with the A/C on and had no problems.
When you lift the shell make sure you leave enough room fro the wheel wells to clear the shell during chassis removal. I tried to keep mine close and ended up having to let the air out of the tires to get enough clearance. Also if you're planning on replacing the axles leave even more room as the chassis will rise between 4 to 6 inches with new axles on.

Bauxter · 05-31-2011, 09:57 AM

Chris, I was thinking that by removing the AC, I could reduce the interior support, as the weight will be reduced. I also thought it would give me an opprtunity to open the AC up, to test and clean.
Thanks for the reminder about the height. I am going to go with the higher mounting brackets on the new axles, as well.

wasagachris · 05-31-2011, 10:40 AM

Hey Mike all the servicing and cleaning of the A/C can be done with the unit installed. I haven't taken mine out but from looking at it there are about a milloin screws holding the pan to the shell plus it is buried in a very thick wide swath of vulkem. It seems like more work than necessary for servicing and the extra weight would not pose a problem during lifting in my opinion.
The pros will tell you that we amatuers over brace the shell for removal. It will keep it's shape with minimal bracing which is more for jacking and supporting points than to keep the shell from twisting. I really over did mine and after doing the lift see that they are right.
You might want to think about the center of gravity for the trailer if you lift the axles up too high. It might be more prone to roll overs in high wind or sway conditions. Just take a look at some of those really tall 5ers swaying in the wind as they travel. I know it's extreme but I actually had a 39 ft park model lift up on it's side two wheels in a 60 mph gust of wind and was only travelling at 40 mph at the time. I did manage to snap it back down by hitting the trailer brake controller and jerking the steering wheel. The last 50 miles of the delivery that day was done at 25 mph and I was sweating bullets all the way.

Bauxter · 05-31-2011, 12:52 PM

Chris, Thanks. It doesn't take much to talk me out of doing something that is a lot of work. I am going to post my 2x6 support drawings as soon as I draw them up. In the meantime, I will be Vulkeming, bucking and riveting. Fun Fun Fun!

Bauxter · 06-03-2011, 07:04 AM

Does anyone know where I can get 1/2 inch solid rivets over the weekend in Columbus, OH?? VTS has them, but may take several days to get here.

Bauxter · 06-08-2011, 08:42 PM

The picture shows where the side and front floor channel meets....I am thinking I should fill in the gap. If anyone has some insight into this dilemma, please advise.
I should finish riveting the street side panel this weekend. I would have been done sooner, but it takes two to tango(in buck rivet terminology), and I am running solo, for the most part.
On another sour note, I have been fighting the Vulkem caulking tubes. It seems that the product just does not want to exit the tube, no matter how hard I squeeze. I have since located a couple tubes of Sikaflex, and will report on how well it performs, at least during installation.

wasagachris · 06-08-2011, 09:41 PM

Mike I had the same issue with mine as well. The side wraps and banana wraps and also the lower beltline trim will cover this from the outside. The factory just filled up the space on the inside with Vulkem.
I had issues with the vulkem as well. I found that if the tube was old it seemed to flow slower.
I'm curious about the floor sheets. They look like particle or chip board. That wouldn't be the factory original floor, yet the elevator bolts look like original the way they are rusted and bent over. Has the floor already been replaced at one time or is this your replacement floor?

Bauxter · 06-09-2011, 04:51 AM

Chris, The floor is a mess. Some PO pieced in the floor, and notched around the bolts. Some wood is (newer), but not my doing, and the bolts are original...good eye.The rear bath is rotted out, as you would expect. The front also has much of the perimeter wood replaced. Stinky rotten wood.
I had to cancel my trip to the 4CU restoration rally to stay home for this? Ugh!! Hopefully, she, "Venom", will be with me in ABQ next year for the rally.

Bauxter · 06-29-2011, 01:00 PM

The lift went well, using one 6 ton jack, and a lot of 4X6 blocks. I was working solo, so I have to admit that I was sweating bullets during the lift.
I built the stands it is sitting on, as I don't trust the sawhorse brackets sold in stores. The fencing and buildings surrounding the trailer act as decent wind breaks.
The next step is to pull the frame out from underneath it, remove the wood, the belly pan, the animal remnants, and proceed with frame restoration.
Now I need two 31'X8' spaces in the driveway.....Mrs. Bauxter will not be happy.

wasagachris · 06-29-2011, 01:59 PM

Congradulations Mike on a sucessful lift off. Your sawhorses look very sturdy.
Are those the notches I can see in the front floor section from the PO's attempt at floor repair?
If Mrs. B is not happy just tell her you're building two airstreams, a his and hers.
P.S. take lots of measurements of the location of the floor sheets, wheel wells and anything else you think is necessary before you pull the floor. It will help later as you put the puzzle back together again. Keep the old floor as reference until the shell goes back on as you can always reference to it for locations of outriggers, crossmembers etc.

Bauxter · 06-29-2011, 02:31 PM

Chris, Thanks. You are correct on the notches. I think the real floor challenge will be getting the profile correct on the front, as most of the perimeter has been replaced. The rear plywood is mostly dust. I was also toying with replacing the double c channel, to eliminate having to match up the rivet holes on re-entry, but I am reading in the forums that there was a size change, and I don't want to re-engineer the floor. The rear c channel is also chewed up. I am going to try and source some close to Columbus, OH. I hear that the shipping costs are outrageous.
I will be diving into the frame examination this weekend, I am hoping for the best.
Maybe I should measure and cut the wood while the old wood is still on the frame???? Possibly minimize puzzleitis.

wasagachris · 06-29-2011, 04:02 PM

Mike Out Of Doors Mart sells the double C channel.
Channel Floor Molding 16ft Piece100986 [100986] - $44.95 : Out-of-Doors Mart!, More Airstream Parts on-line than anyone!

This will do for the sides but you'l have to make up C channel for the end caps from two pieces of aluminium angle butted together to make a channel. Then it will have to be notched to form the curves.
I marked and numbered all my sheets from front to back, noting curbside/ roadside/ top/bottom. Then once removed they could be set on top on the new plywood and used as templates to mark and cut the new sheets.

Bauxter · 07-04-2011, 06:52 PM

I took advantage of the weather and worked on the AS this weekend. I was able to remove 4 of the 7 plywood floor sheets, starting in the front of the frame. I also removed the front belly pan, insulation, and fresh water tank.
So far, there are 2 cross-members and 5 outriggers needing replaced. I also tried to empty the fresh water tank, but can't seem to get all of the water out.

I only found 2 mouse carcasses, and assorted mouse snacks remnants. Better than expected.

Bauxter · 07-04-2011, 06:54 PM

Keep or Toss? Assuming it doesn't leak.

Darkspeed · 07-04-2011, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bauxter

I took advantage of the weather and worked on the AS this weekend. I was able to remove 4 of the 7 plywood floor sheets, starting in the front of the frame. I also removed the front belly pan, insulation, and fresh water tank.
So far, there are 2 cross-members and 5 outriggers needing replaced. I also tried to empty the fresh water tank, but can't seem to get all of the water out.

I only found 2 mouse carcasses, and assorted mouse snacks remnants. Better than expected.

Bauxter looks great! Good job on the demo....

Bauxter · 07-05-2011, 06:04 PM

Got the rest of the plywood off today. I also found the mouse boneyard, and is too graphic for a family forum such as this, so I provided a simulation.

Having seen this, I thought of a new show....CSI-Disney.