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JRF0st3r · 10-17-2016, 02:07 PM

We finally bought aluminum propane tanks, selecting 20# units since we anticipate these will last a long time with only on demand hot water, tiny catalytic heater and cook top connected. We preferred not to polish since this reportedly makes them theft prone and they might be too pretty for our old trailer. I did add extra nuts to the all-thread at top and bottom to keep them tight and somewhat more difficult to steal.
As we might have learned, access hatches fall off. I put a chain on each of them and then added drilled a hole to add a screw so the latch can't slip off the shaft.
To jack and support the trailer when it is at home, I have 2 PowerBuilt 3 ton lift and jack stand combos. Additional lightweight jack stands are placed front and rear.
During our recent adventures, the Atwood on-demand water heater would not work. Before draining the water, I discovered the problem was an insect dirt nest (perhaps a mason bee) inside the pressure valve. It has a small vent to the outside full of dirt that I cleaned out last week but then I found the dirt went much deeper. It's clean now and functioning. Tape was added to try to avoid a repeat.

dbj216 · 10-17-2016, 07:15 PM

I must live in the sticks. I've never seen a jack stand like that. Very nifty. And good job on diagnosing the problem with the water heater. I wouldn't have found that one either. You are right, the outside compartment doors like to vibrate loose and fly off. My solution was to install drawer locks instead of the tee handle locks. I don't think these locks can vibrate open. The compartment door is either off or locked in place. We'll see if it works.

David

DFlores · 10-17-2016, 07:54 PM

David, the jack is available at Tractor Supply. It is great for Airstream's as it does not pull the trailer in any direction as it goes up. Living in the sticks is where you find these.

Sent from my iPhone
David & Diane

dbj216 · 10-18-2016, 05:27 PM

Thanks for the info. I wish I had thought of combining a bottle jack with a jack stand. You're right, lifting with a floor jack does move the trailer slightly sideways when lifting. If the other side of the trailer is on a jack stand in its highest position, a guy begins to wonder what it would take to topple over.

I'll look at them next time I ride my horse and wagon to town for supplies.

David

Hittenstiehl · 10-18-2016, 05:44 PM

I like that store so much I have inadvertently dubbed it tractor trailer supply. I'm going to be looking for some of those jacks also.

JRF0st3r · 02-23-2017, 02:44 PM

It's been too long since I've posted an update, perhaps because it's been that long since improvements have been finished. Considering the damage to the front segment, custom fabricated protectors were installed today. A local sheetmetal guy cut and curved the stainless steel. Extruded aluminum banding on the bottom from VTS matches original.
Jim

JRF0st3r · 02-23-2017, 02:54 PM

Arrrgh!
The pics uploaded with the previous post were not the ones intended, obviously. Those pics were about installing a 12 volt Jensen 19" TV. Sound quality was lacking so we added a blue-tooth transmitter and a good but small speaker in the overhead cabinet. The antenna stuck on a window is a Winegard Rayzar Amplified item from VTS. Each time the trailer or antenna is moved the TV scans for available channels. Now being out the boondocks we still get over 30 channels. at least 3 or 4 of interest.
So with this post I'm going to upload the segment protector pics.

Jim

Cochese · 02-23-2017, 05:55 PM

I bought that same antenna, I could never get it to work! Wish I could

dbj216 · 02-24-2017, 09:30 AM

Hi Jim: Nice to hear from Arkansas again. Your segment protectors look nice and ought to help protect the front. I have one of those "rock tamer" huge mud flap assemblies that mounts to my ball mount. I think it stops some flying stones, but it isn't as good as a real Airstream segment protector. I think protecting the front windows is also important. My son's 69 globetrotter, the first year with a curved front wing windows, had one break. We have plexiglass in it now as those windows are expensive and difficult to replace.

It's been too hot and dry in Colorado for my liking. But we did have a nice snow yesterday. Very welcome for sure. The best fire suppressant Smokey has.

David

JRF0st3r · 05-25-2017, 08:08 AM

We just returned from 4 nights in Galveston, 600 miles away, pulling with our new TV:
2017 Special Order Ford F-150
· 4x4, Super Cab 6.5’ bed
· 3.5L V6, EcoBoost, 2nd Generation
· 375 hp @ 5000 rpm, 470 lb-ft torque @ 2500 rpm
· 10 speed automatic trans with range select & tow or sport mode
· Rear axle 3.55 electronic locking
· Max Trailer tow Package with 36 gallon tank, aux transmission cooling, Pro Trailer Back Up Assist, Smart Tow Connector, Brake Controller, upgraded front stabilizer bar & rear bumper
· Power telescoping & folding tow mirrors
· 502A Equipment Group
· Cruise control
· Lane-Keeping System with 360˚ cameras
· BLISS bind spot and cross traffic alerts
· TPMS but so far can’t get integrated trailer tire monitor
· Spray-in bed liner
· Retractable side box steps
· Exterior Color Silver, Sport Appearance
· Tires Michelin LTX AT2 on 18” wheels
Door Sticker
Payload: 1811 lbs,
GVWR 7050 lbs, Front /GAWR 3525 lbs, Rear GAWR 3800 lb

It's a pleasure to drive of course. Our old Dakota had 230 hp, 290 ft lb torque, 1387 lb payload.

Jim

dbj216 · 05-25-2017, 04:54 PM

Holly cow! You picked a great vehicle in my view. I'm a Ford fan from way back. They are the best selling pick up for 40 years or so. Yours is outfitted perfectly. And it looks so handsome in front of your vintage Airstream. You will tow safer and with more confidence. I considered my new pick up my "last" tow vehicle as it should out last me.

Hope your trip was good and your Safari performed exactly the way you designed and built it.

David

JRF0st3r · 06-01-2017, 11:02 AM

Thanks David.
This is my last truck as well. My wife and I split driving time and she has no problem doing so. She had in mind treks westward through mountains and I felt the previous truck would struggle. At my age I also wanted several safety features available with this model F-150.

We had 14.4 mpg towing and 19.4 mpg in our normal trips between town and our home in the woods.

One other accessory was a flip back tonneau cover so that gear left in the truck is secured. It comes with a rack so we could haul our little boat while towing.

Jim

JRF0st3r · 06-26-2017, 04:02 PM

On our way back from Galveston we experienced a puzzling DC electrical issue, now resolved. We stopped at a motel for a rest, unplugged the umbilical to the truck and just left the AC/DC Isotherm Refrigerator running. Our pair of batteries have a total of 250 am hours capacity so with a refrigerator using 25 to 30 ah per 24 hours we were surprised the next morning to see battery capacity at 25%! After lots of exchange with AF members on the right technical site and e-mails with Isotherm, my brother-in-law & Lew Farber, a renown expert, I determined the issue was my Trimetric monitor. I was operating at Level 1 but had used a shunt that required me to go to a higher level for a new setting. At this point the system refused to allow me to go more advanced, or I lacked the skill to do this. Anyway, I learned that a Vilctron BMV-702 is a MUCH better system. Attached is a pic of the new control panel beside our Keurig coffee machine with the Viltron.

JRF0st3r · 06-26-2017, 04:28 PM

We just returned from a 300 mile each way trip to Caddo Lake State Park, Texas. This is one of our favorite parks with its canoe trails through cypress.

Attached reveals that Jane named her Safari "Maggie" which I had been resisting. The moniker means something important to her because as one of the first female students at Texas A&M they were so named, not a term of endearment. Now the name is proudly still used by at least some female Aggies. I added "Gig 'em to the name so that when you hear it you would think it was Gig 'em Aggies. Gig Em is in maroon and Maggie in silver.

The photo shows I replaced an ugly fixed pane of acrylic with tempered glass to provide a spot for displaying the name. I'll do the same for the acrylic pane next to the door.
Jim

dbj216 · 06-28-2017, 06:58 PM

Hi Jim, Glad you had a good trip, and got the technical issues resolved on your battery monitor/controller. Air Forums is great for resolving technical problems.

Thanks for the Maggie lesson. I did not know that, being a northerner. When I attended Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, many years ago the men to women ration was about 4 to 1. In the engineering college is was less than that. But now we have all learned that there is nothing a woman can't do. Maybe Maggie was the early stages of that coming to be.

David

JRF0st3r · 08-21-2017, 06:25 PM

Finally we have replaced the other scratched acrylic panel next to the door. This shows a reflection of Jane admiring it. I've been busy with consulting and general property maintenance but now hope to focus on polishing.
We will attend a MidWest Air Forum Rally in Branson next month.
Jim

dbj216 · 08-21-2017, 07:20 PM

Looks good. May not last as long as Corning glass, but maybe easy to replace when it gets scratched up.

David

JRF0st3r · 08-22-2017, 07:41 AM

David,
I should have clarified that the replacement pane is tempered 3/32" glass and maybe I should confess how difficult it was to install. When placing the order, instead of removing the acrylic to measure, I estimated height to be 9 1/2" taking into account the grooves at top and bottom. My guess was roughly 5/64" too tall so a bunch of grinding was necessary. Of course I also had to make the grooves wider using a drill bit.
Jim

JRF0st3r · 10-01-2018, 08:23 PM

Or, as I say, Gig 'Em Maggies"
We just returned for a great 4 nights at an AirMidwest Rally at Osage Beach, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Beautiful park and terrific fellow streamers. Maggie has acquired an AE Dometic awning installed by Hoss RV, Rogers, AR and a bit more shine. Still need to do the cyclo on street side but our long, long adaptive reuse seems nearing completion.

JRF0st3r · 10-31-2020, 03:57 PM

Here’s one more small improvement to our ’67 Airstream Safari. “Maggie” serves as part of our Guest Cottage when parked and these days guests expect to have WiFi. Our home has good signal served by fiber-optic but its router is 210 feet from the Guest Cottage.

Our Guest Cottage not only shelters the Airstream but provides a full bathroom, sheltered lounge / dining, generous deck with pergola to shield sun and a storeroom. First we thought of various solutions for extending the range or burying cable but then wife Jane suggested an antenna such as used on boats so that it might also improve WiFi reception at RV parks.

Following recommendations from yachtsman brother-in-law, we bought a Wave WiFi Rogue Pro antenna and a Calissa Offshore Tackle Marine mount with adjustable base. An old Netgear router was found. Also a MSRM repeater was installed in the carport 45 feet from the main router. There are many antenna options but the mount needs to be one that allows cable to be installed with connectors already on both ends and adjustable in both directions. Don’t ask me why I know that.

The antenna, which must be vertical in use and horizontal when traveling, was mounted next to the refrigerator vent so I could reach it from a stepladder and so it enters the trailer in an upper cabinet. AC electrical outlets were added so all could be contained in one space, out of sight.

At this point network speed is 10 MBS which should be OK for basic functions. We will try adding a second repeater at the barn halfway between. Parked where it is, the tip of the antenna has its path to the house obstructed by roof structure so perhaps this will be faster at a future location.

Jim