Ice Flows on Argosy

[Janet H]

Has anyone experience with ice on outside of travel traiers? We have company staying in our Argosy - the heat is on. We have had lots of snow and several freeze thaw cycles. Tonight we're in the single digits. There are HUGE icicles hanging off the trailer and sheets (one or more inches thick) of thick ice on the top and oozing over the sides.

I am concerned that ice expansion may cause problems......

Thoughts?

[Porky Pig]

Thoughts?

Yes .. just one:

Why are you so cruel to your guests?

[Janet H]

Not mean - just full up. The argosy beats the heck out of the living room floor. But the ice is piling up.....

[Tin Hut]

If they keep the trailer rockin' all night the ice should fall off.

[Navigator]

Hope your trailer is blocked up to your frame.
Ice weighs.
Dick

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally posted by Navigator
Hope your trailer is blocked up to your frame.
Ice weighs.
Dick

So does snow. I don't think there is much need to block up to the frame. As a matter of fact, there is only one place to do it and you surely should not rest the whole coach on that one jack point.

An empty coach or one with minimal people and stuff should be able to hold most of that weight without any problem. On the other hand, the dome vent covers might not. I would take anything off that you can carefully, but not worry too much about it. You have to understand the roofs on the Airstream line (and possibly the Argosy as well) have a very good frame system. It should be able to hold several feet of snow without any problem as long as it's pretty evenly distributed and not bunched up in one place.

[Rog0525]

I can see where snow or ice accumulation might pose a problem on a box trailer, but on an Airstream?
Naw, like water on a duck's back. That is just one more reason 60% of them ever built are still in service, even in Alaska.
The rounded roof and corners are not just aerodynamic for towing, they allow snow and ice to slide off when the temp warms.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think aluminum and/or vulkem expands/contracts with changing temperatures.
But it was wise of you Janet to put the guests out there rather than yourself, just in case.

Rog

[Navigator]

It is the stress on the axles that I am concerned about.
It would seem to me that overloading the rubber for some duration would not be a good situation.

Also, the thermal coeficient of expansion for aluminum is greater than steel by a ratio of 13.5 for al vs. 8.4 for steel.

I dont know enough about Vulkem to comment; here practical experience by our Alaska friends would be useful.
Dick