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InterBlog · 07-14-2020, 08:27 AM

I've made the decision that I'm going to replace our underslung spare tire with a new Michelin Defender of the same spec that is on the other 4 wheels. The original spare is now 14 years old.

In normal times, we would say the heck with this - if there is an issue, just call a tire service, just call Good Sam which is the response service we have always paid for.

In normal times, we would not worry about it. We might even talk about removing the spare altogether and simply relying on the service.

But these are not normal times. The supply chains are so severely disrupted by the pandemic that I would not count on being able to buy an equivalent spec tire on the road. And I do not want that worry.

What brought this topic to the forefront of my attention?

We noticed yesterday that one of our existing Michelins appeared to be showing excessive side wall bulge even as it was reading 72 psi. This made no sense.

Heh. It looks a lot better this morning, with no action taken. Why?? Well, Texas has been having a heat wave, and our local temps here have been 100 degrees or so. My husband in his infinite wisdom went into the van barefoot yesterday, burned his foot on the hitch carrier, and in a fit of expletives, proceeded to measure its temperature at 161 degrees.

I think the tire heated up and relaxed. It was in the sun.

Anyway, this incident reminded me that nothing is assured now, and that I need to up my game on general preparedness. New spare tire. I would not want to drive on a 14-year-old tire, if it ever came to it.

Lily&Me · 04-01-2021, 11:58 AM

If you look carefully at this picture, there is a kind of rolled rim above the rear doors and just below that red light you see.

Sorry I don’t have a better picture.

This same rim exists open-ended on each side of my Interstate, probably for drainage?

I happened to notice a spot of rust near the roadside end of this rim, and then determined most of this one area has surface rust along it.

The other three rims are fine.

I’m guessing that moisture is collecting there, and have someone who for a small fee is going to sand that a bit and cover it with universal silver Rustoleum tomorrow.

I’ll have him get before and after pictures, and add them here.

Just a heads up if you have these same rims, the rear one may be prone to collecting water and therefore rust.

DaveG · 04-01-2021, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

If you look carefully at this picture, there is a kind of rolled rim above the rear doors and just below that red light you see.

Sorry I don’t have a better picture.

This same rim exists open-ended on each side of my Interstate, probably for drainage?

I happened to notice a spot of rust near the roadside end of this rim, and then determined most of this one area has surface rust along it.

The other three rims are fine.

I’m guessing that moisture is collecting there, and have someone who for a small fee is going to sand that a bit and cover it with universal silver Rustoleum tomorrow.

I’ll have him get before and after pictures, and add them here.

Just a heads up if you have these same rims, the rear one may be prone to collecting water and therefore rust.

Hi Lily&Me,
Good pic!
Question: What kind of spare tire carrier do you have?
Thanks!

Lily&Me · 04-02-2021, 04:08 AM

I do not know.

I’m not the original owner, but am pretty sure it came this way from Airstream.

In my first Interstate, the spare was carried underneath.

This may be an improvement, but requires swinging out the spare to open that rear door...behind which is the compartment that holds the coach battery.

Maggie

Lily&Me · 04-02-2021, 08:47 AM

This is the area that had rusted all the way across that back rim, not visible from the ground, and I’m glad I caught it before it got any worse.

I have found that Rustoleum’s Universal Silver is a really good match for touching up spots, tho Aluminum was what Menard’s had when I went in there so that’s what Matt used this morning.

The silver is a better match, but because of where this is located I didn’t care enough to go on a hunt to other stores.

A good reminder to inspect those parts we can’t ordinarily see.

DaveG · 04-02-2021, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

I do not know.

I’m not the original owner, but am pretty sure it came this way from Airstream.

In my first Interstate, the spare was carried underneath.

This may be an improvement, but requires swinging out the spare to open that rear door...behind which is the compartment that holds the coach battery.

Maggie

No spare for later models or Airstream option for a carrier. There are a number of options out there but so far none that are in character with Airstream. Thanks for the reply (and forgiving the intrusion into the discussion at hand).
Good travels!

Lily&Me · 04-26-2021, 02:51 PM

I have the Interstate in to the body shop at Peterbilt/JX Truck Center, they having ordered a replacement front bumper for me of a texturized plastic that will not show the rock chips these painted surfaces do.

The replacement bumper is some different part than what is on there now, and won’t work, so the Service Manager suggested repainting the existing bumper with the “rock guard” paint they use on trucks.

They will color the rock guard paint to more closely match my silver, tho there will be a texture difference that is what I want.

He said that the color is thru the paint, so any chip will not show as with traditional paint.

He sent me this picture of my bumper and one painted with the rock guard, so I am sharing it as an option for others with bumpers that also look like they were peppered with bird shot...and as long as I travel gravel roads, rock chips are a given.

He’s also giving me an estimate for doing the same to the rear bumper.

I’ll post a picture once it’s done.

Lily&Me · 04-29-2021, 02:13 PM

Just got this picture from Peterbilt, showing the rock guard texturizing they applied to the front bumper.

(I shrunk the picture down so as not to show my license plate #)

They’re still working on the rear one, and I will be able to pick it up tomorrow.

That looks pretty darned good, in my opinion, an excellent match, and a vast improvement over the rock chipped bumper that went in there.

He tells me that this texturizing, for lack of a better word, runs thru the paint, so that any future chips will not be as apparent.

They removed and repainted the hood, also replaced the grill which was cracked and peeling...which is why that all looks so gorgeous and perfect.

Gravel roads take their toll.

wachuko · 05-03-2021, 06:39 AM

Looks great!!!! Do share more photos when done!

You need another way to cover the tag

, we want to see the whole AI!

**Rocinante** · 05-03-2021, 07:04 AM

I agree, this looks quite promising. Glad I didn't pony up for a paint job yet, as this may be a better solution for us and it just might cost less. I like the toughness of this coating, though I've stayed away because I'm not a fan of the flat black look one usually gets with this kind of thing.

Per Maggie's experience, I will also have to look into what they'd charge for something like this at a Freightliner or Peterbilt body shop vs. what they'd charge at a regular auto body shop. Many standard auto body shops don't have big enough paint booths anyway, so this is an interesting avenue to explore.

Lily&Me · 05-03-2021, 07:12 AM

I couldn’t figure out how to cover the tag, and it just didn’t seem wise to post it.

It really looks great, on front and back bumper, and apparently is used quite often on trucks.

The shop guy came up with the idea, and Mike said he really went the extra mile to make sure the paint matched.

The body shop at Peterbilt is less expensive than the other one I have used locally, tho routine service by a private shop is much cheaper than Peterbilt...and I always have the same guy working on it.

I’m very pleased with the look of the rock guard, which I had never heard of before.

You know that Airstream monitors our ideas here, so it wouldn’t surprise me if this showed up as an option sometime down the road.

I mean, why not?

Maggie

Lily&Me · 05-03-2021, 07:21 AM

These of the rear bumper, just the slightest shade difference but I really don’t care.

**Rocinante** · 05-03-2021, 08:46 AM

That already looks better than the mismatch I have on our AI due to what looks like failing paint all the way down both sides of the van below the chrome strip, and also on the bumper. One paint shop said our paint was fine, so I'm using that as an excuse to postpone the work for a while, which was estimated at another shop around $5K. This option is definitely worth considering. It looks like color-keyed rhino liner with a slightly finer texture. If I have that right, it would make this some pretty tough stuff.

Lily&Me · 05-03-2021, 08:50 AM

I think it will be definitely more durable.

And if it’s good for trucks, we are after all...a truck.

Maggie

Hittenstiehl · 05-03-2021, 10:50 AM

Just an FYI for license plate coverage, if your photograph is on your phone or tablet here is a easy cover up technique.

Go to your photograph and open it up. Go to your edit feature ( where you might crop it ) and look for the more feature or mark up or write up. Select a pencil, marker or paintbrush and then a color. Touch the photo with the selected coloring device and it will cover up what you wish to hide.

Ps it looks great, the Interstate.

Lily&Me · 05-03-2021, 10:55 AM

Thanks, I found that feature but could not get it to do anything.

Next time my son is here I’ll have him show me how to use it.

Maggie

Hittenstiehl · 05-03-2021, 11:23 AM

Sorry it didn't work. I likely skipped a step and am not familiar with I phone procedures. [emoji846]

Lily&Me · 05-03-2021, 11:55 AM

I’m on the IPad, and after some fiddling with it I got it to work.

It’s been raining here, so droplets standing are in addition to the texturization of the rock guard.

The rear bumper had sections where the paint had actually worn off and showed black underneath.

More of the sun damage from its prior life in Arizona.

Lily&Me · 03-21-2022, 05:54 AM

Back from my winter trip, thoughts turn to tidying and sprucing up, and that includes my Interstate.

This rig lived in Arizona before I purchased it almost 4 years ago, and had a fair amount of sun damage that I’ve been working to resolve as cosmetic issues a bit each year.

There are also some chips and scrapes on low-slung areas.

After Peterbilt painted the front and rear bumpers with Rock Guard last year, see above, I’ve decided to have both side bumpers/running boards coated with the same, front to back.

The Rock Guard they put down is gorgeous, and I’ve had a lot of compliments on it.

I think it will look great, blend nicely and provide some shield against the inevitable chips that occur in these areas.

I’ll let y’all know the process here, and how it turns out.

Maggie

Lily&Me · 03-21-2022, 10:54 AM

I ordered one of these this morning, as I am now on I believe the third turbo-resonator replacement with those plastic, aftermarket junk pieces that seem to fail about every year and a half.

And always when one is on the road.

My service guys will install this next week, which should be a permanent fix.

Thank you, Roger.