Martin's Argosy Rebuild Thread

[martin300662]

New bearings have arrived and I just got a call saying they are installed.

This also confirms the old 'outers' were the wrong size, which may in part justify why they were breaking up.

Bella will go in for the brake efficiency test tomorrow and then I can pick her up after lunch ready for a weekend camping!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by martin300662

New bearings have arrived and I just got a call saying they are installed.

This also confirms the old 'outers' were the wrong size, which may in part justify why they were breaking up.

It's good that the bearing issue was caught before any real serious damage had occurred. If those bearings had seized I can see a front wheel bouncing down the highway by itself

Bella will go in for the brake efficiency test tomorrow and then I can pick her up after lunch ready for a weekend camping!

Maybe now you can finally start to enjoy using Bella instead of working on her

[martin300662]

Hmmm......

First camping trip resulted in Bella being back in the shop. The Atwood on demand water heater was not giving me hot water when I demanded it!

I had tried to troubleshoot and was getting nowhere, the shop tried troubleshooting and got nowhere, they contacted their supplier and got told what the issue was (the sprung loaded solenoid within the manifold had failed) but the replacement part was $1000, wasn't stocked in the UK, would have to be special ordered and the minimum order value was $5K, and was approx the same cost as a replacement heater. As you can imagine I was not best pleased at this point.

The guy who runs the shop then gave me the option to remove the so called unserviceable part, pull it apart and see if they could see why it wasn't working. 20mins later and after blasting the valve with high pressure air, I get a follow up call from the shop saying, 'all fixed'.

$1000 plus labor repair became a charge for one hour labor, got to love it!

[bkahler]

Wow, not a cheap valve!

Is the shop that solved the valve problem the same one that fixed the wheel bearings?

If so it sounds like you found a good shop

[martin300662]

Yes Brad, very happy with what they have done so far.

For example the shop I used to convert Bella for UK roads last year, charged me approx $1000 to apply the underseal, which was coming away in places. These guys charged a token 1 hour labor and 1 can of Dinitrol 4941 B to fix the problem ie less than $100.

Their hourly rate ($70) is very reasonable and the clearly care about the customer.

[Waipio Rim]

Originally Posted by martin300662

Hmmm......

First camping trip resulted in Bella being back in the shop. The Atwood on demand water heater was not giving me hot water when I demanded it!

I have a non-Atwood on demand propane heater at home that won't work unless it gets enough water pressure. Crud tends to collect in an inline filter and at a screen on the cold water inlet. Cleaning those always gives me hot water again.

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by Waipio Rim

I have a non-Atwood on demand propane heater at home that won't work unless it gets enough water pressure. Crud tends to collect in an inline filter and at a screen on the cold water inlet. Cleaning those always gives me hot water again.

This was the description on my invoice....

"Investigate problem with existing wiring to water heater, this has not been fully connected, wiring replaced to supply feed to heater switching unit, tested unit still will not run automatically. We by-passed auto switching and
enabled the heater. Stripped of the combined manifold assembly, removed fittings and cleaned out, found dirt inside from the water pipes etc, also the sliding valve which operates the 'Hall Effect' sensor had stuck, as such this would not allow the valve to move, this in turn operates the micro-switch which calls for the boiler to fire. All cleaned and used air pressure to unseize stuck valve, re assembled and tested, now all working fine. Also tested under mains (City Water) pressure, again all OK"

[bkahler]

Hopefully you've finally found an honest shop that does the kind of work you've been paying for all these years.

[martin300662]

Here are some photos of the Airstream supplied labels that were supposedly fitted to the early Airstream MH...they look pretty neat on Bella even though she is an Argosy.

[bkahler]

They go nicely with the fresh paint job. Nice touch

[Isuzusweet]

Very nice indeed......but none of them say DIESEL.

I swear I'm using that 454 for an anchor after this weekend.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[martin300662]

After much 'faffing around' on my part, Bella has a new 'friend'.

Meet our new toad, a 1971 Mk II Triumph Vitesse convertible.







He is above 740kg which in the UK is the limit for towing without brakes, so the next search is for a suitable braked trailer to sit behind Bella

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by martin300662

After much 'faffing around' on my part, Bella has a new 'friend'.

Meet our new toad, a 1971 Mk II Triumph Vitesse convertible.

Attachment 317041

Attachment 317042

Attachment 317043

He is above 740kg which in the UK is the limit for towing without brakes, so the next search is for a suitable braked trailer to sit behind Bella

It sounds like you were able to make the deal happen, that's great!

When do you pick it up?

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by bkahler

It sounds like you were able to make the deal happen, that's great!

When do you pick it up?

I'm in Basel, Switzerland all this week, and then the owner is away next weekend, so it will be early the following week before we pick him up.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by martin300662

I'm in Basel, Switzerland all this week, and then the owner is away next weekend, so it will be early the following week before we pick him up.

Ahh....the retired life.....

[martin300662]

Slightly embarrassed to say I have had it for over 2 years but we are camping tomorrow so today was the first time I installed Bella's rope and pole awning for the first time.

Bit of a pain due to Bus-Kote getting inside the awning rail, but looks pretty smart.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by martin300662

Slightly embarrassed to say I have had it for over 2 years but we are camping tomorrow so today was the first time I installed Bella's rope and pole awning for the first time.

Bit of a pain due to Bus-Kote getting inside the awning rail, but looks pretty smart.

Attachment 318636

I like it!

I would think once you get the track cleared of paint remnants it should go in easier the next time.

Who did you order from?

[martin300662]

I had Marti Domyancic from Marti's Awnings in Chico, CA (www.martisawnings.com) make the awning and I am very happy with it.

If I was to do it again I would add a strengthening corner and eyelet in the left hand corner near the beading. At the moment I use a tarp clip in that location to attach a piece of cord, which I loop around a small pulley, then attach the pulley to a small eye-bolt. The eye-bolt pushes into the left hand end of the awning rail and means the left hand end of the awning can be pulled from right to left during installation and means one-person can put it up, from a ladder prop'ed against the door frame. I carry a collapsible ladder under the passenger side bed (it sits on top of the wheel well box).

I also had Beach Wind Breaks make two matching windbreaks in the same Sunbrella Lankford Willow material - it seems Beach Wind Breaks have stopped trading but their windbreaks were great as well.

[mayco]

Very sharp Martin.

[bkahler]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to contact Marti's Awnings when I get closer to actually needing one. Could be a while yet