1991 Classic 350 LE

[wxbuoy]

So I went about taking everything out of the closet, removed the access panel and floor. No obvious signs of cracks, leaks or anything amiss....

So I decided to take all the drawers out of the cabinets and from under the stove so I could see everything and then be able to watch when I did a pressure test to see where the leak was coming from. When I removed the drawer from under the stove....



I guess airstream was too lazy 25 years ago to notch out the rear closet pass through a few inches higher but rather torqued the pipe up and attached it to the bulkhead. After 25 years of vibration, cold, etc, it finally gave way. This is not something that I am going to fix today... I could, but with the limited supplies and tools it would take all afternoon. And Mom and the drinking buddies taught me how to make the perfect old fashion yesterday and I don't wan't to put of the class on making classic and vodka martini's today!

So I turned off the isolation valves at the sink, re-energized the lines and now the shower is back online. The extra couple of bucks I spent on valves to be able to isolate everything are paying off huge!

[wxbuoy]

Originally Posted by mayco

Dave, great idea on the isolation valves. Its on my list to install two on the hot n cold to the shower side of the 310.

Well worth it! It payed huge dividends this week-end!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by wxbuoy

So I went about taking everything out of the closet, removed the access panel and floor. No obvious signs of cracks, leaks or anything amiss....

So I decided to take all the drawers out of the cabinets and from under the stove so I could see everything and then be able to watch when I did a pressure test to see where the leak was coming from. When I removed the drawer from under the stove....

Attachment 257234

I guess airstream was too lazy 25 years ago to notch out the rear closet pass through a few inches higher but rather torqued the pipe up and attached it to the bulkhead. After 25 years of vibration, cold, etc, it finally gave way. This is not something that I am going to fix today... I could, but with the limited supplies and tools it would take all afternoon. And Mom and the drinking buddies taught me how to make the perfect old fashion yesterday and I don't wan't to put of the class on making classic and vodka martini's today!

So I turned off the isolation valves at the sink, re-energized the lines and now the shower is back online. The extra couple of bucks I spent on valves to be able to isolate everything are paying off huge!

That picture doesn't surprise me a bit

Do you have a multi tool like this Porter Cable Multi Tool? If not you should get one

You could the bad section of pipe cut out in about 2 minutes without breaking a sweat with one of these things. One of the handiest tools I've ever owned.

Brad

[wxbuoy]

Brad,

Sure do! Love my multi tool! Which was taken out if the trailer last week at the DW bequest..... Yeah I knew I was setting myself up for something to break!


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[bkahler]

Originally Posted by wxbuoy

Brad,

Sure do! Love my multi tool! Which was taken out if the trailer last week at the DW bequest..... Yeah I knew I was setting myself up for something to break!

Well at least you know it's your fault that it broke

If you would have kept the tools in the coach all would have been fine

Brad

[wxbuoy]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Well at least you know it's your fault that it broke

If you would have kept the tools in the coach all would have been fine

Brad

Yeah, I did something to p-off the MoHo Gods!

So the wife went for a run this morning and I took the dog for a walk. When I got back the door handle was completely limp.... nothing nodda...RuRo Shaggy! Now what??

Thinking quickly (and not completely) I realize the passenger cockpit wing window is not locked..... So I scooted the pick-nick table over and proceed to crawl through to open the door from the inside. I was worried by one of two scenarios.... Someone would call the cops seeing me breaking into the MoHo but worse, someone would see me and video it with it with firmly stuck 4 feet of the ground and it ending up on you tube!

For the record a 6', 260lb man will fit through the sliding wing window.... Not gracefully mind you but it is possible. Although had I eaten breakfast first, I never would have made it. The proverbial large round peg in a small obtuse trapezoid.

So the door worked perfectly from the inside... That's good we can work with that to get home. Just cant shut the door unless someone is inside. Add it to the top of my work list.

So the DW got back cleaned up and we started our pre-underway checks/securing stuff.

Shucks! (not what even close to what I said) The inside passenger side dually is flat. I mean the bead isn't even attached/seated so there is no way to add air...

Now is a good time to praise the good folks at Good Sam and their roadside insurance...... Guy came out (albeit 3 hours later), put his heavy duty air jack underneath and with in 15 minutes the spare was on and we were ready to go! So glad I got a new spare when I replaced all the tires 2 years ago! The DW insisted I start the MoHo before she would let him drive off.

Finally got home a few hours later then planned, but we made it! I then took apart the inside door panel to see what part (that is probably no longer available) had to be replaced....

Took apart the latch and it is a really crappy design.... Picture 1 is the whole thing in it's not working state. Put it back together and pic two shows the really bad connection between the "push pin" and the main mechanism..... it was bound to happen amazing it waited this long!! The third pic show my modification. I bent the pin up slightly (holding both ends with pliers so I didn't break the connection point) so it can't slip below the spring mechanism. I will also take some of the slack out of the connection rods so you don't have to pull the handle out to 90 degrees to unlatch it. That always bothered me. I keep trying to figure what is wrong since it works perfectly now....







Ended the day with a med-rare rib-eye, bacon and blue cheese macaroni and a nice bottle of Bordeaux. All in all this week-end was a success.

[streamquest]

Three stars for a great repair job, but it gives me the creeps to think that Rube Goldberg designed the latching mechanism for the only door we've got.
It makes me think about trying to add some sort of opening device to the outside of the rear emergency exit window….. Just for those special occasions.

[bkahler]

Yeah, that latch mechanism is scary looking!

Makes you wonder what conglomeration of parts were used to make it work. I'd really dread having to find replacement parts

[wxbuoy]

Originally Posted by streamquest

Three stars for a great repair job, but it gives me the creeps to think that Rube Goldberg designed the latching mechanism for the only door we've got.

It makes me think about trying to add some sort of opening device to the outside of the rear emergency exit window….. Just for those special occasions.

I am working on just that thing.... Will post when designed and tested. That is number 1 in my list so I can have emergency entrance in case of another lock/ latch failure! Cause I know if I don't have it it will fail the morning after I secure the wing window!!


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[wxbuoy]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Yeah, that latch mechanism is scary looking!



Makes you wonder what conglomeration of parts were used to make it work. I'd really dread having to find replacement parts

Yeah such a crappy design so the could make what they had on had work from 2 different levels. They should have lowered the i side or raised the outside.

But to have everything hinge on a spring that is not permanently attached or rods that can easily slip loose is beyond stupid!


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[mayco]

FYI Dave, you inspired me. Installed those hot and cold valves today to isolate the shower side of the rig. It had been on my list since our trip to Colorado over the holidays. (0-5 degree temps at night). We didnt have any freezing in the FW pipes but we werent using the shower on this trip and thought it would be nice to isolate that side. Lowes is carrying a new (to me) brand of push-fit brass fittings. They are called Blue Hawk or something similar, maybe a little less expensive than Sharkbite and look substantial. Cant test for leaks for another month or two though. Sooooooooo, YOURE INSPIRING! . (it really is a great idea IMHO)

Mike

[wxbuoy]

Mike

I am the last guy you should be inspired by!! After 28 years in the Coast Guard I am just a paranoid pragmatist.

The piece of mind is worth it and had we been boon docking we would have been SOL. It was rather cool to to keep water on that night on one side the isolating the sink the next day so we could use the shower putting off the emergency repair till later. Okay, I am a lazy paranoid pragmatist who practices procrastination perfectly.


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[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by wxbuoy

Mike

I am the last guy you should be inspired by!! After 28 years in the Coast Guard I am just a paranoid pragmatist.

The piece of mind is worth it and had we been boon docking we would have been SOL. It was rather cool to to keep water on that night on one side the isolating the sink the next day so we could use the shower putting off the emergency repair till later. Okay, I am a lazy paranoid pragmatist who practices procrastination perfectly.


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Wow, that's a new bumper sticker ...PPWPPP

[mayco]

I guess the attempt at sarcastic humor didnt quite get through there

[wxbuoy]

Finally got around to fixing the grey water drain for the kitchen sink after it gave out a few weeks back on a camping trip.



Cut out the old mess. I love my porta cable multi tool!



Built the new section.



The main issue was that ABS piping was not available in my area. All new construction uses PVC. Now there can be an issue joining PVC and ABS since they are two different plastics and the expand and contract at different rates. A transition fitting is recommended (rubber) in most states (Code does not allow the direct joining of them in some states). Of course there was 1 1/2" but no 1 1/4" to be found. After doing a bunch of research, I read that you can do the joint with a special glue. This doesn't weld them like PVC or ABS cement, but rather makes a flexible juncture..



So I went for it and will keep an eye on it as part of my normal inspections. It is just for grey water and isn't holding pressure or anything so it should be fine. If not I will have to do a junction there and PVC all the way back to the sink. I also notched out the shower wall a bit so the pipe could be lifted up with out all the pressure on the joint. I think this was the reason it finally gave in last time.

[PeterH-350LE]

Nice job, Dave.
On all of the Airstreams I have worked on over the years, Trailers and Motorhomes, the most destructive force I have seen over and over is damage due to low level vibration. Abs seems to get extremely dry and brittle over the years. The best and only remedy is to keep your tires balanced or better the entire assembly by using centramatics.
You may want to consider ordering a set from the company for your drive axle.
Just look around your coach, when you see the black alu dust and/or cracked ABS, you see damage due to vibration. Imagine all the things you can't see inside the walls.
Often the vibration damage is worse on trailers, since you are not riding in it and would address the issue immediately, if you would have known.
The 1997 trailer I am restoring right now had such severe vibration issues that most of the belly pan rivets got sheared off.

[wxbuoy]

Originally Posted by PeterH-Airstreamer

Nice job, Dave.
On all of the Airstreams I have worked on over the years, Trailers and Motorhomes, the most destructive force I have seen over and over is damage due to low level vibration. Abs seems to get extremely dry and brittle over the years. The best and only remedy is to keep your tires balanced or better the entire assembly by using centramatics.
You may want to consider ordering a set from the company for your drive axle.
Just look around your coach, when you see the black alu dust and/or cracked ABS, you see damage due to vibration. Imagine all the things you can't see inside the walls.
Often the vibration damage is worse on trailers, since you are not riding in it and would address the issue immediately, if you would have known.
The 1997 trailer I am restoring right now had such severe vibration issues that most of the belly pan rivets got sheared off.

Thanks! Yup, the 2 sets of centramatics are on my wish list (drive and tag). I have a state tax refund that will be coming in a few weeks and plan on using that to get them. I couldn't agree more that vibration is what causes early failure in these beauties. Which is why I have spent the majority of the money on the complete front end, air bags and shocks. Next winter I hope to do the tag....

[wxbuoy]

We had to cancel the camping trip this week-end due to all the rain here in South Mississippi.

Did a temporary fix on the lock this week. It looks a mess but the wire wraps take up the slack and wire tie ensures it wont pop off again! I need to fashion a small plate to put in the top part to take of the slack in the pull rad and hold the lower attachment in place. Didn't have any rivets small enough to attach so I will do that when I go get some. Now the door opens when th handle is pulled out to about 30 degrees. Before it had to go to 90!



In the mean time today, I took out the 1980's gold sconce in the parlor and updated the fixture for a more modern look. :

Old one:



New one:

[bobmiller1]

Don't forget to save the old one.

[bkahler]

Dave, how come I didn't see any duct tape used in your repair of the door handle... ?