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2002sheds · 02-19-2018, 08:49 AM

Hi Kay,
Thanks, but no need to go through that trouble. I grew up in the Green Bay area, so I know what you are talking about! Stay inside with that puppy and the Olympics :-)
My current plan (and maybe the way these were built anyway) is to connect the belly pan in the areas around the tank box and probably have some seams in which both the tank box and belly pan overlap. Our climate is mild enough that even if the normal method is to go over both the bottom of the tank box, there would be no gain by doing that here. What remains to be seen is how I will handle the belly pan at the rear. Colorado David gave a great description of how the belly pan extends to the rear bumper. I still have to decide if I will do the same on this, or treat the back bumper and slinky storage as a separate "unit". For sure, there will be drain holes in either approach.
I will insulate inside of the tank box, and eventually all of the underside of the floor. For now, though, it is probably best if I start focusing on rebuilding. As I have learned from remodeling our houses, demo is fun and feels super productive because so much happens so quickly. It always takes me more than 10 times as long to build it back up...
Feel better, Kay!

Thanks,
David

2002sheds · 02-22-2018, 03:38 PM

Hi All,
It has been a few days. Lots of remodeling at our house, so little time to make progress. I did, however manage to squeeze in a trip to a local metal scrap yard and pick up replacement angle iron for the braces for the tank box (one of the old ones rusted in half and the other was bent so far it twisted the bottom of the frame slightly).
I also grabbed an aluminum "Construction Ahead" sign that will make a great tank box bottom (not to mention a surprise to the next owner that gets that far in dis-assembly

I hope to get back at the AS in earnest soon.

Stay warm out there!

David

dbj216 · 02-22-2018, 07:15 PM

Scrap aluminum road signs do make good heavy aluminum sheeting for this or that on our Airstreams. My Overlander had one used as a platform for a "lock box" under the bed. I was quite surprised to find a road sign painted on the other side. I was even more surprised to find a floor rot hole under the sign. Oh well.

Colorado David

2002sheds · 02-24-2018, 03:48 PM

Hi All,
As I get closer to putting the plywood back in and repair the rusted tank box, its supports and the rear body plate, I am considering a non-original solution. Namely, providing a little gap between the rear shell and the slinky storage box.
I need to rebuild everything except for the lid anyway, and it seems like a super obvious solution -- that is, have as little aluminum as possible that is horizontal...
Currently, a piece of aluminum is part of the "sandwich" which includes the plywood, U channel and rear body plate. Rain will run down the back of the AS and hit that seam. Some of it eventually is going to make it inward. Why keep that connection?
My plan is to build the storage box sides and bottom (probably of steel mesh) and hang the box between the bumper supports.
What would be the strengths or drawbacks (besides a slight amount of capacity lost) of this configuration?

Thanks,
David

dbj216 · 02-24-2018, 06:39 PM

I plan on doing the exact same thing. I will have about an inch of gap between the rear bumper storage compartment lid and the body of the trailer. I will run some sheet aluminum about two inches below the subfloor. I want rainwater to drain down into the rear compartment where I will have some drain holes in the belly pan to let it drip out.

I am tentatively planning on reversing the bumper compartment lid so it opens front to rear, instead of from the rear. This will give me more access and visibility to the waste tank drain manifold and dump valves. My old Trade Wind was built this way.

Some folks make flashing vertical with the body and then bend it outward to the bumper compartment. The idea is to never let rainwater ingress to the subfloor rear edge.

Colorado David

2002sheds · 02-24-2018, 07:16 PM

Hi David,
I think I understand. How would water drain into the belly pan if you have a gap between the body and the bumper? The hinge?
So it sounds as if you will eliminate that one piece of aluminum that is sandwiched in with the rest of that stuff but goes straight out to the hinge for the slinky storage... is that correct?

Thanks,
David

dbj216 · 02-24-2018, 07:37 PM

The gap is only on the top of the bumper compartment area. I don't need a gap in the belly pan. Imagine about a 1" gap right below the rear storage compartment where that infamous aluminum sheet used to be.

I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow of how it might look on my trailer.

Colorado David

2002sheds · 02-25-2018, 08:54 AM

Hi David,
Thanks. I understand where the gap is/will be, but I should have been more clear in my question: If that piece of aluminum that goes from beneath the rear access compartment door over to the slinky storage door is not part of the structure, how would water get into the belly pan (you had mentioned drilling holes to let the water drain from the belly pan)? Wouldn't the water now run down the back of the Airstream and drip off of the outside ?
I'm sure I am missing something...

Thanks,
David

dbj216 · 02-25-2018, 06:16 PM

I'm not planning on putting that infamous piece of aluminum back on the trailer. If I leave it off, there will be a gap. Rainwater will run off the rear of the body and fall into the gap instead of hitting that piece of aluminum. The rainwater will splash on to the belly pan aluminum riveted to the bottom frame rails and cross member. I will drill drain holes so most of it will drain out.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

David

2002sheds · 02-25-2018, 06:25 PM

Hi David,
Great -- thanks! I see that the storage compartment door hinge is reversed. I am assuming that it is not yet attached. How will you do that? i will probably go the same route.

Thanks,
David

dbj216 · 02-25-2018, 06:43 PM

My rear bumper storage compartment lid has a spring loaded hinge to make it easier to open. I don't need this "assist". I'm not that feeble yet.

That hinge is attached to a piece of steel flat stock about 1/4" thick by 1" wide. It is a stout piece, you can see it in the picture. That piece of flat stock is bolted to the frame rails. I will likely purchase a new standard piano hinge for the bumper lid. Easier and adequate.

Colorado David

Jeremy9107 · 02-25-2018, 11:30 PM

David. Not what you are thinking but an alternative. Can't take credit for the idea as found it on an older forum thread. I believe it will work out nicely.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f7/7...ml#post2068447

2002sheds · 02-26-2018, 02:16 PM

Hi Jeremy,
I like it... flashing was the first thing I thought of, but I was pretty unsure of how to do it correctly -- and kind of still am. Since there is no belly pan there currently (it was torn off somewhere along the way), I think I have been thrown off as to how anything but a gap between the body and that storage box will minimize water intrusion...
In your example, where does water flow? How is it ultimately "steered"?

Thanks,
David

Jeremy9107 · 02-26-2018, 11:56 PM

Took many attempts to get the flashing cut and bent correctly but mostly because had a tough time understanding simple directions from the designer.

The flashing is riveted on the frame horizontally, but we put Protecto flashing tape between the steel frame and it to stop corrosion. It then takes a 90 degree bend vertically and tucks behind the outer skin. This sandwiches it between the rear holding plate and outer skin (the rear holding plate also has the flashing tape on it).

So water will run down the outer skin and hit that flashing. The vertical bend is 1" high, so water level on bumper box would have to get that high to have a chance of entering the trailer, which won't happen cause it will just roll off the sides. That is our vision atleast. No seams in the flashing, so no caulking required.

This design is meant to stop intrusion to the rear of the trailer and subfloor so floor does not rot and sag. It will not be a seal from water intrusion into the bumper box.

2002sheds · 02-28-2018, 10:31 AM

Hi Jeremy,
Thanks! It is cool, and keeps the original look. I am assuming that you made at least one wall of the storage box from mesh -- or drilled holes.
No matter which direction I go on this (I am leaning towards the solution that Colorado David is using), I will definitely make that box pretty porous...

Thanks,
David

dbj216 · 02-28-2018, 07:38 PM

A properly done rear flashing is cool. Jeremy's looks good. I don't have the sheet metal skills to put a 80 degree bend in it and then form it around the body profiles. The flashing would buckle for sure on me. Airstream techs are very good at forming aluminum sheet, but not me. So I will go with the gap and not worry about it.

Onward and upward...

David

Bubba L · 03-01-2018, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2002sheds

Hi Jeremy,
Thanks! It is cool, and keeps the original look. I am assuming that you made at least one wall of the storage box from mesh -- or drilled holes.
No matter which direction I go on this (I am leaning towards the solution that Colorado David is using), I will definitely make that box pretty porous...

Thanks,
David

For the bumper trunk, I plan on using perforated stainless steel sheeting. It comes in different size holes from www.psm-mfg.com. Precision Screen Manufacturing. Don’t know the price or shipping costs, but had some left over from a jobsite in Dallas. But I agree, let the water drain out of the bumper trunk. Good luck, Bubba

2002sheds · 03-01-2018, 07:37 PM

Hi Bubba,
That material is really cool ! It is probably a definite advantage to at least be in the same state. Shipping to the West Coast would undoubtedly be a killer...

Thanks,
David

Jeremy9107 · 03-01-2018, 11:23 PM

dbj216. you are not giving yourself enough credit. i have never bent a piece of aluminum before that flashing. practiced on some of the belly pan and once figured out the proper way to make a template from ply, it bent fine.

and all of those design ideas sound great.

maybe i am missing the point, but the concern i had was from reading the horror stories of rear end rot. mine was not so bad, but definitely saw evidence of water protrusion back there to the subfloor and corrosion along the c channel where it met the steel end plate. so point was to stop water from entering the trailer and absorbing into floor. what would the concern be of water getting into the bumper box? what harm will it cause? maybe depending on what you are storing in it? mine had the waste valve exiting through it and held the stinky slinky so had no concerns of water getting in there. plus, there was a door flap on the underside that allowed gravity to route the water out. i guess don't store your toilet paper and beach towels in there.

2002sheds · 03-02-2018, 01:58 PM

Hi Jeremy,
Good points. And I agree that Colorado David is selling himself short...

A few updates on the Ambassador. Below are a few pics:

1 The existing subfloor just in front of the piece that is out. I had no idea that there was a gap between the plywood and subfloor...

2 What is left of the original tank box. I have now cut off the bottom and will replace it with a bitchin' "Construction Ahead" sign that I got at the scrapyard. I kept the sides and will use POR-15 on them. I just figured that it was easier to use the existing frame with its existing holes than the start over...

3 The original carpet, after removal of the heating duct. It is hard to believe that it was once all this clean... :-)