Abby gets some separation H

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by Exsys

Great thread. Very educational.

Thanks so very much! I hope others can share in my very steep learning curve

[perryg114]

Nice job, it looks better than new. The interior looks new. The floor looks great. I don't think you will have to worry about rot and if it ever leaks you will know where they are.

Is the rest of the interior other than the floor original?

Perry

PS I have not put the belly pan back on mine yet either.

[Lance M]

Thanks Perry,
Yes, She's all original. I even have the original laundry hamper. Sometime I'll be replacing the floor in the front half of the trailer, replace two of the front end cap panels, insulate, replace the broken tambour, replace all the belly pan and polish.

[perryg114]

For some reason, I thought you had done a shell off on this one. My tambour is missing in the entertainment center which is the biggest piece of tambour in the whole trailer. I don't think I will buy new when that stuff is like $500 a sheet or something like that. The rest of mine works fine after some silicone spray. I am not looking forward to the belly pan. I want to be able to remove mine and am thinking about that one. I also don't want to fill the frame full of holes and weaken it. I am more worried about the holes being a place for rust to start than actual weakening. I have a few places where the vinyl fake wood coating is starting to lift but it is not too bad yet.

Perry

Originally Posted by Top

Thanks Perry,
Yes, She's all original. I even have the original laundry hamper. Sometime I'll be replacing the floor in the front half of the trailer, replace two of the front end cap panels, insulate, replace the broken tambour, replace all the belly pan and polish.

[Lance M]

Soldiermedic was very gracious to lend me his SealTech 430r for a while. I figured I'd see how many leaks Abby had. As you may, or may not know, water leaks are the bane of the wooden sub-floor in an Airstream. I found a few leaks. Well, maybe more than a few, but definitely a manageable amount.
These first two pics show the main door hinge and the utility receptacle.

Looks like a new gasket is needed for the scare light.

This is forward of the main door where the old awning attachment bracket was screwed to the side of the trailer without any sealant.

A small leak under the trim at the rear of the trailer.

Another leak from the trim.

Leak at the water heater/rub rail trim.

So now it is time to fix all of those leaks.

[Lance M]

I've been looking for the time to replace the rotten floor in the front of Abby. You can't make time, only use it, so I decided I better use the time I have before the big summer trip to finish the fixing of the rotten floor and frame. I didn't really intend to replace the floor and fix the frame right now, it just sort of happened. After the leak test, I kept on walking around Abby, looking at the dinged and dented banana wraps, smelled the rotten wood and nasty insulation and looked at the calendar and decided it was time to just get it over with.
This afternoon I went to the shop and started with removing the front banana wraps and belly pan. Not surprisingly, the front frame looks much like the rear frame did.


The belly pan always has such interesting things inside.

[wasagachris]

Hey Lance is image # 3 the main frame rail? If so is that the area around the entry steps or is it the area around the fresh water tank? The reason I ask is that I've seen damage to the main frame rail in both spots on several trailers so far and would like to know if it's atypical.

[hondasub]

looks like a nice project you have there and your floor is actualy better than mine at teh moment i am looking for someone to glean me they're knowledge. The bolts that hold the frame to the wall sill through the floor have some sort of square head on them and i dont know what they have underneath the frame. Can anyone tell me what tools i will need to get these off i ask partly due to the fact it doesnt feel like a hex head at teh bottom. could be wrong its happened before

[Lance M]

Yes,Chris. It is the main frame rail just forward of the step out rigger. It is very near where the A frame is welded to the main frame rails.

[wasagachris]

So I would suspect that the damage was caused from water penetration throught the A frame open front ends and collected where the A frame joins to the main frame rail.
I see similar damage around the entry steps again from water penetration through the slots in the outriggers for the step glides. I have also found that water gets in around the corner of the frame for the fresh water tank. The Zee angle that the water tank plywood sits on has a removeable front section and has small openings right on the corners.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Water goes down, not up...
Major issue #1. The steel in this era is incredibly rust prone. Money was saved on the steel alloy and it shows in every trailer of this era. They also skimped on the paint. Often it is almost non existent on the frames of this era.
Major issue #2. When the water flows down, it is directed into the belly by the wraps laying over the skin and not under as they should. Again, this was done to save labor.
These units were built when we as a Nation, full embraced the ideal of disposable everything. Longevity was not an objective. I happen to like 1970's trailers, I think they have very cool lines and the windows are awesome, but they were not made with the same pride as those of the previous eras. Quality control has always been an issue. Cost point has too.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Well Top, Looks like you'll be firing up the ole welding machine again.
Glad to see Abby getting all the attention.
Didnt realize that you needed to do the front flooring as well

[Melody Ranch]

Jeeze! A few weeks before the Albuquerque Rally. You going? In Abby?

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by Mr & Mrs S

Well Top, Looks like you'll be firing up the ole welding machine again.
Glad to see Abby getting all the attention.
Didnt realize that you needed to do the front flooring as well

Yes the welder will get a workout over the next few days. I've been putting this off for a long time now. I finally have some time and space to get it done. It will help me get it done knowing I have a trip planned in three weeks.

Originally Posted by 62overlander

Water goes down, not up...
Major issue #1. The steel in this era is incredibly rust prone. Money was saved on the steel alloy and it shows in every trailer of this era. They also skimped on the paint. Often it is almost non existent on the frames of this era.
Major issue #2. When the water flows down, it is directed into the belly by the wraps laying over the skin and not under as they should. Again, this was done to save labor.
These units were built when we as a Nation, full embraced the ideal of disposable everything. Longevity was not an objective. I happen to like 1970's trailers, I think they have very cool lines and the windows are awesome, but they were not made with the same pride as those of the previous eras. Quality control has always been an issue. Cost point has too.

I do what I can to not dispose of things. I agree that it surely wasn't made to last forever, but I think I can get another 30 years out of her.

Originally Posted by wasagachris

So I would suspect that the damage was caused from water penetration throught the A frame open front ends and collected where the A frame joins to the main frame rail.
I see similar damage around the entry steps again from water penetration through the slots in the outriggers for the step glides. I have also found that water gets in around the corner of the frame for the fresh water tank. The Zee angle that the water tank plywood sits on has a removeable front section and has small openings right on the corners.

There are tons of places for the water to get in. When it can't get out or evaporate, it is even worse.

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

Jeeze! A few weeks before the Albuquerque Rally. You going? In Abby?

We are going on our summer trip. I plan to leave June 9th. We are going to NM, but not ABQ. I have a lot of work to get done.

[Lance M]

Well, after a few hours this morning I managed to get some work done.


I even had a lucky spider watching me.

[exthemius]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I happen to like 1970's trailers, I think they have very cool lines and the windows are awesome

Frank....I'm speechless -- I thought you hated us 70's trailer trash!

[reinergirl]

Originally Posted by Top

I even had a lucky spider watching me.
Attachment 158949

Lucky spider? Whatcha drinking buddy cause spidey's aren't lucky

I heard you on the VAP (EVERYONE listen to the latest episode!) Awesome, just awesome! I was like OH MY GOODNESS .... IT's TOP.... and my family was like "Top who?" Geesh.... losers


Congrats buddy and best of luck in the business!

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by exthemius

Frank....I'm speechless -- I thought you hated us 70's trailer trash!

You are confusing me for someone else...

[3Ms75Argosy]

Did you use a hole saw to cut around the c channel bolts? What size if I may ask (only 'cause I think I've got to do the same...)
Looking forward to your work again!
Marc

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by 3Ms75Argosy

Did you use a hole saw to cut around the c channel bolts? What size if I may ask (only 'cause I think I've got to do the same...)
Looking forward to your work again!
Marc

Hey Mark,
I do not use a hole saw to remove the bolts. I Have the belly pan removed from under the front half of the trailer. I grab the nut from above or below with vise grip pliers and rock it back and forth until it breaks in two. Then I take a punch and tap the remainder of the bolt out of the hole. If I have a struggle, I usually can cut the nut off with a die grinder. The vise grip method works for me 90% of the time. The only reason you would need to use a hole saw is if you didn't remove the belly pan. That is not how I replace the sub-floor. I always remove the belly pan to get access to both sides of the U channel bolts. Hope that helps you.