Floor "rumbles" when walking in trailer

[biyak269]

We have a '14 27FB Classic with a noisy floor.

When we walk back and forth between the galley and living room the floor makes a noise similar to high school "theater thunder" that is created by flexing a piece of sheet metal. I have traced our noise to oil canning of the thin sheet aluminum that covers the bottom of the frame. Dealer says it's what Airstreams do. I have my doubts-this is our third AS, our first with this noise.

It seems to me that a fix could include one or two aluminum bars or angles screwed or riveted lengthwise between the frame's cross braces in the flexing portions of the metal, perhaps with rubber tape sandwiched between.

Opinions?

[cwf]

Howdy...
Have someone Walk in the trailer while you are outside listening underneath the trailer. Place your hand on the bellypan where you hear noise. Do you "feel" the aluminum flexing?

[HiJoeSilver]

Dealer is full of bs.
Adding some rivets to the cross members may help. The length wise reinforcement you mention would also likely work. Simply riveting some straight flat aluminum bar should serve the function, angle wouldn't be necessary. Rivet it regularly along the length. If you have a steel supply company nearby you should be able to get aluminum bar stock from them. I just bought 25' of 1/8" thick x1.5" aluminum angle for $32, so bar stock should be cheaper. It'll still oil can, but the reinforcement will stop the 'pop' when it does, thus stopping the noise.

[HiJoeSilver]

Using the stabilizers can also help reduce the oil canning. You don't want to lift the trailer but getting them down with some load, couple hundred pounds, pushing up and not merely touching should help keep the end from dropping from the persons weight on it, causing the metal to flex.

[ghaynes755]

Some 'oil can' some don't. Might be more prevalent in longer trailers. My 25FC had the noise. Haven't heard it in my Classic.

Not sure I would want to rivet the bottom since the trailer does flex. One of the solutions was to use a wedge roller and put some creases in it to tighten it up. Probably got the tool wrong but you get the idea.

[dkottum]

it's common. Can-Am Airstream in Ontario came up with an innovative fix. They have taken a window screen spline roller tool, used it to put a large X-crease in each underbody panel.

Apparently that takes up any slack in the panel when it expands from heat or stabilizer adjustment, and allows the panel to contract. I would imagine the time to put the crease in would be in warm weather when the panels are expanded.

We just ignore it, tends to be there in warm weather, gone in cooler weather.

[m.hony]

We just ignore it.
It seems to be worse if the stabilizers are not down. I often camp with the trailer still attached to the tow vehicle and the stabilizers up, especially if it is just an overnight or if I am by myself.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by dkottum

it's common. Can-Am Airstream in Ontario came up with an innovative fix. They have taken a window screen spline roller tool, used it to put a large X-crease in each underbody panel.

Apparently that takes up any slack in the panel when it expands from heat or stabilizer adjustment, and allows the panel to contract. I would imagine the time to put the crease in would be in warm weather when the panels are expanded.

We just ignore it, tends to be there in warm weather, gone in cooler weather.

Wow that's simple. But it's thin metal. If you look at metal heating & air ducts the bigger sections always have that "X" creased into them but it's done with a metal brake. It's done to minimize vibraton in vents too! I might have thought it would be necessary to remove the belly pan, take it to a metal shop and have them whack it with the brake.

I like your way better.

Paula

[ARTHUR3E]

Originally Posted by biyak269

we have a '14 27fb classic with a noisy floor.

When we walk back and forth between the galley and living room the floor makes a noise similar to high school "theater thunder" that is created by flexing a piece of sheet metal. I have traced our noise to oil canning of the thin sheet aluminum that covers the bottom of the frame. Dealer says it's what airstreams do. I have my doubts-this is our third as, our first with this noise.

It seems to me that a fix could include one or two aluminum bars or angles screwed or riveted lengthwise between the frame's cross braces in the flexing portions of the metal, perhaps with rubber tape sandwiched between.

Opinions?

sound like a logical and simple fix. Just be alert what may be hidden on the other side. May also want to pre paint the angled bar .
Arthur3e

[Forrest]

I have a 32' and also have some oil can drumming. It happens inconsistently though, so like the other posts say temperature and use of stabilizers play a role.

[veratipton]

Don't fix it, don't worry about it, be proud, it's an Airstream! Not a SOB out there with a metal bottom.

[Sisu]

Our 2013 International CCD 30 is currently at Colonial Airstream having some warranty work done and they will address this issue. We hear the same noise when walking in the galley area, but has been entirely unpredictable: stabilizers up or down, tanks full or empty, outside temperature hot, warm, or cold.
Will post again with details of "the fix" after we pick up our trailer in a couple of weeks and have had a chance to test for results.

[Caffeinated]

My 27 FB FC does it too. Sometimes. It would be nice if it didn't, but it's not that big a deal.

Mike

[silvereagle2]

We also have owned multiple Airstream trailers and we never had this issue. With our new 2014 27FB we noticed that we had this "annoyance" (not really a real problem). Since we had some other minor issues we had the factory resolve this along with everything else as warranty items. They basically ran several rivets across the aluminum underbelly - two straight lines from one side to the other. So far it seems to have eliminated the noises, but the real test will be when the weather turns colder (when the noise seems to be more noticeable). Not sure if local dealers can do this, or how much it would cost if not covered under warranty. I understand your concern - we LOVE our Airstream and its quality level, but making it even more perfect was worth it to us.

[wanderingduo]

Our 2015 FC 25FB has this 'feature' as well. Right in front of the sink area in the galley. As proud and happy as we are with our trailer, we sure wouldn't mind doing without the rumble of the belly pan every time one of us walks over this patch! Another item to add to our list for the next dealership visit.
Hearing that it's not a major issue is a comforting feeling however. Glad we are a part of this forum.

[Sisu]

As promised, this is the update on the resolution of the "tin canning" issue by the folks at Colonial. Let me first of all say that this was only one of several issues that we asked Colonial to take care of for us and I could not be happier with their service and the quality of their work on the other items. However, this noise is still there when we walk in front of the sink and or/door. The attempted fix was to run a 1 1/2" or so wide by 1/8" thick strip of aluminum riveted to the underbelly, across the AS in about the mid-section of the bottom between the holding tanks and front of the trailer. We will be bringing the AS back to Colonial in the spring at then end of our winter travels.
I certainly understand that this is not a substantive issue from a mechanical perspective. However, this is a significant nuisance that is there more often than not, tanks full or empty, warm temperatures or less so, stabilizers in place or not. I also understand the reason for the noise. This does not mean that I am ready to accept this in a trailer touted as being of the highest quality. Given the cost of this unit, I should not have to put up with it. This is an issue well known to the manufacturer and, in my opinion, should be addressed before the unit leaves the factory. Better yet, build the solution into every trailer.

[switz]

I have found that if I go out the next day and give the stabilizers another quarter turn to firm up the ground connection the noise stops. There seems to be some settling overnight of the stabilizers sinking slightly into the dirt.