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Old 06-25-2004, 10:37 AM   #41
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floor material?

Quote:
Originally Posted by tcwilliams
I believe you are confusing OSB with particle board.
My bad, before I go any farther, What product does Airstream use as their flooring? I thought they were using OSB? Is this an incorrect statement?
Some body that knows please let me know what product is used and how they know that this product is used.
Thank you in advance,

Abe
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Old 06-25-2004, 12:45 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vajeep
My bad, before I go any farther, What product does Airstream use as their flooring? I thought they were using OSB? Is this an incorrect statement?
Some body that knows please let me know what product is used and how they know that this product is used.
Thank you in advance,

Abe
The 22-footers use a single piece of OSB for the entire floor. As far as I know, all other models use T&G plywood; I know that the larger models do. If any other models use OSB, it would be the 16' and 19'.

When I put the cork floor in my 2003 22' International, it was obvious that the floor was a single piece of OSB. I just looked at a small piece of OSB that I cut out under the seats that was slaying behind the shop for 2 years. It has blackened, but it has not deteriorated in any way that I can see.
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Old 06-26-2004, 04:17 AM   #43
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[QUOTE=Pahaska]The 22-footers use a single piece of OSB for the entire floor. As far as I know, all other models use T&G plywood; I know that the larger models do. If any other models use OSB, it would be the 16' and 19'.

Hey John,
Our Overlander is being restored from frame up. It is gutted at present and the subfloor is t&g with all joints sealed with some type of marine based product. I will share photos next time I see "Spirit" If any one is interested I will get the name of the sealer.
Abe
I told a friend about your "sabre-d" he is 51 and knew that you had flown and exactly what aircraft..
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Old 06-28-2004, 01:27 PM   #44
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Finally decided to use treated plywood...

It finally came down to decision making time. I picked treated plywood. I found a local supplier (Mr. Plywood) that has access to a local treatment company that will treat the plywood with the more modern non-arsnic chemicals. I ordered 7 sheets of 4'x8'x3/4" CCX plug and touch sanded plywood treated and dried for $68.20 per sheet. This is not the cheapest way that I could have gone but I do not intend to treat the plywood with anything else so that will help offset the cost. This stuff is supposedly capable of being used for wood foundations which would be a tougher envirionement than in my trailer floor.

I am debating installing it length-wise or trying to bow the body outward to get the bottom of the u-channel/c-channel to clear the edges so I can install it cross wise. Anyone know how the facotry did this? Any ideas? If I bow the body out I will have to make sure I support it so it does not fall off the edge of the frame.

Also, does anyone have an exact measure of what the plywood width is supposed to be across the middle for a 1973 31' Sovereign? I am having a bit of trouble getting an exact measrurement anywhere because of rot along the edges and some body shift along the rotted edges.

Malcolm
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Old 06-28-2004, 01:39 PM   #45
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The factory fastened the floor prior to putting the body on.

Ken
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Old 06-28-2004, 02:41 PM   #46
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Spread the body?

Ken,

Did you mean that the factory fastened the floor to the frame before putting the body on? If so then they either had to put the c-channel/uchannel on the edges of the floor before attaching the rest of the body to it or they would have had to spread the body out so that the bottom lip of the c-channel part could slide down past the floor. The body would then have to be pulled in toward the center so that the c-channel could fit over the edge of the plywood.

What do you think?

Malcolm
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Old 06-28-2004, 04:10 PM   #47
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Yes - not as familier with the newer trailers, but my understanding is the u channel is attached to the body, then lowered onto the floor and bolted/screwed on. The belly pan is put on prior to the body after the floor) also. The part I'm not completely familier is the c channel - think that wraps around the floor wood - I would think that would be put on prior to the body.

Those that have done body off's have reversed the process, remove rivets, unbolt c channel and remove.

Ken
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Old 06-28-2004, 04:42 PM   #48
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C-channel and u-channel are one...

Ken,

The problem here is that the c-channel and the u-channel are a single extrusion not seperate items. You can not just set the body on the floor if the u-channel is attached to the body because the c-channel (part of the bottom of the u-channel extrusion) prevents it. The c-channel part would have to be slid onto the edges of the floor from the sides. Hence the suggestion that perhaps the factory bows out the body along the sides to get the c-channel part to clear the floor.

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Old 06-28-2004, 05:32 PM   #49
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Hmmm, then I'm not exactly sure how its done in actual practice, just know that the shell is lowered onto the floor. I've never had my 75 apart enough to see how its done, I have had my 59 and 58 apart and its easy to see how they do it.

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Old 06-28-2004, 07:39 PM   #50
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Ken and Malcoml,
I think you're both right. The late 50's model didn't have the c-channel, and the floor and belly metal were installed on the frame first, then the u-channel, then body.
I assume the 70's model were built differently, with the floor and body assembled together, then lowered onto the frame.
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Old 06-28-2004, 10:28 PM   #51
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Per Airstream's site the way they attach this C/U channel set up is:

1. C/U channel is attached to side panels and endcaps prior to the shell assembly.

2. Roof is attached to side panels and then side panels and roof assembly are lowered over floor structure. Since the endcaps are not attached shell can be stretched so that the C section slides around floor structure. (from my experience wood screws are now inserted through the top of U channel to hold it in place)

3. Endcaps are now attached to side panels and roof assembly which is already attached to floor structure.

4. Shell/floor assembly is now lowered on to frame and attached to frame and cross members with bolts.

This would all make sense considering I just performed a floor repair in my '87 Sovereign and they had wood screws every so ofter holding the side C/U channel to the wood floor. I wondered why the heck those wimpy little screws were showing up every so often. Now I know - they were to hold the C/U channel in until the end caps were installed and the shell/floor got attached to the frame.

Go to Airstreams site and read the factory tour section very carefully and it will confirm what I've just told you. Joe
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Old 06-29-2004, 07:26 AM   #52
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The thing that puzzles me is that there does not seem to be any "c" channel on my 1973 trailer, (at least, not around the rear area, up to the wheel wells), but there IS on Malcom's. In the service manual's exploded diagram of the chassis, there is no "c" channel noted; only the "u" part. of course, they don't get too specific with their diagrams. there's 2: one for "big" trailers, and one for "little" ones. but neither notes a "c" channel. So I'm wondering if this was a change that was made mid-way through the production run. Malcom, do you know the date of manufacture or your trailer? Mine was 9/72...probably earlier in the production run.
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Old 06-29-2004, 01:12 PM   #53
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Mine was 9/72 as well...

Chuck,

My manufacture date is also 9/72. The c-channel part starts about 3'6" forward of the back end. There is none further back than that. I do not know for sure yet where it stops in the front but I suppose it would be similar to the back end. It could be that they started adding the c-channel to the longer trailers before they did to the shorter ones.

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Old 06-29-2004, 01:13 PM   #54
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Mine was 9/72 as well...

Chuck,

My post to your question seems to have ended up further back in the thread than I had intended. Please look back for it.

Malcolm
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Old 06-29-2004, 03:29 PM   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by malconium
Chuck,

My post to your question seems to have ended up further back in the thread than I had intended. Please look back for it.

Malcolm
huh? it looks like its right there....

funny..our trailers were probably on the line at the same time.

well, I didn't have the pan/bananna wraps off that far forward, so maybe I DO have c-channel, too. still...not shown in the service manual. oh, well. my floor replacement is only going to involve the rear 2'...maybe 4. so it shouldn't be an issue. but now I'm just plain curious....
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