Visit our Popular Forums

Diogenes · 02-03-2016, 01:39 PM

When we bought our 1967 Overland six months ago, we had researched rear end separation and performed the jump test. It passed (unless we missed less than 1/4" movement?). However, I had no idea to look for bulging on the exterior, particularly around the wheels. Also, after we began living in it, we noticed that the bathroom feels sloped.

We currently have it in the shop for some repairs, including repacking the bearings. While it was on jacks, my husband noticed that the bulges were gone. Additional, the bathroom felt more level. Finally, the interior wood work (it as wood paneling throughout) was out of place. It looked as if it was originally put in place as the body is now, but when the jacks leveled everything, the wood work separated.

We think all this evidence is definite confirmation of rear end separation. Sigh.

What next?? We bought what we thought was a mostly newly renovated Airstream. I expected problems, after all it's 50 years old. It has had more than anticipated. We are not in a position to fix structural problems ourselves.

Trying to determine how to proceed. We need some estimate of how much it costs to repair. And where to find a repair person. Etc.

xrvr · 02-03-2016, 02:35 PM

It might be the frame sagging behind the wheel wells, not rear end separation. Drop the belly pan and inspect the frame, can be welded. Some of the thirty footers had a sag but no damage. Don't know how long you trailer is. Good luck.

rostam · 02-03-2016, 03:02 PM

Jackson center repairs both rear end separation and sag. You may want to give them a call and get an estimate. I believe there is a PDF file from Airstream describing the repair process as well (in case you would want to do this yourself, or have another shop do it).

Diogenes · 02-03-2016, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avionstream

It might be the frame sagging behind the wheel wells, not rear end separation...Don't know how long you trailer is. Good luck.

It's a 26' 1967 Overlander.

Diogenes · 02-03-2016, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rostam

Jackson center repairs both rear end separation and sag. You may want to give them a call and get an estimate. I believe there is a PDF file from Airstream describing the repair process as well (in case you would want to do this yourself, or have another shop do it).

I will call JC, hadn't thought of that. We will be traveling through OH this summer...do you think it would be ok to wait that long? We live in it full time and will until next fall. I don't know if it would worsen?

rostam · 02-03-2016, 05:34 PM

I think Jackson center would also know whether its ok to wait or not.
Best of luck

toastie · 02-03-2016, 05:56 PM

Could you post a picture.....

Toastie

Foiled Again · 02-03-2016, 06:02 PM

There's always a best case and a worst case scenario, and at present you don't know where you are on that scale. So number one is find out. You WILL have to drop the belly ban to even begin to assess the problem.

One or more members of the forum could possibly give you a pretty accurate assessment if we had your current location. At the very least If we knew where you are, we could recommend a repair shop we're familiar with (Now isn't that a nice way of saying - I'm gonna tell you where to go!)

When you buy anything used it's sometimes really hard to gauge the integrity of the seller. With Airstreams - some people really don't know how to do anything but cosmetic repairs and a few leak repairs - and they ignorantly sell a pretty looking trailer with mouse trails in the insulation, broken frames, unsafe electrical and propane systems, etc. Others deliberately sell a "polished turd" and fixing one of those means tearing out most or all of the cosmetic upgrades and starting over. One thing you should do just for your personal sanity is look at the price of new ones. Even knowing you could get 20% off list, that price will surely make the cost of even a pretty expensive repair look much more affordable.

The factory does good work, but there are several other restorers who can do anything from the basic frame repair to a "sky's the limit" job like the one Matthew McConaughey had done a few years ago.

Take it one step at a time. Worst case you'll probably be able to sell it honestly - and recoup most if not all of your cost. If it's just sag - you'll get it fixed right and not have to worry again for 20 or so years.

Good luck and DO let us know how it all works out.

Paula

Foiled Again · 02-03-2016, 06:12 PM

Other posts were made while I took a break... If you're living in it full time and it's fairly stationary then where are you camped? There are lots of nice people who have done "full monte" repairs who'd give you a free assessment, and one might live 10 miles from your door.

Living in it for a while before doing repairs? Can be done. Properly placed jack stands can stabilize it temporarily. Dragging it from one end of the country to the other in its current state would not be a good idea. Overlander63 who works at Out of Doors Mart in NC had a frame break on a long distance trek, and did some pretty creative "shade tree" repairs that were sufficient to let him limp to his destination at a very cautious rate of speed.

Do understand - a good welder with good instructions CAN fix a broken frame even if she/he has never worked on an Airstream before. Going to the factory is great, but not absolutely necessary.

Paula

Wabbiteer · 02-03-2016, 08:00 PM

With so many years reading and posting I'm not able to cite chapter and verse, sorry:

Andy, our Inland RV fount of knowledge, has said the skirts bowed out 'slightly' are inevitable on older trailers and are not a concern, siting down the side of the trailer to see 1/2" 'pleats' is completely respectable; and to run a straight line fore to aft (perhaps from equal standoffs to dodge axle bar(s)) 3/4" or a little more is within spec.

My trailer was within those specs yet had the old black tank chemical reek, formaldehyde aged to formic acids and ode de sewer that persisted even to being stripped to bare floor so the floor went, full monty project that is stalled out for the winter at insulating and wiring before liners go back up.

If your nose is happy (long term black tank seeps will disappear iron) and there are no sheared interior/exterior rivets, a peek around the holding tanks reveals no long term leaks... Then balance brake drums - wheels - tires as a single unit and have good axles, keep water intrusion from happening and enjoy the trailer a while BEFORE it turns into trench warfare.. err.. hobby rebuilding project?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...-end-2202.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f353...ase-22906.html

toastie · 02-03-2016, 08:56 PM

Had rear separation on my 1955 Safari, this was a shell off restoration. With the shell detached from frame and belly pan removed, repaired frame, and added 3/4 plywood that makes the frame very strong, but still flexible. Bolted a 2" x 3" X 3' x 1/4"(angle iron) back plate to floor and frame member. Raised frame and like the front hold down plate, added as many solid rivets that I could. Shell to new rear belly pan to angle iron. With the front and rear fasten to frame, installed rest of belly pan and riveted the sides. Front hold plate is always welded to frame.

toastie

Diogenes · 02-03-2016, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toastie

Could you post a picture.....

Toastie

I will as soon as we get it back! It's in the shop right now on jacks...

Diogenes · 02-03-2016, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

There's always a best case and a worst case scenario, and at present you don't know where you are on that scale. So number one is find out. You WILL have to drop the belly ban to even begin to assess the problem.

One or more members of the forum could possibly give you a pretty accurate assessment if we had your current location. At the very least If we knew where you are, we could recommend a repair shop we're familiar with (Now isn't that a nice way of saying - I'm gonna tell you where to m

Paula

We are in Southern California, specifically San Diego at present, but planning to travel north soon.

Diogenes · 02-03-2016, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

There's always a best case and a worst case scenario, and at present you don't know where you are on that scale. So number one is find out. You WILL have to drop the belly ban to even begin to assess the problem.

When you buy anything used it's sometimes really hard to gauge the integrity of the seller. With Airstreams - some people really don't know how to do anything but cosmetic repairs and a few leak repairs - and they ignorantly sell a pretty looking trailer with mouse trails in the insulation, broken frames, unsafe electrical and propane systems, etc. Others deliberately sell a "polished turd" and fixing one of those means tearing out most or all of the cosmetic upgrades and starting over. One thing you should do just for your personal sanity is look at the price of new ones. Even knowing you could get 20% off list, that price will surely make the cost of even a pretty expensive repair look much more affordable.

Paula

(1) I will have to look up dropping a belly pan. Haven't read about that yet.

(2) With the seller--he had a PDF with pictures detailing the whole restore process. We spent hours going over the trailer and asking him questions. It all seemed to gel and seemed right. However, after we bought, we contacted him about an electrical problem. I was hoping he could tell us where a certain wire was located. His response was very confusing and contradictory, which lead us to believe that he had lied about the work. We are honest people and the photo evidence seemed to line up. Maybe we're wrong, but I always tell my kids "remember pictures can lie." We may now have a personal story to illustrate that maxim.

J. Morgan · 02-03-2016, 10:31 PM

As a person who has run a few wires, I can tell you that after a few months, trying to remember just how a circuit was run can be "challenging".

Don't read too much into the inability of the builder to remember.

When I wired my trailer, it all seemed common sense at the time, but after two years, if I had to remember the specifics on how I wired this circuit or that circuit on a spur of the moment I would be applying some educated guesses.

Did the builder install new axles?

If not, it does not take a lot of miles to hammer out some new rear separation. A couple or a few thousand miles will do for that. I know.

Brevi tempore!

J. Morgan · 02-03-2016, 10:37 PM

On the bright side, fixes for separation and/or sag don't have to be that difficult depending on the cause and magnitude of the problem and the ability of the repairer to apply sound but simplistic solutions.

Brevi tempore!

Diogenes · 02-03-2016, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

As a person who has run a few wires, I can tell you that after a few months, trying to remember just how a circuit was run can be "challenging".

Don't read too much into the inability of the builder to remember.

When I wired my trailer, it all seemed common sense at the time, but after two years, if I had to remember the specifics on how I wired this circuit or that circuit on a spur of the moment I would be applying some educated guesses.

Did the builder install new axles?

If not, it does not take a lot of miles to hammer out some new rear separation. A couple or a few thousand miles will do for that. I know.

Brevi tempore!

The issue was not that he couldn't remember the wiring, it was that he originally told us HE did all the work and told us abou everything HE did, then after we bought it he said that the people he bought it from did the work. Then we began to discover further inconsistencies. When a person tells one lie, there's usually more. So now we're rechecking everything. Finding some very unsafe problems, and then some things I worried would be bad are fine. At least we're learning a lot in the process!

The axles are good, just had them checked.

J. Morgan · 02-03-2016, 11:31 PM

Checked might not be enough if the folks doing the checking don't know what to look for.

If the axles have not been changed, then this IS the likely source of your sag and separation.

Airstreams use torsion axles that utilize rubber rods inside the axle tubes as the "spring".

As the axles age the rubber sets up hard and all "spring" is lost. Every bump hammers the trailer hard.

Like I said, if the axles are stock 1967, they ARE toast, and they are beating your trailer up.

(I have not researched my assertion that torsion axles were used in 67, but I am pretty sure they were)

"Checked" might mean that the spindles, bearings, alignment, and brakes are stellar, but if the "springs" (i.e. Action of the rubber rods) was not checked then the axles could be no good.

The lifespan of this type of axle is about 25 years max.

Brevi tempore!

J. Morgan · 02-03-2016, 11:48 PM

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f437...les-20263.html

Brevi tempore!

Diogenes · 02-04-2016, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Checked might not be enough if the folks doing the checking don't know what to look for.

If the axles have not been changed, then this IS the likely source of your sag and separation.

Airstreams use torsion axles that utilize rubber rods inside the axle tubes as the "spring".

As the axles age the rubber sets up hard and all "spring" is lost. Every bump hammers the trailer hard.

Like I said, if the axles are stock 1967, they ARE toast, and they are beating your trailer up.

(I have not researched my assertion that torsion axles were used in 67, but I am pretty sure they were)

"Checked" might mean that the spindles, bearings, alignment, and brakes are stellar, but if the "springs" (i.e. Action of the rubber rods) was not checked then the axles could be no good.

The lifespan of this type of axle is about 25 years max.

Brevi tempore!

Ok, taking a deep breath here. I usually use the search function and research all I can on airforums before making a move. I did not know that about the springs. Should I just take the Airstream to Andy at Inland RV for a full inspection? I wanted to do that to begin with, but my husband said there were lots of one star Yelp reviews for Inland RV. It is not a convenient time for us at all, but will do if necessary. We need to make two trips of several thousand miles soon and the Airstream needs to be in tip-top shape.

Also--The axles were supposed to have been replaced, but now after reading the link, looks like new axles are in order.