I have read and heard of the "saggy bottom" problem relative to the rear bath configuration.
I am wondering if there was ever a solution that was implemented by AS.
I have a 71 model with the rear bath but I do not see any "sag" in the rear end. There is a section behind the rear wheels that there is no support frame to the rear of the trailer.
I have read that some owners actually welded in a support that extends from the mid frame to the rear compartment.
I see that the AS utilized the rear bath until the mid eightys.
What year can an owner rely on a rear bath configuration that will not sag. If they exist that is.
Rear end separation did not happen because of the gray tanks.
Trailers made prior to 1974 had the problem. They did not have gray tanks.
Anything will fail with abuse, so take care of it and maintain it and then you can sleep well knowing the dreaded "rear end droop" issue is not to be worried about.
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey." -- Fitzhugh Mullan
Wise men talk because they have someting to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap— Napoleon
Rear end separation, or sag, is caused by towing with running gear not properly balanced, due to the vibration being amplified because of the long moment arm.
No one ever, has yet to have rear end separation, unless, the trailer has been extensively towed.
A frame kit "DOES NOT CURE" rear end separation, nor will it prevent rear end separation.
Proper running gear balance, is the cure and preventive measure.
I believ that the condition you are referring to was for trailer from 72 - 79 (some sites state that it lasted to 81). I know mine was one that had that issue and that during the process of correction - that is how my AS ended up with the 5 foot extension on the rear (see the box at the end of my AS in the profile pic)
Rear end separation started about in 1965. Loooong before gray tanks. Center baths are not immune to the separation either, just not as often.
Very few owners will admit to causing the damage themselves, by not having the running gear balanced properly. Therefore, it must be someones fault besides theirs.
This subject has gone on and on for my 37 years and will continue to do so. However, we continue to rebuild them for those that didn't believe, but now do. You can bet that they won't let the separation happen again.
The stories continue and the theories continue, the tales continue, and the blame on someone else continues on and on, BUT, the fact remains, that ANY tire, wheel hub and drum assembly must be in reasonable balance. If not, vibration does occur, and usually with enough vigor, to cause rear end separation, tire failures, fatigue cracks in the frame and shell, broken wires, broken tubing within the Air Conditioner, broken LPG lines, underbellies falling off, short lived shocks, worn out striker plates and striker bolts, worn entrance door hinges, partial ejection of the hinge pins on the two hinged doors, water leaks, shearing of interior and exterior rivets, punching bulkheads up through the ceiling metal, to just name a few.
But, interesting enough, some still won't believe. Wow, what does it take to be convincing????
i am an owner of a air stream that has been beat on!. I am the third owner.... (i think)....mine suffers from interior wall seperation from the skin.....i havn't noticed any sag.... yet.......
how noticable is the sag?
if you cant see it does it mean it's not there.....(sure)
is there a mesurement you can use to see if your trailer as sagged?......or do you have to take off the bottom skin to inspect the frame for crack's and bends.
if i'm driving down the road with my trailer and I hit a whoopdy-doo will the ass end of my trailer bend and drag on the highway....or fall off?
Is welding on the frame a wise thing to do?........generaly you are not suppost to weld or drill on frames......
does my trailer have a weak frame? is that really why they bend?
my trailer see's gravel roads, no amount of wheel balance will help with washboard/bad roads........I drive slow on gravel roads...even if you go slow you still get alot of vibration. also those of you who have been to alaska know how bad the highways are here........it sounds like my trailer is going to bend if it hasn't all ready. that is wonderful!
in my case i dont feal balancing would help. i hope the cure isn't......."don't tow it anywhere"
i am getting more and more proud of my trailer every day!
Last edited by overlander; 10-27-2002 at 10:45 PM.
I have a 79 31 foot Soveriegn. We discovered the sag when we were patching the rear underbelly. We could see where the frame was bent. I took the trailer to Can Am RV in London Ontario where they repaired it and relieved me of around $1700.00 CDN.
They found a few of the outriggers from the frame that the body is fastened to were rusted out causing undo stress on the rear of the frame.
When you put a jack under the frame behind the wheels, the frame will move and the body doesn't, it has the disease.
I'm just stating what happened in my case. I am taking your advice and having the running gear balanced. My trailer is sitting way up north in Thompson Manitoba. I only hope I can find someone up there to do the job next summer.
Hi Gordon. Your Airstream will be ever so thankful, when you have it's running gear properly balanced.
I predicted that there are still those that "don't believe." That's fine with us, as it's their money and equipment that suffers, not ours.
Laws of physics don't apply to some non-believers, or so it seems.
So Andy, in order to prevent the saggy bottom blues how often should one "balance the running gear"? I realize it depends upon the surfaces over which one pulls the trailer and probably also there is a mileage component in this equation. My 75 sovereign, I believe, sat most of its life before I obtained it. Before I pulled it home, about 1000 miles, I had the tires replaced, balanced, and wheel bearings and brakes checked. I do intend now to tow this beast from place to place. So within how many miles should I do what? Thanks for your unparalleled expertise!
Brouck
Electric brakes and the wheel bearings should be serviced every 10,000 miles, or once a year. That is called a "major brake." At that time, the wheel balancing issue can also be addressed. Usually a good wheel balancing job will last 10,000 miles.
A "bubble" balancing job is not a "good" method of balancing, as it normally will last 2-3000 miles. But more importantly, you cannot balance a tire, wheel, hub and drum with a "bubble" balancer.
You can see one type of balancing on our web site, inlandrv.com, that will last 10,000 miles or more, if the tires have not been scuffed.
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