Would you pay more?

[Ganaraska]

If I was redoing a frame I would paint it with 3 coats of Tremclad or Rustoleum enamel. I have done this on old machines and they are still good after 20 years outdoors.

[osolow]

i agree what kinda of aluminum alloy did the use ?

aluminum has came along way in 35 years, look how much it is used in the automotive industry.

Aim sure they could come up with something if they wanted to.

it all comes down to a company's willingness to advance there product and well you all know how much A/S is willing to do this.

[ROBERT CROSS]

What, other than price, makes Airstream a "Premium" trailer?

All the fixtures are generic, look in a PPL catalog. What does Airstream actually make in house for the "premium" coach they sell. They even have a hard time installing others' products. Most of all my warranty concerns were related to poor workmanship, something we all pay a premium for. They outsource the frame do they not? If they specified a thermoplastic coating, what would it add to the cost?

They don't do it because they don't have too, we are so enamored of the Airstream name we're skeered too demand more.
Never mind.... wouldn't matter no how.

[osolow]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

What, other than price, makes Airstream a "Premium" trailer?

All the fixtures are generic, look in a PPL catalog. What does Airstream actually make in house for the "premium" coach they sell. They even have a hard time installing others' products. Most of all my warranty concerns were related to poor workmanship, something we all pay a premium for. They outsource the frame do they not? If they specified a thermoplastic coating, what would it add to the cost?

They don't do it because they don't have too, we are so enamored of the Airstream name we're skeered too demand more.
Never mind.... wouldn't matter no how.

i agree

[Silverwanabe]

Wally would have a fit if he knew what has happened to AS since his death.

No Life Time Warranty either

[Ganaraska]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

What, other than price, makes Airstream a "Premium" trailer?

All the fixtures are generic, look in a PPL catalog. What does Airstream actually make in house for the "premium" coach they sell. They even have a hard time installing others' products. Most of all my warranty concerns were related to poor workmanship, something we all pay a premium for. They outsource the frame do they not? If they specified a thermoplastic coating, what would it add to the cost?

They don't do it because they don't have too, we are so enamored of the Airstream name we're skeered too demand more.
Never mind.... wouldn't matter no how.

Streamlined aircraft aluminum body, rubberized axles, ahh... what else?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Silverwanabe

Wally would have a fit if he knew what has happened to AS since his death.

No Life Time Warranty either

The Feds killed the lifetime warranty, not Airstream.

They said lifetime must apply to everything, carpet, drapes, light bulbs, clear coat, etc.

Obviously, that can't be done.

Andy

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

The Feds killed the lifetime warranty, not Airstream.

They said lifetime must apply to everything, carpet, drapes, light bulbs, clear coat, etc.

Obviously, that can't be done.

Andy

Shoot Andy, they don't even cover some concerns on new(er) units when the unit is under warranty, 6 months from being off the line. If anyone is going to kill anything, it's Airstream mgmt in the long term.

They could put a 5 year warranty on these babies and it would only make it marginally better. My biggest issue, the corrosion issue from what I have read here on the forums, Airstream is simply turning their head on, so much for customer service and from the company's now defunct forums where they had said, "we will service the heck out of our customers". Nothing but lip service if what I've been reading here is remotely true.

Warranty? Bahumbug! Pay more for any improvements that should have already been on this cash cow? Not a chance.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

Shoot Andy, they don't even cover some concerns on new(er) units when the unit is under warranty, 6 months from being off the line. If anyone is going to kill anything, it's Airstream mgmt in the long term.

They could put a 5 year warranty on these babies and it would only make it marginally better. My biggest issue, the corrosion issue from what I have read here on the forums, Airstream is simply turning their head on, so much for customer service and from the company's now defunct forums where they had said, "we will service the heck out of our customers". Nothing but lip service if what I've been reading here is remotely true.

Warranty? Bahumbug!

You do have some valid points.

Andy

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

You do have some valid points.

Andy

Too bad you, me and a significant number on this forum are the only one's to think so. I love Bob's statement, "20 acres of denial" at Jackson Center.

Sadly, it's true.

[hampstead38]

One of Airstream's main selling points (along with design) should be durability. Remember the old Volvo ads... about how many are still on the road? I imagine it's easier to get someone to write a big check for a travel trailer if they are convinced it could last them a quarter century or more and will hold resale value.

On some level, these forums are like a large testing laboratory. We are taking apart vintage Airstreams and evaluating what worked well... and what didn't work. This is a virtual clinic on rear end sag and frame separation. Why not take advantage of this cumulative knowledge by incorporating these lessons learned into Airstream construction. Many renovaters are using POR-15 on refurbished frames. The "community" likes the stuff. At the very least, make it an option. The cost of shooting a couple of coats of POR-15 when the frame is just sitting there can't be terribly expensive. In another 40 years, there will be a group of Airstreamers here telling someone that it worked or didn't. Even if the POR-15 was not a magic bullet, giving the stuff a try would at least show the community Airstream has some interest in incorporating design ideas from end users. It's like the converter guy. Why put in a converter that isn't good with AGM batteries? Do they customers are going to say, "Hey, I know I dropped sixty large on my coach, but I really need to save a couple of bucks on the batteries."

This forum is raising the bar on renovation by people helping people. Projects are better, faster, stronger... and they only feel like they cost $6 million. Not to put too fine a point on it... but if Thor/Airstream is not smart enough to figure out what a resource they have here... I don't see that they are smart enough to build the best travel trailers in the world.

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by hampstead38

It's like the converter guy. Why put in a converter that isn't good with AGM batteries? Do they customers are going to say, "Hey, I know I dropped sixty large on my coach, but I really need to save a couple of bucks on the batteries."

Not to put too fine a point on it... but if Thor/Airstream is not smart enough to figure out what a resource they have here... I don't see that they are smart enough to build the best travel trailers in the world.

Amen to that! I couldn't agree more. Hemp, the reality is that the info has been on these forums now for at least 5 to 6 years, and I'm not talking just the QC or corrosion stuff, I'm talking about galv frames, thermopane windows, better sound deadening, etc.

In this window of time, they've added a ton of FB units, made different CCD units, created SE units (many), added disc brakes to Classics, upgraded rock guards, created a toy hauler, got rid of a lot of larger units and FB units, yet the issues still remain both in QC and features folks have been talking about for years, so fine point or not, clearly the ball was dropped some time ago. So in terms of what we'd like to see incorporated into the design, I hold very little hope of such things, even at an additional cost, even if I were willing to pay even more.

...and how about putting in a charger that is good for batteries in general. I had to spend a few hundred more bucks and my own labor (not terrible) installing a 3 stage charger.....that was after my factory installed converter cooked my batteries, which I have to replace that will cost me about another couple of hundred.

[Ganaraska]

POR 15 will not work on new steel. It has to have rust to bite on or to form a chemical reaction. If you paint POR15 on new steel it just peels and flakes off in days.

2 or 3 coats of GOOD paint or possibly some type of undercoating plus some attention to ventilation and drainage under the floor pan would do the trick.

And replace the soggy old fibreglass insulation with waterproof styrofoam.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Ganaraska

POR 15 will not work on new steel. It has to have rust to bite on or to form a chemical reaction. If you paint POR15 on new steel it just peels and flakes off in days.

2 or 3 coats of GOOD paint or possibly some type of undercoating plus some attention to ventilation and drainage under the floor pan would do the trick.

And replace the soggy old fibreglass insulation with waterproof styrofoam.

Auto spray undercoating works great.

Styrofoam is not recommended since it turns to crumbs from simple vibration.

Andy

[hampstead38]

It would be relatively easy to "season" raw steel frames before shooting POR-15. One option is to use the "metal ready" sold by the POR-15 guys. This is what I used on my coach hitch and on my utility trailer. Marine Clean then Metal Ready then shoot. Unlike the underbody of a car, the underside of the coach is protected (somewhat) by the belly pan. I would think any decent undercoating system would work well in that environment.

As for insulation, I'm sure there are resiliant, waterproof insulation materials suitable for use under the coach. Something like a polyfoam (closed cell) would seem to work relatively well.

[fltlevel510]

Spray the frame with Line-X or other similar product before mating the shell to the frame. This stuff is fairly inexpensive, dries in seconds and would provide rust protection.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, "Is frame protection really needed?"

(1.) How many years does it take to have a rusted out, damaged frame? And I don't mean surface rust.

(2.) What really causes these frames to rust through? Parked waist high in melting snow, driven in or through lakes or streams, caught in a flood, water leaks from above that aren't found until too late, [many years later] improperly sealed undercarraige that won't alllow the water to drain out and keeping the insulation wet like a sponge.

(3.) From the time that I bought my new trailer [Sept 2004] until I'm too old or physically unable to use it any longer, I don't expect to have frame rust out issues. [maybe 25 years]

(4.) What is the newest Airstream trailer, year model, that has been known for a fact that has a rusted out, damaged frame; And once again, not suface rust. [not cosmetically mared]

(5.) Would it be nice to have, at least, a painted frame from the factory? Yes.

[Silvertwinkie]

The frames at the factory come with some paint on them. How good that paint is or how well it is applied might be up for discussion, however they are painted. Below is a pic of a chassis being loaded up with tanks and such during the construction process.

As for how long it takes to rust through frames. If this is any indication under harsh conditions, my 1980 Oldsmobeater Delta 88 with body on frame construction, lasted about 20 years as a daily driver in the rust belt. It saw all kinds of salt, moisture, etc. The frame had actually rusted through.

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by Ganaraska

POR 15 will not work on new steel. It has to have rust to bite on or to form a chemical reaction. If you paint POR15 on new steel it just peels and flakes off in days.

2 or 3 coats of GOOD paint or possibly some type of undercoating plus some attention to ventilation and drainage under the floor pan would do the trick.

And replace the soggy old fibreglass insulation with waterproof styrofoam.

It does work on clean aluminum. We used it this summer on one of airplanes that spends it winters whale spotting.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Ganaraska

ahh... what else?

NO Q/C