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Old 07-11-2018, 06:04 AM   #1
Wolfwhistle
 
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Margaritaville , Banana Republic
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Picking up new to me Airstream on Friday

First thanks for the add and I hope to be an asset on the forum as I share and as I continue to learn.

My background is telecommunications - craft, management, engineering - for a total of 46 years. I also served a short active hitch in the Army 65-67 followed by 21 more years spread between Army, FLNG, FLANG (17 years REDHORSE), and finally USAFR, retiring in 2006.

Married twice; father of 3, grandfather to 8 and g-grandfather to 1 with 1 on the way.

I am also seeking advice about my next major purchase...
I am getting a 2013 23FB International Signature on this Friday if it passes inspection. I know diddly about Airstream and could use some tips for what to look for... what is okay and what is not. I want to be sure this unit hasn't had major repairs of defects, as well.

It appears to be in great condition and the various systems and features will be demonstrated before I lay my money down. BTW, the dealer is Foley in Gulfport MS.

Also new to me is the WDH; a Blue Ox 10K# hitch.

TIA,
WW
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Old 07-11-2018, 06:59 AM   #2
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Welcome! Here are a couple of notes I keep. Never worry about reaching out here for advice, after you search in the blue box for it These are from this or other Airstream sites:

NO SILICONE:

For wheel wells/underbody:

Vulkem 116
Trempro 635 Grey
Sikaflex 221 Black (use Eternabond spray cleaner to prepare surface)
Adseal Premium Quality Sealant Grey

Roof:

Sikaflex 221 White (for roof seams, seals and bonds. Use Eternabond spray cleaner to prepare surface)
Sikaflex 715 (around fans, vents, skylights ... self-levelling)
Adseal Premium Quality Sealant White
Dicor self-levelling sealant
EternaBond® AlumiBond (alum. backed sealing tape, 2", 3", 4", and 6" wide)
Adseal Premium Quality Sealant White
Lexel™ Clear

Windows/Trim/Rubrail/Exterior Lights:

Sikaflex 221 Grey (seals and bonds. Use Eternabond spray cleaner to prepare surface)
Parbond Grey or Clear (small hand tubes, prep and clean-up use cosmoline remover)
Trempro 635 Grey
Loctite® PL® S40 Polyurethane Window Door and Siding Sealant
Lexel™ Clear

Small seams (between aluminum panels):

Acryl-R (available in cans from Airstream store. Use applicator or disposable syringes to apply)
Aluminum Pigmented Gutterseal

Rivet sealer:

Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure
Parbond Gray or Clear (small hand tubes), also good for small gaps (<1/8”) such as top of belt line rub rail, door/window frames, etc

Tires:
What you should do is inspect your tires BEFORE every tow. Run our GLOVED hand around the circumference of the tire and feel for bulges. Check the pressure BEFORE every tow.

On your next tow, check the pressure buildup - that is check the pressure before the tow at highway speeds (over 50 mph), and about 1 hour into the tow. If you have enough pressure, the buildup should be no more than 10%. If it is more, get more pressure in the tires, even if it means exceeding the max of 65 psi by as much as 10 psi.
Also, you should replace those tires early - say 4 or 5 years.

Check out the specific message threads for the unit you're buying. There are a lot of issues documented there that you might want to check specifically.
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Old 07-11-2018, 07:05 AM   #3
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Welcome. I purchased a new Serenity 28 in April. It has been great.
Take your time to go over the AS carefully. As it is 5 years old, replace the tires if they are original. There is a campground beside Foley. Plan on staying there for a few days to check out everything, so Foley can address any issues before you leave.
What will you be towing with?
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Old 07-11-2018, 07:34 AM   #4
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Thanks M and B

I have to find the appropriate sub forums for general or universal subjects as well as model specific things. So, I can search effectively. And, find the blue box. I would think model specific would have few views. Taking care of the aluminum is new to me and I want to do it right. I see that corrosion creep thing, I think they call it filiform. It seems inevitable living in the south but would like to lessen the degree of ugly. I've seen what happens under that Thor sticker, amazing they would put a sticker on it. I would say all stickers should come off from new... not an option for me. I do have covered parking for it that will help. At least we don't have road salt to contend with.

I agree and would never apply silicone to an RV.

I will be pulling with a 2017 F250 4x4 XL 6.2L.

I'll ask about the tire age, but if 2013, and they probably are, they will be replaced immediately. I will check on that today. I might find a tire store in that area and get it done while there. I have tire pressure monitors to put on right away. And other things such as water pressure regulator, etc.
WW
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Old 07-11-2018, 07:35 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brick1 View Post

As it is 5 years old, replace the tires if they are original.

brick
This is critical good advice. Two issues. First, there is a manufacturing date code on the side of your tires. The first two numbers are the week of the year it was made, the second two numbers are the year it was made. The consensus seems to be that trailer tires should be replaced at around five years. The second issue is Goodyear Marathon tires. There have been many failures of that tire, and lots of damage to trailers when it fails at speed. Goodyear no longer makes the tire, and has replaced it with a higher quality made in America tire called the Endurance. You can read more about the tires in the repair section of this forum. Oh, congrats on your new trailer. You are going to love it,

Mike
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Old 07-11-2018, 06:07 PM   #6
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Welcome from Colorado: We love traveling in our old Airstream in our retirement. We plan to travel to Florida within the year. I think you will enjoy the "RV" traveling lifestyle too. You can travel north and take a break from the heat whenever you decide.

You will learn all about your new Airstream quickly. Yes, let your good dealer explain all the systems in your trailer, and then stay in it a couple of nights to check it all out and get any questions answered before you tow it home.

Enjoy. Happy times.

David
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Old 07-11-2018, 06:21 PM   #7
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The best advice I can give is pretty simple…enjoy it!

To be more specific…enjoy it close to home. Find an RV park nearby, park it there, and spend a few days/nights living in it. Hook up your hook ups. Use it like you would if you were traveling. Chances are you’ll find something that needs immediate repair/fixing. (Like a leaky faucet or a dripping tank.) This gives you a semi-stress-free environment to get things dialed in and set up the way you’ll want them.

Oh, and yes…new tires (and possibly a TPMS).
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Old 07-11-2018, 08:08 PM   #8
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Inspection

First, leaks......look for any soft spots in the floor that would indicate there is a leak. If the coach has been stored inside, that can prevent leaking, but there may still be voids in the seals that allow water into the coach. So a roof seal integrity inspection is important after three to four years and every two years after. A moisture meter is a good investment to check for damp floors.

Second tires......the 2013 came with 14in tires. They are considered problematic because ST tires available in that size have a poor reputation for reliability. Additionally the sewer drain valves lack clearance on the 23s. Upgrading to 15in wheels allows the use of extra load Michelin LTX passenger tires in 235/75-15 size. That raises the coach about an inch which helps with clearance. The 16in wheels that allow the use of LT tires are used on bigger Airstreams, but they will not fit the 23. The replacements for the Goodyear Marathons are the Goodyear Endurance tires available in 215/75-14 and 225/75-15 sizes. If the coach has Marathon tires, replace them immediately.

Batteries.....the wet cell batteries that are standard on the Airstream die quickly if they are allowed to fall below 50% charge level. A bit of time reading about the batteries and issues with charging is worth your effort.

Converter......the 120 volt shore power is passed through a converter that produces 12 volt power for the coach to use and to charge the house battery bank. The PD 4655 is the standard upgrade. It is a multi-stage converter that is not supposed to damage the batteries. The OEM converter is a multi-stage converter, but has fewer stages and is reported to have the potential to boil the batteries. With conservative manual control, the OEM can be used. An upgrade is about $250 if you install yourself. There is a thread with instructions.

Shore water pressure regulator.......will leak from loose assembly screws. You can pull it to the outside and tighten it up. May be better to replace the integrated pressure regulator with a bulkhead fitting and an on-board adjustable pressure regulator. A pressure accumulator tank makes a good addition as well. The cheap fix is an outboard adjustable pressure regulator.

Brakes......the 2013 came with 10in drum brakes. If the brakes and hubs were not serviced recently, expect to perform that service before you tow home. Brakes last 20-40K miles depending on driving style. Upgrade to 12in drum or disk brakes is not required, but worth investigating.

Water filter.....the Airstream comes with an on-board water filter. It is located under the sink counter. Should be changed each year. Many owners eliminate this filter and use an external filer as an alternative approach. The on-board filter is a set of additional leak points. The fewer the better.

Pex tubing and fittings......this product works, but the plastic fittings can crack and leak. High pressure water can generate a leak that is not seen under lower pressure. If one develops, lower the shore pressure until you can replace the fitting.

Bed......mattress is foam and may not be comfortable. Possible to replace with full size queen. Requires extending the plywood at the foot and upgrading the lift struts.

Dinette......cushions on the 2013 will need to be upgraded to firmer foam as the late models are now fitted. If you plan to sleep there, replace all. If you only use it for seating, the two main cushions will do.

The 23FB is a 467lb tongue weight, but that will increase a bunch with gear and water loaded for travel. There is a lot of storage under the bed. Use it for bulky light weight gear.

Windows.....the AS windows will tend to stick. Use a plastic putty knife to carefully break the seal. Several types of seal treatment help, but Aerospace 303 Protectorant is recommended.

Wax.....if the coach was not sealed with nano-sealant at sale, you will need to wax the coach twice a year.

Corrosion......the aluminum on the coach has a nano-clear coat that was applied when the sheets were manufactured. The sheet edges and punch out edges do not have this coating. If you get a scratch, repair it immediately with a clearcoat pen. It is difficult to repair large areas of clearcoat and it will never be the same as original.

Door grab handle......it's likey got corrosion on the scratches. They all seem to have this issue. Polish and wax.

Tongue jack.......verify it works, up and down. It may require the gears greased if it's noisy. There is a manual jack handle to use if the motor dies. Be sure to get the handle.

Awning.......have the seller show you how to extend and retract the awning. Be sure the wheel tightening rod is included - about 48" long.

LPG tanks......verify the tank valves function. Sometimes they spin, but don't open or close.

Shower door......verify the door seal at the bottom of the shower door seals.

Door.....the AS door should close and lock without slamming. If it does not, an adjustment by a factory trained tech is required.

You will need 30 amps of single phase power to run the AirConditioner and heat pump. A source of 20 amps will power the microwave, refrigerator and fans.

There is a 23FB dedicated thread and a 23D dedicated thread as well. They are new, but helpful.

Good Luck with the investigation and inspection. Pat
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Old 07-12-2018, 05:07 AM   #9
Wolfwhistle
 
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Excellent advice. I do appreciate your time and effort, Pat. I’ll have it handy for checking things out. I called for the tire date code and about bearings. 2013 has the old packed type and they don’t know when it was done last. The sales team found out it has 1418 new Endurance as he was looking for me. So thats good. I have about an 7-1/2 hour drive to Gulfport today and am getting excited in my old age!!! It will be like Christmas morning!
WW
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Old 07-12-2018, 04:13 PM   #10
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I forgot to mention the brake adjustment. Don't know when the never adjust were added, but if you have them, they require backing up and stopping to adjust them. Most folks do that in the normal towing function, but if you are not comfortable backing, there is a tendency to use pull through sites. That's OK, but don't stick to pull through sites all the time. Spend some time learning to backup and once in a while do some backing so the brakes get adjusted.

The backup cameras help monitor what is behind the trailer. They don't replace good mirrors or a spotter, but they do help you with situational awareness. Just remember to GOAL - get out and look when the space gets tight. Look up, look down, look all around. Cute - yes, but effective.

Since the tires are the new Endurance on 14 in wheels, the coach will be low to the ground. Great for Interstate travel. Not so good for fuel stop driveways and curbs and tire barrier blocks and pot holes and ruts. Get out and look, go slow and be aware.

Blue Ox is good hitch. The 10K is a question. The spring bars come in 350, 550, 750, 1000, 1500, ahd 2000 lb weights. The 10K is std with 1000lb spring bars. The 23FB should have a 600lb tongue weight, but you can build a bit on that. A 6000lb gross with a 15% tongue weight is 900lbs. The 1000s are good for 750 to 1000. In my thoughts, they are too stiff for this coach. The 750s seem to be a better fit. Depending on your thoughts, you may or may not be convinced of that logic.

The alternative to the Blue Ox for most dealers is the Equal-i-zer. My opinion is that it is too stiff for the Airstream. The AS is designed to carry the weight with the shell and the frame. The assembly will bend and twist. Raising the stabilizer jacks can distort the door so it will not close without slamming and sometimes not even with that violent approach. The coach will take a lot of abuse, just limit what you deliver when possible. You'll have more smiles and fewer repairs/patina in the long run.

Use a long socket breaker bar and 1in socket to set the BOSP rotating chain locks. The standard tool is too short and can slip out of your hand. Raising the the tongue jack to take some load helps reduce the preload force on the spring bars so it is easier to set them. Harbor Freight or a similar discount tool supply house will have inexpensive choices if your tool box does not have one at the ready. Worst case a pipe cheater bar will work.

Battery drain when storing. The LPG sensor, stereo wolfer, inverter and similar electronic components will continue to apply a parasitic load on the batteries even if the rocker switch is moved to the store position. So a battery disconnect switch is a very good idea when the coach is in storage. Note - the emergency breakaway switch should be independently connected so if the battery disconnect is turned to off and the coach is towed the brakes will still work in a break away event. Note - do not use the breakaway switch as a parking brake. It will kill the batteries and fry the brake magnets. Note - disconnecting the battery cable will save the charge while storing, but remember to reconnect it before towing. You want those breakaway brakes to work.

Lug nuts are two piece assemblies. There is a threaded center section and a chrome plated exterior that is bonded to the threaded part. Lots of mfgs use them, so you may have had experience in the past. After numerous air-hammer abuses, they fail. The chrome shell pulls away from the threaded part and it takes a smaller socket to remove the failed nut. Replace with solid lug nuts when convenient.

One final thought - most of us run off to play with our Christmas presents. This present is one you are buying for yourself. It needs close attention. Be ready to walk away if you find issues. Minor flaws are going to be the reality of a 2013 coach. However, soft spots in the floor or obvious indications of shell repairs may be a trigger to stop and investigate. With any luck, it is a well loved and maintained coach that will give you a lot of smiles.

Enjoy the adventure. Pat
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Old 07-17-2018, 05:02 AM   #11
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Thanks, Pat. Bought it and am happy, but need to correct a couple of issues. Blue Ox is sending the longest shank, since the dealer didn't have that one and its at least 1-1/2" high in the front.. and looking at the fridge performance / temperature. The freezer is -2F but the lower compartment was 46F after 2 days. I slid the sensor to the top of the fin and made sure the seal is good and it is. I would imagine the large computer type fan at the upper fridge vent outside is factory, it looks like the ducting could be better optimized, but will search the forum for what others are doing. I don't want to reinvent the wheel if not needed.
WW
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Old 07-17-2018, 06:00 AM   #12
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Congrats!

Good that the freezer is performing well. Yes to checking the fridge door seals. May also need to check the door alignment if the seals are all OK. FWIW a couple hundred dollars on a Yeti or similar cooler lets you double your food capacity and have assurance that it is either cold as can be, or frozen solid with dry ice. We have 2 and find them invaluable for long trips. We bring frozen vacuum packed steaks on dry ice in the 45, and freeze water ice into blocks and bring a week's worth of veggies, snacks, drinks, etc. in the 105. I hate shopping for food while on vacation. Some folks don't mind, and if you want to shop every day or two this may not be something for you.

If you don't have a tire inflator/air compressor, I recommend the Viair 88P. Works fantastic and travels small.

FWIW we find that the newer Goodyear Endurance tires hold their pressure. Much better than the Marathon's that were on our first trailer.

Last is not really an airstream per se item, but despite their large size, we really like the folding reclining zero gravity chairs for sitting outside. You can really see the stars!
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Old 07-17-2018, 12:33 PM   #13
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That can be a gift. IMHO - best is a solid shank. That allows a new pin hole to be drilled so the hitch is closer to the TV. The OEM shank for the BO is a casting that does not have material in the location to add a new hole. The solid shank also allows excess to be removed from the drop if it's too long after you get all adjusted. The down side is that solid is a bit heavier than the casting, but it's only a couple or three lbs.

The disconnect with this logic is that TV to tongue jack clearance is problematic for the taller tailgates. In some cases the tongue jack can be turned sideways to provide the needed clearance.

Refrigerator fan performance is a normal mod. Search for Switz's mods and look at the 23D thread. The issues are a switch to turn off, better fans and baffling for better air flow.

Congrats on the coach. Hope to see your smile down the road. Pat
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Old 07-17-2018, 01:31 PM   #14
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Congrats! Let the good times begin. You've already gotten some excellent feedback/things to look for/things to check on from this thread. I had a 23FB, then switched this year to a 23D. Both are great, I love the size of the 23. Enjoy! Come here often, lots of excellent info and real-world experience. If you want to maintain and especially improve your trailer, this is the place. Check out the 23D thread as well, we will help you spend money with great alacrity--doing things you never thought you needed to do
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