Anyone with a 1972 model with front couch/bed? Help Please.

cameront120 · 04-09-2006, 07:26 PM

If anyone has a 1972 Tradewind or other model with a front converta-bed couch, would you mind taking a picture of it from above without the cushions? I'd really like to see how the assembly is fastened to the floor and trailer body. Mine is very loose/wobbly and the structure seems inadequate...not sure it was put together properly after being re-upholstered by the previous owner. Thanks very much!

Cheers!

uwe · 04-09-2006, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameront120

If anyone has a 1972 Tradewind or other model with a front converta-bed couch, would you mind taking a picture of it from above without the cushions? I'd really like to see how the assembly is fastened to the floor and trailer body. Mine is very loose/wobbly and the structure seems inadequate...not sure it was put together properly after being re-upholstered by the previous owner. Thanks very much!

Cheers!

You've got the aluminum framed pullout sofa/bed ( goucho). It has aluminum extrusions around the front, with tambour doors.
I suggest you take off the plywood from the top, take out all the sliding bins and look for missing screws. It is quite simple, really. The one in my 1971 was quite solid.

cameront120 · 04-09-2006, 09:35 PM

The rear of the goucho (front of trailer) is attached to a vertical piece of wood at each corner. These offer no rigidity whatsoever. The corners of the aluminum frame were then screwed directly into the interior skin, but these have come loose and probably didn't do a very good job of offering any kind of structural integrity. I can probably create some wood brackets that would anchor the entire assembly solidly to the floor.

uwe · 04-09-2006, 09:41 PM

I never had much trouble with my front goucho, but the side gaucho ( very similar in construction) came loose from the wall.
I drilled the attachment strips and tripled the amount of rivets, and made sure that two rivets went into the vertical ribs, for extra strength. No more issues after that.

I imagine that the front goucho can be reinforced similarly, and yes, a few modifications might be in order. No rules there.

cameront120 · 04-09-2006, 10:07 PM

Can you please describe the "attachment strips"? Mine has nothing that could be described as an attachment strip. Perhaps this is the missing piece to the puzzle!

uwe · 04-09-2006, 11:06 PM

There is a long C-channel attachment at the rear of the side goucho, which ripped out of the skin once in my 71. That was when I did the repair with the additional rivets.
The front goucho in my 71 had the same c-channel attachment ( strip is a poor choice of words, really) but due to the curvature, it was attached differently. I am thinking that your trailer should be similar?

cameront120 · 04-09-2006, 11:24 PM

There is a rear channel that supports the slider channels of the fold out. This doesn't follow the curvature of the interior skin but is straight and parallel to the front of the couch. It was attached to the interior skin of the trailer with one screw at each end. It sounds as though I might be missing some pieces.