hello aerowood ,I don't know which paticular alloys you can weld or not
successfully ,im not the expert on that part .My meaning was just to say that
thin aluminum can be welded with a TIG as it does fine and precise welds .
Thanks for the clarification ,i do know that skilled hands are also a big part of the equasion in aluminum welding for sure. welds normally are harder
than the parent metal ,and if in a stress type of crack ,it will crack along the side of the weld ,such as a turbo 400 GM jeep wagoneers trans case
that was welded on the bell housing ,a foot long crack .cracked right next to the weld along the whole lentgh of the crack .A new case was bought
and problem was over.
Well, he didn't go out and fix it yet...but the trailer's heading to a welder. We'll also be making sure to have everything balanced before we take off next summer.
Well, he didn't go out and fix it yet...but the trailer's heading to a welder. We'll also be making sure to have everything balanced before we take off next summer.
Thanks for all of the replies!
You cannot weld "alclad aluminum" properly.
More than likely, the welder will burn a hole through it.
It is far better to sealer the crack and then install a nice looking plate.
Thought I'd give an update - Thank heavens our local welder was up front with us and was afraid he'd burn a hole in it (you called that one, Andy).
We live 2 miles from P&S Trailer Service so we called them & that's where our camper is now. I've only heard great things about them, and they've dealt with the crack over the door many times. We're also getting the awning fixed while it's there.
We checked on the price to polish our camper --$7,000. I polished up our '66 Overlander, but I vowed I'd never do that again. So, I guess it'll stay the way it is!
Thought I'd give an update - Thank heavens our local welder was up front with us and was afraid he'd burn a hole in it (you called that one, Andy).
We live 2 miles from P&S Trailer Service so we called them & that's where our camper is now. I've only heard great things about them, and they've dealt with the crack over the door many times. We're also getting the awning fixed while it's there.
We checked on the price to polish our camper --$7,000. I polished up our '66 Overlander, but I vowed I'd never do that again. So, I guess it'll stay the way it is!
Agreed! That is why my trailer(s) will remain unpolished...Shabby Chic if you will. I MAY eventually strip the remaining clear coat off and let them oxidize naturally.
Aaron
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....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #2449 AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
Today at the airport I had a conversation with a friend who drives a 6 million dollar corporate jet. He was telling me of some of the new technology Cessna is using to weld dissimilar metals. quite interesting to say the least. I'm just passing this along as a tidbit of info.The Article; Intercalation vortices and related microstructural features in the friction-stir welding of dissimilar metals. Journal - Materials Research Innovation, Chemistry and Materials Science, Vol2, Number3/ Nov 1998 RS Tim
so did you read the article? welding 2024 with 6061, pretty cool. Lots of new expensive things going on out there. yea, you never really get comfortable being a target either. ;-) Semper Fi Tim
Our Airstream also developed a crack over the door. The factory service manager told me that it is a common problem. You'd think that after 40-50 years of building essentially the same trailer Airstream might have fixed this by now. I'll bet that the 1965 Volkwagons didn't have any of the recurring problems that the 1950 ones did.
I had visions of replacing the entire side of the trailer, with windows, a door, decals, and sundry expensive add-ons. The service manager suggested a patch that extended from the top of the door to the roof seam. It was a fraction of the cost I had been imagining.
The patch is obvious to anyone who looks for it, but it doesn't look bad. For the thousands of dollars saved, I think it looks great.
The factory did good work and saved me quite a bit of money.
Good luck with yours.
Loren
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1997 - 34' Classic Limited Front Kitchen.
2000 Dodge 2500 diesel with Pulliam Pull-Rite hitch.
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