Load bearing or not load bearing?

[Petethefeet]

This may sound like a dumb question considering it appears that there are plastic wheel well covers in use, but are the wheel well covers load-bearing at all? A detail on the pic below ( a bit far away, I know ), is the ribs that run down to land on the initial wheel well cover, originally with a tab running off the inside edge of the rib to be riveted onto the top face of the cover. Do these just locate the outside skin laterally ? I have replaced the original tabs as they were fatigued, same guage, but not riveted them off yet. Just curious.

[InsideOut]

No, those wouldn't be load bearing. Although, none of the ribs are really "load-bearing" in the traditional sense of the term. Airstreams are monoque construction, so the whole thing is supported by being tied together...not just on the ribs (columns) as in stick construction.

Some "ribs" or vertical channels are there as backers or vertical supports for interior cabinets.

Just curious, which trailer is this in? The layout may help me to understand what the pseudo-ribs are there for.

Shari

[Petethefeet]

Interesting. It is in a 1964 Sovereign, the photo is looking rearward.
Pete

[overlander63]

The "load" of that rib is spread through the other braces and ribs.