oh my aching ribs

[desi arnaz]

i just got my 2nd set of ribs from airstream,first set was a 6 foot piece with another piece welded to the end to make it 102 inches long.first of all they sent center ribs instead of end ribs.[much thinner metal] the 2nd set seems to have the wrong curve at the top. the ? is..........are there different end ribs between a 2000 excella and 2005/2006 trailers?
there is no real way i can use these and i have one segment out and one new one installed............i will get photos posted in the morning..........thanks tom

[desi arnaz]

it seems i have the wrong rib again? any ideas?

[C Johnson]

Are you sure the old rib isn't deformed from the crash ? If you took off the old rib, can you push the skin to fit the new rib ? Just curious.

[desi arnaz]

the old rib is gone............what you see is part of the top portion of that rib. everything is back to within 1/4 inch +or-...i have the first of 2 segments installed but cant install the 2nd until i get the ribs to fit.........how do you tell the difference between a wide body coach and a regular? thanks for all your help tom

[wahoonc]

Tom,
I was under the impression that the radius didn't change between the narrow and the wide bodies...they just added some inches to the overall width and made the top flatter. FWIW the narrow body is 7'-10" wide and IIRC the widebodies were about 8" wider than that.

Aaron

[desi arnaz]

as you can see the radius is not the way it should be........and i wanted to get this thing put back together this month........i wonder what it could of been from? are they making the new trailers with the cheaper front and rear bows now? mine has the cheaper ones in the middle and the heavy duty ones on the ends...........

[lynn]

It would appear the bow is for a narrow body trailer.

[desi arnaz]

there has to be something wrong..........the unit is straight as it can be..........the rib is goo until it hits about the 5 foot mark..........maybe this is god's way of telling me to slow down on this restoration?????? i still feel i did very well on this unit though. it will get fixed....maybe not today maybe not tommorrow..but someday............