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NCMEDIC · 10-28-2014, 05:36 PM

Hi, guys!

I'm new to the forum and we are strongly considering an Airstream as our next rig, particularly so that we can use an Amerideck and haul our Goldwing with us.

We are coming from the vintage Bluebird world, so I'm very familiar with rig maintenance issues, etc. To tell you the truth, I'm looking forward to not having to worry about $5,000 tire changes and $400 oil changes.

As you can imagine, coming from the Bird, almost any other RV seems dainty and delicate. My bride is particularly concerned about the vulnerability of Airstreams to hail damage.

Can anyone give me an idea of how much of a problem this is within the AS world? We'd hate to pour all sorts of work, time and money into a beautiful AS and then have it all destroyed in one summertime thunderstorm.

We really look forward to the rallies, WBCCI, etc. as we have very much enjoyed that aspect of Bluebird ownership.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Bill M. · 10-28-2014, 05:41 PM

Airstreams are very subject to hail damage and it is difficult and expensive to repair. How else could it be with a thin aluminum exterior? Just something you have to factor in. Hail sometimes breaks the plastic shrouds on top and dents the sides when it is strongly wind driven. Most people seem to deal with it by means of insurance.

NCMEDIC · 10-28-2014, 05:47 PM

I suppose everything in life is a balance. The Bird is truly "built like a tank". It is solid steel, and it weighs 38,000 lbs. dry. No worries at all about hail, but it gets 6 mpg and it's hard to get parts.

dkottum · 10-28-2014, 07:29 PM

If big hail hits your Airstream it will be covered with dents on top and on the side the wind is blowing it into. Small hail, say less than a quarter may not be noticed depending on the wind behind it.

dwightdi · 10-28-2014, 08:05 PM

Size is important in determining how much damage will occur, but you also have to consider the wind that comes with the storm as well. We were caught in a hail storm in Kieler, WI about 6 years ago. The write up is on our Northern Illinois website. The winds were measured by radar to be over 100 mph. The damage to all twelve units was significant, but our old 1963 unit, with thicker aluminum, fared better. The sides facing the wind were damaged much more that the top or other side. Many last model skylights and plastic roof vents were destroyed. Insurance covered most people's damages. I lost two OEM side windows which were replaced for $28 and insurance paid us $3300 for damage to the truck.

wahoonc · 10-28-2014, 08:21 PM

We prefer to call them "beauty marks"

Hail can be an issue, one of the reasons I bought vintage rather than much newer. If it is dented, so what, as long as it doesn't leak and most of the appliances work... CAMP ON!

Airstreams are relatively durable compared to just about any other TT on the market.

I had a 'bird quite a few years back, hard to dent a steel shell that thick.

Aaron

Protagonist · 10-28-2014, 08:21 PM

How often do you expect to encounter hail? If hail is a regular concern for you, then your tow vehicle must be pocked like a golf ball, too, so a dented trailer will just make a matched set. (

) Last time my folks had hail where they live, every vehicle parked outdoors all over town got dinged up on hood, roof, and trunk, except for a couple of Corvettes that got cracked gelcoat instead of dented.

Inland RV Center, In · 10-28-2014, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northmeck025

Hi, guys!

I'm new to the forum and we are strongly considering an Airstream as our next rig, particularly so that we can use an Amerideck and haul our Goldwing with us.

We are coming from the vintage Bluebird world, so I'm very familiar with rig maintenance issues, etc. To tell you the truth, I'm looking forward to not having to worry about $5,000 tire changes and $400 oil changes.

As you can imagine, coming from the Bird, almost any other RV seems dainty and delicate. My bride is particularly concerned about the vulnerability of Airstreams to hail damage.

Can anyone give me an idea of how much of a problem this is within the AS world? We'd hate to pour all sorts of work, time and money into a beautiful AS and then have it all destroyed in one summertime thunderstorm.

We really look forward to the rallies, WBCCI, etc. as we have very much enjoyed that aspect of Bluebird ownership.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Proper care extends the life of many different types of equipment.

Proper care of an Airstream trailer or motor home, will easily out last many decades of use.

Good example, is the DC-3 airplane. It's still flying today.

Unfortunately, many owners take advantage of what an Airstream has to offer, then when things start to go wrong, they blame the factory, and then kick the trailer to the curb.

There are many very happy owners of Airstreams, that were built in the 60's, that perform in every way today, as it did when brand new.

Stuff happens, fix it or upgrade it when it does, and stay happy.

Wrinkles in the faces of many older Airstream owners, was caused by many many years of happy smiles, especially because of their Airstream.

Andy

dkottum · 10-28-2014, 10:03 PM

Andy, we've sure enjoyed our Airstream and if it gets a few hail dings then we have a few hail dings. The joys of travel, experiences, and people we meet with this great American icon will still be here. I don't worry about hail, maybe our insurance company does, we'll just keep Airstreaming.

In fact we're in it 1600 miles from home right now, been having a great time touring through mid-America and now the Southwest. Same old question, "Do they still make those?"

Luigi123 · 10-29-2014, 01:29 AM

Front and rear panels to replace with labor costs are about $2,000 apiece, long side panels are $5,500--so about 16-18 panels--average cost of hail damage throughout AS could run between $15-$25,000--or total. Make sure you carry Comprehensive on your policy, or Stated Value on vintage.

Protagonist · 10-29-2014, 04:52 AM

Interesting reading for those concerned about hail…

Quote:

The nation’s areas of greatest hail frequency are along and just east of the central Rocky Mountains where point averages vary between 6 to 12 hail days per year. The lee of the Rocky Mountains has the nation’s greatest hail intensity with the largest average stone sizes, the highest average number of hailstones, and the longest hail durations. The nation’s lowest hail intensities are found in the southeastern U.S. (Florida) and in the southwest (Arizona and California), areas where hail occurs only once every two or three years. Winds with hail tend to be strongest in the central and southern High Plains, the location where property-hail damage is the nation’s highest.

Taken from "Hailstorms Across the Nation" (http://www.isws.illinois.edu/pubdoc/...SCR2009-12.pdf)

NCMEDIC · 10-29-2014, 05:13 AM

Very interesting!

Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

PharmGeek · 10-29-2014, 06:06 AM

My wife and I work full time, not even close to retirement.....most of the time our AS sits parked in the backyard...looks like in our first year we camped approximately 30 nights give or take. So that means most of the time it sits out in the open...

I plan on next year covering my parking pad with a structure to protect the AS from sun, debris, and the more unlikely possibility of hail here in my region (I have not personally seen any hail here in central alabama in 7 years, although I expect somewhere in the area it did).

So besides having good insurance coverage, covering it next year, then I will not spend a moment worried about this....

Regarding the hypothetical of getting dings and living with them...I agree with Doug and others...it would not rain on my parade...much.

Good luck....PS - what is a "blue bird"?

xrvr · 10-29-2014, 06:11 AM

A bluebird is a fantastic bus based motor home. Jim

PharmGeek · 10-29-2014, 06:13 AM

just googled...freakin awesome! "tank" indeed!

perryg114 · 10-29-2014, 06:33 AM

Run for the nearest overpass and pull over if you are towing. Make sure you stop towing to reduce damage whether there is a bridge to hide under or not. The end caps are soft material and will dent easily. Just throwing a blanket over them would help soften the blows. Nothing will survive soft ball sized hail.

I am also worried about hail but without a shelter, it is hard to do much about it. Overall an Airstream is one of the more durable trailers out there but it is subject to cosmetic damage. I have a few dents in mine from tornado damage. It is one of those things you live with.

Perry

Inland RV Center, In · 10-29-2014, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luigi123

Front and rear panels to replace with labor costs are about $2,000 apiece, long side panels are $5,500--so about 16-18 panels--average cost of hail damage throughout AS could run between $15-$25,000--or total. Make sure you carry Comprehensive on your policy, or Stated Value on vintage.

Not to disagree, but since I wrote the Airstream crash book in 1970, your guestimates are almost double of what it costs.

Andy

Inland RV Center, In · 10-29-2014, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkottum

Andy, we've sure enjoyed our Airstream and if it gets a few hail dings then we have a few hail dings. The joys of travel, experiences, and people we meet with this great American icon will still be here. I don't worry about hail, maybe our insurance company does, we'll just keep Airstreaming.

In fact we're in it 1600 miles from home right now, been having a great time touring through mid-America and now the Southwest. Same old question, "Do they still make those?"

When I was with Caravanner Insurance company, I took care of over 1,000 hail loss claims.

Some of them were 2nd and 3rd timers, and became believers.

Most hail dents will, in time, when exposed to the sun, simply disappear, from the main shell. However, since the segments are a softer material, seldom will any of those dents go away.

That fact was demonstrated to those that had a previous loss, by showing them the photo's of the old damage. Then the new damage was looked at and taken care of.

This is not to say don't worry about a hail loss, but usually it's not as bad as it initially seems.

The worst I ever personally saw and took care of, happened in Oklahoma city. The hail was driven by a very strong wind, and actually went through the exterior metal and some of it also went through the interior metal. It was like the hail was large sized bullets.

Of course the windows and all the other soft things on that side, were creamated.

When traveling, of course it would be best to park under a bridge, if at all possible.

Should a heavy hail storm be encountered, it's safer and best to NOT be in the trailer. All you can do is take your chances in the tow vehicle, or if possible, hide under the trailer.

The size of hail is a function of the higher altitude wind velocity. The higher the vertical winds, the more time a hail stone is lifted back up and cycled again and again until the vertical wind cannot lift the stone any more, which then allows it to fall.

Usually hail simply falls instead of being wind driven.

Pop open a hail stone, and you will see layers of ice. Each layer tells you how many times that hail stone was recycled. The more the layers, the more recycled space trips that stone made.

Now, back to happy times in the sun shine.

Andy

dkottum · 10-29-2014, 10:00 AM

Thanks Protag' for the information, very good. Another thing I have noticed about hail in our area is how it can be very spotty, damaging on one side of our little town and nothing on the other. It is interesting watching it come through on the radar usually leading a heavy thunderstorm, always hoping it will miss us.

It came through our area Airstream dealership some years ago and they had a lot of Airstreams on clearance sale. Now they keep them inside in spring and early summer.

m.hony · 10-29-2014, 10:16 AM

A Bluebird Wanderlodge is one of very few motorhomes that I would want to own- coolness factor is off the chart-
My Airstream has hail damage from a storm in April. I counted 17 dimples on the trailer. My truck was also damaged, but I only see about 3 dimples. The dimples on the trailer are no deeper than the dimples made by installing the rivets. We are going to just live with the damage. Part of the game, I guess. Our roof on the house was also damaged. We are waiting for the man to come put a new roof on the house now.