Favorite Jerry-Rig?

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by juel

I'm having a problem with the "really big heavy doors" down the hall of my 31ft Sovereign

Not sure which door you are refering to but the bathroom door in my 73 was really heavy. I planned on dissassembling the door and replacing the solid core with styrofoam. But, I sold it before I had the chance. Still a good idea though, I think.

[juel]

The door in the picture is leaning up against the spot where it fits. There are three of them directly across from the bathroom. The bathroom door is one of those sliders and is very light. It has a pin that holds it in place while traveling.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by smily

I actually have thought of aluminum but I would have the same problem that have with the aluminum skin of the TT.

It would dent very easily.

A thicker aluminum would be difficult to bend.

Smily

I got my left stoneguard (factory stainless) bent by a hillbilly first trip out. I kneed out most of the deformation and thought about replacing it, then noticed a big rock ding in the right one from .... duh... a rock.

Either one will get dinged. And heavy stainless will weigh a LOT!

If you use 'em, you bruise 'em! Decide whether you want a piece of art or a travel trailer - or buy one for show, one for GO.

Paula

[Tarheel]

Has anyone thought about a "Bra" similar to the ones on the front of sports cars for the rockguard? It could be padded to protect the trailer from rock damage and would asorb the blow of a stone much better than the SS. When traveling on back roads, like going to Alaska, you wouldn't need additional protection. Thinking of Black rolled and pleated like was used in uphostery in the 50's and 60's.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I thought of useing silver nagahyde [vinyl] to cover and protect my segment protectors. And maybe with some blue stripes to go with the rest of the trailer.

[JerryMcMunn]

Hi,

I wish you wouldn't call it a "Jerry Rig". Many people call it "Jury Rig". I'm not sure which is correct but, for some unknown reason, I seem to get upset when I encounter the "Jerry Rig" phrase. If anyone can help me understand why I get so upset, please explain.

Thanks,

Jerry ;-)

[azflycaster]

Jury Rig...

Jury rigging refers to makeshift repairs or temporary contrivances, made with only the tools and materials that happen to be on hand. Originally a nautical term, on sailing ships a jury rig is a replacement mast and yards improvised in case of damage or loss of the original mast.

NOT

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by Tarheel

Has anyone thought about a "Bra" similar to the ones on the front of sports cars for the rockguard? It could be padded to protect the trailer from rock damage and would asorb the blow of a stone much better than the SS. When traveling on back roads, like going to Alaska, you wouldn't need additional protection. Thinking of Black rolled and pleated like was used in uphostery in the 50's and 60's.

Our '66 TradeWind has snaps across and down the front. The PO says there was once a bra with the trailer in the begining. I am thinking of having one made not so much for protection but to mask the the years of stone chips in the aluminum. Any suggestions? Black may be too contrasty I think.

[Smokin Camel]

my favorite non-spec mod (jury-jerry??) is the red led's that I installed in my vanity & kitchen light with a separate switch on the opposite side from the white. The white side I substitued an led board for one bulb & left one bulb (bulbs have softer light--much better). While I was at it I replaced all of the switches.

The red in addition to a single red flourescent, makes a big difference whengoing outside at night. Saves a lot of night blindness from the white lights.

Now I got to look into a new telescope to replace the one that I knocked over while night blinded from white light. I like my modified card stereo as well (free!). In combination with cheesey box speakers it looks real 70's except for the display lights....of course haveing a 70s tin can helps that look.

[Tarheel]

My 01 has black plastic stone guards and they look good as they match the covers over the windows. I have seen several vintage uints that have taped off the stone guard area and had "Bed Lining" sprayed, these looked very good and you had to be up on them to see what had been done. A very cheap and attractive way to protect the front of your unit.

[enduroryda]

My favorite would have to be the suicide door lock. I found out how to make them here on the forums. My door locks just fine but it gives me peace of mind while traveling down the road.

PS. I borrowed pics from old posts.

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by enduroryda

My favorite would have to be the suicide door lock. I found out how to make them here on the forums. My door locks just fine but it gives me peace of mind while traveling down the road.

PS. I borrowed pics from old posts.

Yes, ours gives us peace of mind also. I recently painted it Airstream blue.

[wayne.yl]

I wish you wouldn't call it a "Jerry Rig". Many people call it "Jury Rig". I'm not sure which is correct but, for some unknown reason, I seem to get upset when I encounter the "Jerry Rig" phrase. If anyone can help me understand why I get so upset, please explain.

Thanks,



My Grandfather told me "Jerry-rigging" was a term that was a slur to German soldiers during WW1 but according to history's word-smith's, this is not the case.
Perhaps thinking that it is a racial slur may be the cause for some's consternation. Here's the history of the word/words.


Although the “jury” in “jury-rig” is spelled the same way as the “jury” that deliberates, it has a completely different history. This “jury” began, at least 500 years ago, as a nautical term meaning “temporary.” If a ship’s mast broke, the crew put up a “jury-mast” and “jury-rigged” it. A “jury fore-mast” is mentioned in “Robinson Crusoe,” Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel of shipwreck and adventure.

As for “jerry,” British soldiers began calling Germans “Jerries” in World War I, not World War II. But the “jerry” in “jerry-built” dates back to the mid-1800s. It may be old British slang for a chamber pot, or it may be a reference to the walls of Jericho, which came tumbling down—but word historians don’t believe it has anything to do with Germans.

“Jerry-rig” is a blend of “jerry-built” and “jury-rig,” but only recently have these two terms begun to mingle. The earliest date for “jerry-rig” given in any major dictionary is 1959, and some dictionaries don’t include it at all, for they still consider it a mistaken form—a garble.

Today “jury-rigged” and “jerry-built” mean nearly the same thing: “assembled hastily or sloppily.” “Jury-rigged” is seen only rarely, probably because the “temporary” meaning of “jury” has been all but forgotten, so “jury-rigged” does call to mind tampering with a jury in a courthouse. “Jerry-built” comes up somewhat more often—but “makeshift” is a lot more common than either of those words, and no one misunderstands it. Why not use “makeshift” instead of the jury-rigged, jerry-built form “jerry-rigged”?

[N2XBW]

I note that there has been little activity in this thread as of late. If anyone is looking though, I have a simple solution to a pesky problem.

Most of the summer my ASMH sits behind my home with the awning out over seating facing the river out back. Since it is on pavement, there is no good way to secure the awning from the sometimes strong winds here.

Rather than punch into the pavement with screw anchors and strap I'd use on bare ground, I brought home a heavy pair of used brake rotors from my local shop.

These [free] items weigh about 25# each, and are just the thing to hook the end of the awning hold-down into. A quick shot of aluminum Rustoleum paint made them presentable. The rotors take little space for stowage.

John

[Tarheel]

12 quart plastic pails filled with sand or rocks is a cheap way to go. Fill them on site and dump them when time to leave.

[Ganaraska]

Also called a hodge podge, a Mickey Mouse job, or in England a bodge.

[N2XBW]

Also known as: _your favorite derogatory ethnic group's name here_-rigging.

[wrochdvm]

Many models have a large closet between the galley and the bedroom that has double, mirrored glass sliding doors. In many cases, like ours, they do not stay in place while traveling. They "jump" off the tracks and end up on the floor, or are left hanging from one corner. I posted my solution on my blog here:
Tin Wheeler Adventures: Those D****d sliding glass doors

[idroba]

Originally Posted by Tarheel

Has anyone thought about a "Bra" similar to the ones on the front of sports cars for the rockguard? It could be padded to protect the trailer from rock damage and would asorb the blow of a stone much better than the SS. When traveling on back roads, like going to Alaska, you wouldn't need additional protection. Thinking of Black rolled and pleated like was used in uphostery in the 50's and 60's.

In the very early '80's I took my first Airstream up the Alaskan Highway which at the time was all gravel. I built segment protectors for the front from foam backed kitchen carpet, which was commonly available then. It was held on with riv-nuts and stainless steel screws with fender washers for strength over area.

It worked very well overall, however sand and dirt did get behind it and the clear coat was worn some, especially by the third trip north on that road.

Now, it didn't protect the AS from the 60' long, 14" diameter tree which fell on it in the Dawson government campground. End of that Airstream, but I did tow it home. Made for good conversation in other campgrounds. "Are you really sure you want to drive the Alaskan Highway"?