Favorite Mod Under $100

[marzboy]

Ha! On my trailer? I will tell you if I do one.

[Road Geezer]

1. Stove vent fan speed switch.

I spent about $2 for a high capacity resistor--I don't recall its capacity, but it's about an inch long, has aluminum fins and was recommended by the store guy, who seemed to know what he was talking about--at a salvage electronics supply store, another dollar or two on a two position toggle switch, then about three hours figuring out how to install them in our over-stove vent hood without burning down our AS; my wiring knowledge is at the level of a potato. That was over a year ago, no smoke yet ...

Now the fan has two speeds, the regular "wind tunnel" speed that drowns out all conversation, but is useful when clearing smoke from a "cooking oooh oooh" and a much quieter speed that we use almost all the time. The speed select toggle is installed next to one of the halogen lights and is in series with the installed fan on/off switch.

2. 3M Command sticky hangers

They can be bought at almost any hardware store in a variety of sizes and styles. I've installed ten or so in cabinets for handing small utensils, on the bedroom walls to hang clothes, in the shower and bathroom to hang wash cloths and towels, etc. No drilling; they hang on like crazy and are easily removed if necessary. They're very inexpensive.

[pappy19]

Not sure when AS started using "capped" lug nuts, but for those that don't know, the capped lug nuts have a stainless steel cap over a regular steel nut. Over time (sometimes not too much time) the cap becomes loose or strips altogether and you are left with a small nut that is even harder to remove. I changed out all 24 of my old (2002 Classic) lug nuts with solid stainless steel lug nuts for less than $15. Make sure you take one of the old lug nuts into a good tire shop so they can match up the design and threads. I changed each one out myself, one at a time and then check the torque on my next excursion. After going through hexx on changing a couple of flats on my AS and having the old style caps come loose that required Visegrips and hammer to remove, solid lug nuts were first on my list of changes and upgrade. Cheap at twice the price.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by pappy19

Not sure when AS started using "capped" lug nuts, but for those that don't know, the capped lug nuts have a stainless steel cap over a regular steel nut. Over time (sometimes not too much time) the cap becomes loose or strips altogether and you are left with a small nut that is even harder to remove. I changed out all 24 of my old (2002 Classic) lug nuts with solid stainless steel lug nuts for less than $15. Make sure you take one of the old lug nuts into a good tire shop so they can match up the design and threads. I changed each one out myself, one at a time and then check the torque on my next excursion. After going through hexx on changing a couple of flats on my AS and having the old style caps come loose that required Visegrips and hammer to remove, solid lug nuts were first on my list of changes and upgrade. Cheap at twice the price.

X2....

Mcgard's are made in USA quality.

Where I got ours.

Bob

[robertwarner]

Ours jiggly a bit. Didn't like it at all. Going to change mine also. Was just in Tampa " bates" RV. Brake recall. I asked about them. Mech said it not unusall.
Darn. First think on my list.

[twobikes]

When our son's renters ("Bless Them") moved on, the huge debris field left behind contained at least one useful item. The entrance ladder to their long abandoned above ground pool is an A frame shaped item with a small platform at the top. It is just the right height to enable Airstream roof cleaning (with a long handled brush) and perfect for washing and waxing the upper shiny parts . It is free standing and stable and there is no contact with the trailer sides. In our area these things appear in street-side trash around september...

[OB Bambi]

Pappy 19:
100% right. I discovered them when I kept tightening them and they still seemed to not be tight. ---WHAT! They just seem weird. I replaced all of them too. That was a good under $100 investment.
Randy Bowman

[wolverine]

Needed some additional workspace by our front couch to hold computer, drinks and food, and miscellaneous items needed while sitting on the couch so I installed a fold down shelf similar to the kitchen counter shelf in our Classic. Purchased the fold down brackets which exactly match the original Airstream brackets (brown) for $19 from Amazon (including fasteners) and a 12" x 18" bamboo cutting board for the table top from Target for $20. Below are photos of the finished project which totaled $39. It was attached to the back of our dinette in front of the couch. It easily folds down when not needed.

[richinny]

very nice!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Don't think I posted this here.......

Went to Home Depot, picked up a tube of hot water line insulation,(3/4" copper, 1/2" iron). Slipped it over the upper weathrstrip and.....no more "stuff" behind the protector's.

Bob

[blmitch5]

Great idea! Something to add to our Spring prep list!

[lewishw]

Originally Posted by barts

Once I bought a pump, I decided I didn't need to haul the small containers any more ... so I bought a new 55 gallon water drum for about $50 and put it in the back of the pickup. I can easily fill it w/ a hose, and the water pump lets me fill the trailer easily.

- Bart

To take Bart's idea a little further, I went to a car wash and asked if they had any empty plastic drums. Turns out all their detergents come in 35 gallon drums and they throw them all away. They gave me 3 of them FREE.

Once you have your drums, they will have 2 holes in the top with removable caps. One is coarse threads, the other is NPT threads. You can get PVC fittings at home depot and adapt from the 2" NPT threads, to a garden hose thread with a ball valve behind it. The whole assembly might cost $10-15. You only need one assembly for multiple drums because it just threads on and off.

When you need water, you just lay one of the drums on the side, hook up a garden hose, and either run it through a pump as Bob mentioned earlier in the thread, or if it is sitting higher than your fresh water door, it will gravity feed into the tank.

The 35 gallon drums are also easy for 1 person to move around and lay on their side, they only weigh 250 pounds, the 55 gallon drums weigh about 450 when they are full.

I will post photos of my ball valve assembly this afternoon. Feel free to PM me if you have questions about the assembly.


Stream on!

Hunter

[lewishw]

Here is another ultra cheap mod:

Instead of buying the expensive mud flap system that bolts into your hitch shank, you can build one for about $20.

Go to a steel shop, and buy about 8-12" of "hitch tube". Should only cost a few dollars. Then buy a 8-9 foot stick of 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" angle iron. Weld part of the hitch tube perpendicular on top of the piece that will wrap around your hitch shank.

Call a landscape material yard or concrete plant and ask for a few feet of old conveyor belt material. They will give it to you for free. Cut it to the dimensions you like, and drill holes through the angle iron and bolt the flaps to the angle iron.

Rest the angle on top of the riser piece and weld it in place.

Finally, you can drill a hole in the side and bottom of the shank tube, an weld lock nuts over the tops of the holes so you can secure the sleeve in place on the shank. It will keep it from wobbling while you drive or sliding on the shank.

Total cost was maybe $25

Here are the photos of mine, All I need to do is wire brush it and spray it with a rattle can.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by Alphonse

Robert, nice touch on the switch - where did you buy the cover. I have been looking for some switch covers and perhaps your source would also have what I am looking for.
Thanks,
Alan

Most aircraft parts suppliers carry the switch covers as well.