Lifted AS - SNAP CRACKLE POP?

[netlace]

Our AS is lifted off the ground to level it and we are now living in it. We leveled it a year ago. We sold our house and ready or not we are living in it. It is making all sorts of noises. Then it will be silent again and start all over. Occasionally it will even have a load POP! Mostly crackles and snaps. Is this normal? Or should I worry?

[easyride]

It depends on how you have it supported,as a kid living in an old house ,that was a nightly occurance,or we had ghosts.Dave

[netlace]

It is up on concrete slabs but we had to shim a little with wood to even it out. The front stabilizer is down but we broke one side of it moving it in (hit a stump.) The back ones are down also but one is also broke. We were not sure where to build supports on the front and rear to be sure to not cause damage to it. I wonder if it has settled and how to really know the whole thing is level correctly? I dont want to roll down the hill or damage the airstream if it is twisting.

[Stefrobrts]

Are the wheels on the ground? Because an Airstream shouldn't be lifted by the stabilizers. They are just for stabilizing, not for leveling. You could be doing damage to the frame if it is supported in the wrong places.

[VIKING]

You could damage your frame and shell if it's not supported at the right places and leveled. You need support at the axle and at both ends, and the supports must be level and under the frame rails, not on crossmembers.
Stabilizers do not support the weight of the trailer in any circumstance. They are not to be used for leveling at all either. They are only there to counteract the suspension when you are camping, so if you walk from one side of the Airstream to the other it won't rock. They should be fully retracted in your situation.
The noises you hear are warning shots. You should check these out before you have something expensive happen.
Good luck,
Rich

[Fyrzowt]

On the other hand, it may be nothing to worry about.
At least two of my three A/S trailers have made popping/cracking noises. This is always when the sun is warming the shell and things begin to expand and move around. This was usually in the morning, but also if the sun broke out of the clouds.
These trailers range in age from 1972 to 2000.
Hope it's nothing serious...

[Gene]

You have gotten some very good advice here. If it were me, I'd move that trailer immediately and start over the right way.

There are a few spots where the coach can be jacked, but even those should only be used sparingly to change a wheel. They should be marked underneath. There are better ways to change a wheel anyway—drive the wheel you are not changing up on some 2 x. I am not recommending you do this—just some information.

To level an Airstream, put boards or those commercially available yellow plastic leveling blocks under the wheels. If you use boards, make sure the entire tire in on the board. This is for leveling from curbside to streetside. To level the long way, use the jack on the tongue, not the stabilizers.

Those "pops" sound like screws and rivets letting go, panels cracking, or other things breaking from stress. Can you open and close the door? A racked trailer will cause door problems very quickly. Once racked (twisted) it will be very difficult to straighten the coach.

Gene

[easyride]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

You have gotten some very good advice here. If it were me, I'd move that trailer immediately and start over the right way.

There are a few spots where the coach can be jacked, but even those should only be used sparingly to change a wheel. They should be marked underneath. There are better ways to change a wheel anyway—drive the wheel you are not changing up on some 2 x. I am not recommending you do this—just some information.

To level an Airstream, put boards or those commercially available yellow plastic leveling blocks under the wheels. If you use boards, make sure the entire tire in on the board. This is for leveling from curbside to streetside. To level the long way, use the jack on the tongue, not the stabilizers.

Those "pops" sound like screws and rivets letting go, panels cracking, or other things breaking from stress. Can you open and close the door? A racked trailer will cause door problems very quickly. Once racked (twisted) it will be very difficult to straighten the coach.

Gene

They are living in trailer,so it should be jacked up with weight off of the axles.Dave

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by easyride

They are living in trailer,so it should be jacked up with weight off of the axles.Dave

I never jacked mine off the axles. It spent no more than three months in one place though.

[netlace]

No way we are moving it. It is jacked like this http://www.airforums.com/forums/show...47&postcount=3
It is plumbed like a house and into the septic. I do hear the noice more in the morning before I turn on the air. The tires are touching on one side - barely. How do I know if it is trully level? We will sell it when finished with it. I dont want to hurt it. Spent alot of money on flooring ect...

[ROBERT CROSS]

You will never go rong in Life if you do what your Rice Krispies tell you.

Sun comes up in the morning...it can feel like we're swimming in the bowl.

May be nothing more than Snap, Crackle, Pop warming up.

[Ken J]

That popping is normal - especially in the morning as the sun comes up - aluminum expands and contracts from heat.

Ken J.

[tallytwo1994]

Make a water level out of tubing to check the trailer. The web site below gives basic instructions. Instead of clamping the ends we just put a knot in the tubing to keep the water from coming out until we're finished. This works great and is very accurate.

How to Make and use a Water Level: Accurate Leveling Tool for Installing Chair Rails or Ledger Boards | Suite101.com

Carol

[airstreamjudy]

I live in my airstream and some mornings and early afternoon I have the snap, crackle & popping going on. Thanks for the information - at first I thought that I had mice or other creatures between the skins and they were having a party with out inviting me.

[VIKING]

In the water level instructions they neglect to inform you that the end/s of the tubing must be left unsealed when you are using the level for the water to move through the tube. If either end is sealed the water will not return to the level position.

Rich