Front dome crack

[davidz71]

Oh no! I just noticed a 1" long crack in the interior front plastic dome right at the lower corner where it meets the overhead shelf unit. What is the proper fix for this, drill a small hole at the end of the crack to keep it from spreading? Then what? I've heard these domes are no longer available so I want to make sure it doesn't get worse.

[christiandpatrick]

I'd like some help in this subject as well. Our cracks are much bigger than 1 inch though. I have tried something called "JB Weld" it did not seem to hold very well though. Maybe it would work for a small crack... Just to warn you though, it comes out a dark grey color.

[davidz71]

I've used JBWeld on all kinds of things and you are correct in that it is a dark gray color. I want to avoid drawing attention to the crack so I will need to try something else. Thanks.

[lynn]

When you say your front dome is cracked, are you refering to the front plastic endliner inside your trailer? If so, they are still available and can be purchased through an Airstream dealer.

[74Argosy24MH]

I got a 2 part epoxy called Stiction that I used on my bathroom ABS. It is a very light gray when hardened. It works as well as JB Weld does on metal. A coat of paint over either would make the domes look like new.

John

[ALANSD]

In a recent thread we discussed plastic welding and other similiar interior plastic repairs. A few of us have ctacking in the cabinet surrounds which are like the front dome. I used plastic-weld a two part epoxy from WalMart that dried very hard and seems to have covered and stopped a fairly large crack between two sectiions of trim. Now my challlenge is painting it, I have yet to find a close match for the surrounding colors.
I looked into plastic welding which is done on ABS bumpers, and motorcycle trim, and it looked promising, but I thought I would try the epoxy.
Any suggestions on the paint without repainting everything? The rest of my trim looks good.

[wb13798]

have you tried computer maching atlowes or home depot??? i have had HD computer match some paint for me and it came out very close. but dont know about a paint for plastic////lol
al

[PeterH-350LE]

Alkyd (oil-base) type paints start to darken and yellow after 1-3 month. The less light and the more heat you have will accelerate the process.
Latex type paints will fade and change color after a year or two. The more light the faster the fading process.
For a lasting look, all needs to be repainted.

[j54mark]

"When you say your front dome is cracked, are you refering to the front plastic endliner inside your trailer? If so, they are still available and can be purchased through an Airstream dealer."

I would have sworn that Andy and Inland told me those were no longer available. I'll have to check.

In the meantime, I got some pieces of that plastic from a junkyard. You can cut it up into small pieces and they will disolve in Acetone. The paste can then be applied to the crack. I have little confidence that the repair is in any sense permanent, but it is the right color.

Mark

[pap]

Mark was the junk yard plastic out of an Airstream?

If so I have discovered a new Axiom;
Never attempt to clean your Airstream bath room fixtures or trim with Acetone.
And in desperation I would have probably eventually tried it.

Atta boy Mark!

[j54mark]

Yes, I got a piece out of a salvage Airstream of the same vintage. Of course, it is just ABS plastic.

I think next time I am going to try ABS plastic cement rather than acetone. It might let the plastic reset harder.

Mark

[davidz71]

I drilled a small 1/16" hole at the end of the crack hoping that it will stop the crack. I will keep my eyes open for something on the market that will take care of the problem or something where I do not have to paint. I wonder if an epoxy resin used in glass bedding rifle receivers might work especially if some fiberglass was mixed in. I could then sand it down and since it is clear it might blend in. I will have to check to see if it attacks ABS plastic though.

[bhsl8]

Are these fixes for cracked plastic dome panels going to stand up under the rigor of travel? I will be interested in hearing from you all once the towing over spring frost heaves has begun. Has anyone found out if new panels are indeed available?

[davidz71]

I leave Thur. night for a 4 day trip so I will find out if the drill hole stops the crack. There are 4 more times I will be on the road in April after that so I guess this is the start of the test run.

[pap]

I and apparently most of us seem to think the end liners, domes, end caps or whatever we call them are made of plastic. ABS I have presumed.

Well according to a marketing note by Airstream in 1965, referring to the 1966 Caravel 17ft. the interior end caps were fiberglass. Go to link and look down at interior features paragraph:
http://www.airstreamclassics.com/Det...66Caravel.html

Maybe they changed to ABS? When? I wonder why?
But anyway it makes a difference for repair and painting I suppose.

Here's hoping we can solve this mystery at least in part!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Headliners or domes were all originally made from fiberglass, until 1972.

Making large ABS molds took some time to develop.

Formed ABS parts cost less to manufacture than fiberglass components. They can also be made much faster, and with far less labor, and far less grief from the Air Quality people. During the manufacturing process, fiberglass is somewhat of a fire hazard, simply because of the fumes.

The fiberglass headliners all had a gel coat surface, which can easily be painted, if, the surface has been properly prepared.

ABS can also easily be painted, if again, it's surface has been properly prepared.

Granted, fiberglass can be repaired easier than ABS, but by the same token, it will not crack from reasonable heat or vibration.
ABS can become brittle and discolored from long term exposure to high ambient heat, such as the California desert, as well as crack from vibration.

Interior wheel well covers, and some exterior wheel well covers are a good example of vibration cracking, Metal wheel well covers, cracked both inside and outside.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

[COArgosy78]

I too am interested in repair of the "walls" of airstreams. Our Argosy Minuet has a small "stress" crack on the front dome area, but even more concerning is several crack areas within the shower area wall in the back of our trailer. Looks like the PO tried to do a repair on all and then repainted over, but they have all re-opened. I guess if I am reading Inland Andy right our trailer's walls would be plastic, right? So hopefully someone has or will have a solution. We don't feel comfortable using the shower until this is repaired. Leigh

[pap]

Leigh do a Google search for ABS plastic repair and you will get thousands of links. Many have to do with motorcycle repair,and many are not germane at all, but let us know please.

Andy: thanks for good report.
*Were the bath fixtures also fiberglass prior to 1972?

*Were some 72 mods still using up the on hand fiberglass caps?

*Will a pre 72 fiberglass dome liner fit to replace a later ABS?

*Are dome liners (fore & aft) still available?
and are most years interchangeable?

*Other than climate control is there any surefire way to prevent ABS brittleness? such as a rub in/on moisterizer? i.e. Armor-all or silicon etc?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Bath fixtures from 69 up are ABS. I am not sure about the 68's.

Some fiberglass headliners may have been used after 71, especially on smaller models.

68 on back shell shapes are differnt from the 69 to 82 1/2 shells. Headliners will not interchange.

Some headliners are still available for older (pre-wide body) trailers. But they will be very limited.

Most years are not interchangeable because of the rooflocker arrangements and the center/rear bath models.

Best way to keep ABS soft, is keep it out of extreme heat.
With a desert temperature pushing better than 130 degrees an internal temperature could easily get to perhaps 180 degrees, especially with a sealed coach. Leaving vents open, helps. But that also allows dust, dirt and rain to enter.

Life is never simple, or so it seems.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

[eracism]

“SEM Problem Plastic Repair System” is a two part product used by every shop repairing automobile bumpers. It is inexpensive, easy to apply, provides ideal set time sands and is ready to paint in less than an hour. SEM also makes products to compliment this one. So sealing and painting repair without color bleeding or fade is ideal. They also make other plastic repair products for the two types material used in automobile bumpers. However the “Problem” product does everything. You should be able to find it at an automobile paint supply company. These places will also match paint colors for you. Don’t be intimidated by not having a paint sprayer. Use a “previa” sprayer, they are five or six bucks. The paint can be stored and reused and the sprayer cleans in a heart beat. Both these manufactures have us in mind, they make good stuff, cheap, that is easy to use.

In a Colorado ghost town polishing a tradewind at 9000’