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2vets · 07-18-2011, 08:21 AM

This weekend we were at the stage of installing our endcaps and we invited my sister and brother-in-law over to help us. (new floor/new rebuilt frame by Colin Hyde) We had visions of installing the entire interior skins in one weekend. What a joke! The endcaps damn near defeated us. It took us a day and a half to put in the two endcaps. The holes in the end caps would not line up with the interior ribs. Even beer didn't help us! The final key was to wedge in 2 x 4s to push the interior skin in place and even that was a bear. I am never removing those endcaps again. Period.

This is an official announcement that endcap re-installation is WAY harder than you think it will be!!

Wabbiteer · 07-18-2011, 08:46 AM

We know you & yours suffered terribly and wish to put this matter in the 'win' column and move on...

But would you do "we-the-about-to" a favor and spell out the nuances of how you'd painlessly coax the end-caps into position today if you had another set to install?

I get the warm'n fuzzies looking at the blue-cloud fluff, thats for sure!

2vets · 07-18-2011, 09:10 AM

First, level the trailer if it is not already level. One of the keys is to cleco at the middle of the window and work outwards but do not necessarily cleco the sides of the window to allow for "wiggle room". We then had to milk the top of the skin forward using pressure by either pushing with our hands or by pressing with the 2 x 4s covered with rags. Depending on the area we worked on we would shift the 2 x 4s. We found it best if you can place a cleco centrally on the ceiling and then work down from there (after placing the clecos in the top line of the window) on either side. Make sure you have several sizes of clecos..some of the holes in the fiberglass were bigger than others. There was nothing easy about this job...some of the clecos were under tension and would POP out at us when we were pushing on the interior skin. At first we thought we had used too much insulation (1/2 of R-13 that we split) but we don't think that is the case. We were trying to line up 50 year old holes after a frame restoration..it took a lot more muscle than we thought it would....you had to REALLY push on the skin to get in back in place while someone with a cleco was standing by to throw it in the proper hole. Much swearing took place!!!

SilverHoot · 07-18-2011, 09:40 AM

Just went through that a few weeks ago. Did the rear one by myself but took three to do the front one. I think the front one was harder because it is less flexible due to the cabinet opening.

Splitrock · 07-18-2011, 11:44 AM

I only had the rear endcap out of mine. I removed it myself and installed it myself with no problems. All the holes lined up. I installed two 2" sheet metal screws in the bottom two holes so the cap could set on the screws. That raised it about 1/2". There was that much flex. Then I just started installing top rivets. Once I got four rivets installed, I removed the bottom two screws and installed rivets in their place.

2vets · 07-18-2011, 11:52 AM

Wow .. you guys had a much easier time than I did. Was yours a shell off restoration like mine was?

Splitrock · 07-18-2011, 11:58 AM

I just removed the endcap to remove a dent in the outside skin. My third hand was a load stabilizer jack, but I didn't need it to install the cap.

reinergirl · 07-22-2011, 07:29 PM

Actually the older trailers have fiberglass endcaps and the later ones had abs plastic which I suspect is much more flexible (and lighter?)

I also think that my sisters trailer, because it was a shell off restoration, had shifted quite a bit.

I'm here to say I'd rather birth another child than do that again. And quite frankly having my kids was faster too!!!

Anyway, I blogged about the process, see my signature. And I'm hereby confessing that my sister doesn't know everything that happened that day

.

Hey Sis, read my blog for ....the rest of the story LOL

SilverHoot · 07-23-2011, 06:57 AM

I don't know when they changed to plastic, but was still fiberglass in 67.

Mrcrowley · 07-24-2011, 04:52 AM

I agree never ever will I remove the end caps in my Airstream again. It took 8 or 9 times for two us to line up holes still got a stress crack in front end cap. Is there a easier way to do that?

Frank's Trailer Works · 07-24-2011, 06:30 AM

You folks have me laughing...
I know the struggle. I have been there. Once you learn the trick, it is one handed holding and one handed cleco tooling.
To NOT remove the end cap in NOT a very good idea. I always find many leaks under there.
Cowboy up or take it to a professional. I can recommend a great shop within 650 miles of 65% of the American population.

reinergirl · 07-24-2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62overlander

You folks have me laughing...
I know the struggle. I have been there. Once you learn the trick, it is one handed holding and one handed cleco tooling.

Are you teasing us?

What's the trick? Because the board method won't work for my trailer, I have an upper fiberglass built-in cabinet in the front endcap.

Frank's Trailer Works · 07-24-2011, 07:27 PM

I give away a lot of free advice. This one is staying under wraps(job security), but I will say, it all about the dangle of the angle.

Minno · 07-24-2011, 08:40 PM

I gotta say that I agree i'd rather have another child than put another end cap in. Having a 6ft 5in son in law to help was key with the rear one. Front went better but was smaller too. I think 62 overlander is pulling our collective leg!

kay

ddstech · 07-24-2011, 08:56 PM

I did both mine by myself, went very easy. But they are aluminum and had great flex. Took me all of 10 min each.

reinergirl · 07-25-2011, 09:40 PM

I agree Minno! Frank, wanna demonstrate? LOL It's okay I know you need your secrets ...... but the angle of the dangle is a little suggestive No?

. I suggest an endcap contest.... you vs Colin and I'll offer my airstream up as the playing ground!!!!!

Frank's Trailer Works · 07-25-2011, 09:54 PM

I was in a contest with Colin about four years ago. Even though he did not best me, I have no desire to compete against him in any way. He is a friend and hopefully it will remain that way. Colin does great work and is a great resource in our community.

The angle of the dangle is suggestive, however it is the key. Once the four of you learned how to make the geometry work, it fit did it not? It did. The end cap is a structural element. Did you not notice there were no ribs under there? The tension it is under is very intentional. An engineer knew that that tension was needed to create a structural aspect out of the fiberglass.

reinergirl · 07-25-2011, 10:04 PM

Sorry Frank I was kidding!

Know all about the bathroom contest LOL! But the tension that you refer to is THE REASON why this job is such a b%^*&! I will prevail but will never refer to this as a one handed cleco job! For that matter I can't cleco with one hand at all! Best to ya!

Frank's Trailer Works · 07-26-2011, 04:44 AM

one handed clecoing is not dependent on the angle of the dangle, it is dependent on opposing digits.

Minno · 07-26-2011, 03:12 PM

You also have to have some hand strength and a hand large enough to handle the tool one handed. My hands are small with short fingers.... I'm 2 handed most of the time with clecos. But I CAN do it! End caps stay where they now are - not taking those suckers down again!

Kay