Banana wrap or what? and how?

[cjack99]

Hi All; First post here, brand new (old) airstreamer.....

I just pulled home my first Airstream, 1989 Excella. It was "for sale" off the road in a farmers lot, fair sized berm. When it was placed in this position, the parking/backing attempt damaged (by causing it to come slightly loose and drop down after being used as an earth moving tool) the following item:

A dark grey rounded thing at the bottom left rear side of the trailer, about 18" to 24" long, about 6" high perhaps, feels like molded plastic, very light, has a reflector mounted on it, and fits under the side panel and against the frame channel right at the rear of the trailer before the bumper. Seems to have a couple very small holes at the top of it, which would be out of sight when in position.

I don't know if this thing is the "banana" or not, but it's sure a pita! Anyway, gravity will not hold it in place, keeps slipping down. It does not fall off, just flops down a bit, and obviously would not keep dirt, water, or small mammals out.

My question is: how the heck do I repair this? I've searched the site, although I'm not expert at searching it, and don't find anything about how to deal with it. I wasn't there when the seller did what ever he did to it, so I missed out on how it was disassembled.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

cheers!

[wkerfoot]

Welcome,

How about a picture of you problem?

Bill

[mwells4654]

Congratulations on the purchase and welcome to the forum. I have found that it is very true, a picture is worth a thousand words. You did all that explaining and I still do not know what you are describing. Sorry.

[Becky B.]

I have an '86 that, I believe, has the same plastic sections (rear & front) of banana wrap. They are attached with small rivets, which are applied under the trailer to the belly pan and on the top of the piece of plastic under the rubrail (the piece that has the blue plastic running through it). I'm pretty sure that's how the top is attached, positive on the bottom. I redid mine last year, so the memory is still there, just not perfect! For the top, if you can slip it under the rubrail, you can remove the blue strip of plastic & rivet through the rubrail, rather than remove the whole thing to get at the plastic piece. Make sense? If no one else chimes in, I can take a picture of mine later today--gotta go to work right now!

[Becky B.]

Ok, here are some pictures. Yes, it does go behind the rubrail. I had mine off & riveted it to the body, but if you can slip it behind, you can rivet it through the rubrail. Be sure to put some Tempro in the hole before you rivet on the side. Don't want any leaks! The third picture is looking up from the bottom. Not really clear, but it shows that the plastic slips behind the rubrail.

[cjack99]

Becky: Thanks a bunch! That is exactly what I was meaning! Rivets huh??? Rats, I was hoping to avoid rivets for awhile. Really appreciate the reply, and the welcome! I'll get some rivets ordered. I looked at mine, and looks like I need to remove the rivet securing the rub rail, then I'll be able to remove the rivets which must have been stressed to failure by the earth moving. Thanks again!
phil

[Becky B.]

no problem! you can get rivets right at the hardware store....they're nothing special. Just 1/8" rivets & you can put them in with a hand rivet gun (don't need anything fancy for those few rivets). Good luck!