Bottoms up!

[CanoeStream]

We clean. We primp. Fix 'em up a little (or a lot) too. Stand back and admire the handiwork. Missing anything? Be sure to look underneath now and then too.

We've heard about the famous jacking (but don't jack on 'em) points. Here's my rear curbside jack point.


And the rear roadside, same area:


Yep, I don't have but the single curbside jack point. Useful? BAL jacks are so much easier anyway. BTW -- I have no jack points under the front of my coach either -- don't know if there should have been. meh...

[CanoeStream]

This first issue has been present since I bought my Safari. The main LP lines are as snug to the belly as they can be. Somehow the plastic side wrap was persuaded to stretch for a couple #8 screws. Never stood a chance!

There's no give or sag to the HW heater & stove feed lines. They're stable as-is IMO.

[CanoeStream]

We put a lot of road miles on our Safari -- enough to experience tired concrete roads with what seems like a ridge at every expansion joint. I've got a few detours I take to avoid some in my region but there's one around the next county. Sure like it when I see they've put an asphalt overlay on these worn out highways.

Bucking between our truck and trailer find that right harmonic and ya gotta slow right down to 45 or so. This is another type of shaken baby syndrome. We've heard about frame flex aft of the wheels. For a couple months I've been observing the consequences at the belly wrap just forward of the bumper box.




The frame & belly wrap seem to be trying to go in opposite directions at times. The thin belly skin gets worn out under the rivets.

[CanoeStream]

This is what I'd like to get it back to. I ended up re-riveting a couple feet along both sides and the whole rear edge.



Order up some wide flange rivets like these from VTS -- though there are multiple sources. Lower the tongue jack and let's get to work. A sharp 3/16th's twist drill at low speed makes new holes alongside the old ones. Get out the rivet puller and nice results happen in hardly more than 10 minutes.

The end result:




Of course you've got to anticipate that some of the rivets end up in your bumper locker and other places.

[CanoeStream]

Somewhere there is a thread about a period of the 2005 & 2006 production where the factory was torquing the hex heads right off self tapping screws as they installed BAL stabilizers. I had a handful that were messed up and repaired under warranty.

Inspect all five of these on each stabilizer! Here's one..



And another that will need attention again.



As nickcrowhurst always says, "The price of freedom is eternal maintenance."

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

We put a lot of road miles on our Safari -- enough to experience tired concrete roads with what seems like a ridge at every expansion joint. I've got a few detours I take to avoid some in my region but there's one around the next county. Sure like it when I see they've put an asphalt overlay on these worn out highways.

Bucking between our truck and trailer find that right harmonic and ya gotta slow right down to 45 or so. This is another type of shaken baby syndrome. We've heard about frame flex aft of the wheels. For a couple months I've been observing the consequences at the belly wrap just forward of the bumper box.

Attachment 109582
Attachment 109583

The frame & belly wrap seem to be trying to go in opposite directions at times. The thin belly skin gets worn out under the rivets.

Attachment 109584
Attachment 109585

An Airsafe hitch will help out with this problem....

[maxandgeorgia]

Thanks, Bob, for explanation and photos with clear cautionary advice. Drat, more to go check out! But I hate ugly surprises, so this bears a look. Thanks, again. ~G

[newsgauger]

Hello Larry C,

I’m new to the A/S forum and currently do not have an Airstream, but interested in gathering as much information as possible.

Reading through this thread and seeing your post regarding Airsafe Hitches, I was wondering if you have one and what hitch configuration (i.e. Weight Distribution, HaHa or P3) you are running.

If ‘yes’, I would appreciate hearing more from you about the combination you have.

Thanks for bringing this forward, as it sounds interesting and solves a known problem that I didn’t think about in the past.

Chris

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by newsgauger

Hello Larry C,

I’m new to the A/S forum and currently do not have an Airstream, but interested in gathering as much information as possible.

Reading through this thread and seeing your post regarding Airsafe Hitches, I was wondering if you have one and what hitch configuration (i.e. Weight Distribution, HaHa or P3) you are running.

If ‘yes’, I would appreciate hearing more from you about the combination you have.

Thanks for bringing this forward, as it sounds interesting and solves a known problem that I didn’t think about in the past.

Chris

Hey Chris,
Yes, I own an AirSafe, I bought it this spring just before a 14,000 mile trip to Alaska. I joined mine with my old style Reese Dual Cam, and it works great!

Regarding the "ProPride" and the "HaHa", in my humble opinion, they are both extremely overpriced, and over rated. That's my opinion and I'm sure that others will disagree.

You might check out a couple of the other links, under Towing and Hitches, as we had quite a discussion earlier this year about the
AirSafe.

My experience is limited on towing, (I've only towed RV's for 30++ years), so please keep that in mind when you are reading the other links.

If you want to call, please send a private message, and I'll give you the number....
Larry