Curved Side Panel Aluminum Type

[tesstoaster]

I thought I saw what type of aluminum was originally used on the side wraps, but now can't find the information . These are the pieces that transitions into the banana wraps and wrap around the outriggers and attach to the belly pan. Will the 5052 work or should I use 2024-T3 Alclad?

[Tom Nugler]

Is this the thread?
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...eet-93943.html Post #11.
I just replaced a piece between the wheel well and battery box on mine. I don't know what the alloy is but the lower side wrap is definitly different than the body side sheets.

Tom

[tesstoaster]

Originally Posted by Tom Nugler

Is this the thread?
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...eet-93943.html Post #11.
I just replaced a piece between the wheel well and battery box on mine. I don't know what the alloy is but the lower side wrap is definitly different than the body side sheets.

Tom

That is exactly the piece I am replacing

I don't know that anyone has stated definitively that the side wraps are or are not the same material as the shell. I think it is different, but I don't know that it is the soft alloy used for the banana wraps. Maybe the side wraps are 5052-H32?

I also learned from the thread you referenced that my 1972 Tradewind used 6061-T6 for the shell. I always thought it was the 2024-T3 Alclad.

[overlander63]

The stuff you are looking for is called belly pan wrap, and is still available from any Airstream dealer. Currently, is has one side painted grey, the other side is the regular aluminum.

[tesstoaster]

Originally Posted by overlander63

The stuff you are looking for is called belly pan wrap, and is still available from any Airstream dealer. Currently, is has one side painted grey, the other side is the regular aluminum.

I think what Tom and I are after is the type of alloy it is so we can match the aluminum that does not need replacement. Also, some alloys might be very difficult to bend.

[Aerowood]

Alclad 2024-T3

[Tom Nugler]

Dug up some of the info I had in my repair manual. The listings on the page don’t seem to match up with what’s on the trailer.
I didn’t mic it, but the sheet I took off was thicker than the hardware store .028 generic sheet I replaced it with. The only piece I found that acted like AlClad was the piece on the upper part of the battery compartment door.
As the early ’70s were transition years. One could suppose a lot of new materials were tried inside and out and specs changed during production runs until things sorted themselves out.
Long story short, I removed the lower trim extrusions, drilled out the rivets, cut the wrap off a ½ inch below the body side sheet and removed everything from the wheel well to the rear banana wrap. Used the old pieces as templates and trimmed and drilled the new sheet to match. I replaced the rotten plywood battery door frame supports and slid the new piece in place.
It wasn’t a difficult fix, just time consuming.

Good Luck,

Tom.