1978 AS Sovereign and doing my own repairs

[JLD]

New Owner ALMOST here again. The AS I am buying is in great shape. I intend to use it as a beach house and haul it now and then. That has been it's role in the past. So far it has done very well under the conditions of the salt air. The only problem is a degree of salt etching on the skin that seems to be impossible to remove. The result is little patterns in the skin that look like snow flakes. The former owner says he didn't realize the salt air would do that. He checked with his AS dealer and is convinced it is there for good. He suggests we keep it from continuing by waxing the finish thoroughly. He says he cleans the trailer yearly by hosing it down with a clorox mixture that cleans it very well and then every year, with the exception of last fall, he waxes it.

I am curious as to what other owners think of using clorox followed by wax. He says it has never leaked and he has had no water damage at any time. He listed all the things he has done to it over the years. ie, new drapes, reworked refrigerator, new lock on the door. He says the running gear is almost indestructable because of something he calls a single ball system? What is that? He is a mechanic and has kept it up as things went wrong. If you own a late 70's Air Stream , I would appreciate hearing from you regarding your experiences with the 70's vintage trailers.

Also, I am very interested in doing my own repairs unless they involve major work on the frame, sub flooring and so forth. Is there a good source of information regarding the repair of the AS or Trailers in general that you experienced folks recommend. I have Livingston's
RV Repair and Maintenance Manual Also any suggestions as to areas of the AS Sovereign that need close attention would be appreciated.

[83Excella]

Contact Secretarial Services listed in the dealer/vendor forum and order an owners & service manual they will tell you everything you want to know about your trailer. His practice of using a bleach mix to wash it is not good, the trailer had a platicote finish on it that helps keep the aluminum from being exposed to the elements and corroding as well as making it look nice but that is probably gone now from the years of bleach use. You will have to determine if and where the plastcote is still on the trailer and decide if you want to remove the rest or refinish it. Harsh and corrosive chemicals should not be used to clean the skin it will do more harm than good. As for the axle and running gear they do wear out as well and should be checked before towing, esp. the brakes. There are alot of things you can do yourself once you have the manuals and mechanical aptitude.

John

[davidz71]

Get copies of the owners manual and a service manual. While Livingston's RV repair book may be good, the service manual will show parts, systems and other areas that are specific to your trailer that his book will not have. They are available as noted above in the previous post. Go to the vendor section of this forum and the phone numbers are there. Helen Davis is the name of the individual you need to talk to and she is extremely helpful.