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Old 08-22-2002, 10:42 AM   #1
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Shower head problems

On my AS, the sink faucet head pulls out on a hose to become the shower head. There is a rubber button on the back to put it in spray mode. Water pressure is supposed to keep it in that mode till I press the other end of the rubber button.

I don't know whether it is the pressure regulator or restrictions in the plumbing, but, in spray mode, I don't get a spray. I just get weak dribbles from the many holes in the head. There is not enough back pressure to keep the head in spray mode without holding the button down continuously.

The galley spray works just fine, but the holes in the head are a lot finer.

I'm seriously considering plugging a large number of the holes in the shower head in an attempt to get a decent spray and have it stay in spray mode.

Anyone else having this problem?
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Old 08-22-2002, 06:05 PM   #2
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John,

Does the spray head have a steel pin that goes thru it below the base of the sprayer nozzle? If so, be sure it is pushed all the way to one side. One direction is open the other is closed. It acts as a cut off for the shower to conserve water and will cause you to have a really low flow shower head.
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Old 08-22-2002, 06:18 PM   #3
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John, you beat me to it.

Also, if you you remove the head from the hose, how much water shoots out? If its not the conservation cut off, it could just be crud in the head.

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Old 08-22-2002, 08:03 PM   #4
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Shower head

There is an on-off valve on the head. I unscrewed the head and can watch it working. It is wide open.

As for crud, I took off the front plate of the head (3 screws) and it is clean as a whistle inside. The plunger that changes it from stream to spray works just as it should.

There is a good faucet flow when used in the stream mode; about what I would expect through that size of plumbing.

I went out and looked at it today. There are at least twice as many holes in the shower head as in the galley spray and the holes are several times as large.

I thought agter I left the trailer that I should have tried swapping the two heads. I expect that the galley spray head unscrews just like the shower head although I haven't tried it.
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Old 08-24-2002, 12:28 PM   #5
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Here's the problem

I swapped the sink head into the bathroom and got a great spray, so I knew it wasn't the supply pressure or flow. I then took a look at the water-saver. The problem was evident.

The photo tells it all! The photo shows the opening that is opened and closed by the water-saver button. It is about 1/8 x less than 1/4". The flow through this opening has to supply 54 very coarse spray holes. The area of the holes add up to at least twice the area of the water-saver opening. No way there can be any sort of decent spray.

I brought the head home and tried in our kitchen. We have high water pressure, but the spray was still anemic. The head did stay in spray mode with the higher pressure.

I have the head apart at the moment and I am going to plug every other spray hole.

I'll bet that no one at Airstream has ever actually tried one of these heads to see if it worked. By this time, I wonder if they have any sort of product assurance function at all.
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Old 08-24-2002, 12:50 PM   #6
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Now, let's see what happens

I just plugged every other hole by taking drops of Gorilla Glue on the point of a nail and touching the hole. The glue immediately made a smooth meniscus over each hole and it's not even noticeable looking at the black head except as small white spots deep in alternating holes.

I'll give it a couple of hours to set up and then test it under pressure in the kitchen.
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Old 08-24-2002, 04:10 PM   #7
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Qualified success

I just tested the modified shower head in the kitchen (higher pressure than in the trailer). I had a super spray pattern from the 24 remaining nozzles.

I'll take it out to the storage yard tomorrow morning and give it a try there at pump pressure. based on what I just saw, it should work. If not, back home and plug a few more nozzles until it does work.

The shower is pretty important to me since I often dry camp at music festivals where there is little or no alternative.
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Old 08-25-2002, 06:26 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally posted by Inland RV Center, In
I will answer privately, the questions that I feel qualified to answer.


I passed the baton to you. Why have you not answered questions that these nice Airstream owners ask???

Instead you sit back and ridicule some of those that have!!!

I certainly hope your having "FUN" upsetting so many nice people.


Andy

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Andy, no you can’t do what you wish. Your information and posts are much to important not to be shared. It is unfair of to the users of the forums for you not to answer questions in a public manner. To not post in the forums defeats the purpose of us all being here. I want you to share you knowledge.

If you have a user whose post you wish not to see go to the CP section and enter their name in the ignore list. I haven’t had to use this feature but it should make your experience on the forum more enjoyable. (I hope this works for post and not just PM)

This site has grown and as such many more users and personalities have joined. Personalities will clash from time to time. Strong willed personalities can get at odds sometime. I just had such a experience, but I will never let a clash with another user stop me from posting in public and you should not either.

This post is not to take sides but is to try to keep what I consider a valuable asset to the group posting so all users can benefit.
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Old 08-25-2002, 06:38 AM   #9
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Re: Qualified success

Quote:
Originally posted by Pahaska

The shower is pretty important to me since I often dry camp at music festivals where there is little or no alternative.
John, you list your trailer as a 2003. Is this in the same trailer you show in your Avatare ? Can you not get warranty service for the shower head ? I am surprised that you are going to all this trouble to repair what should be a warranty item, and just a parts change out at that could be Fedexed to you overnight.

I ran a plumbing shop many years ago and often had problems with defective shower heads, which sounds like what you have. The water saver heads were the worst. I have a 68 trailer with the original shower head and it works great, it is the only original fixture still in service, which I am sure and hope is not the same as yours. I replaced all the faucet sets with Price Pfister units.
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Old 08-25-2002, 08:33 AM   #10
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Warrenty service

Jim, the part is exactly what Airstream specified and it works as well as the design will permit, so there is little benefit in me going to the dealer with it or asking for a replacement. They could give me another right out of the box and it will have the same problem.

Actually, my dealer has been great. The trailer was well prepared and they fixed the two problem items that I had noticed before I bought. For minor items, I will avoid taking the trailer to the dealer because it is 60 miles of towing and, undoubtedly, 40 more miles of deadheading because I would have to leave it overnight. At that, I am lucky that I have a dealer that close; most folks do not
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Old 08-25-2002, 08:34 AM   #11
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Andy

Take your blood pressure medicine ... the vintage folks need you.
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Old 08-25-2002, 08:53 AM   #12
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John,

Stay the course. I find your postings interesting and informative. What's especially important is that you continue to post what you do and don't like about your trailer. I've posted a few items on my Safari that could be better but I have also posted solutions to those issues.

We pay a lot of $$ for these new silver baby's and we have high expectations. A lot more than if I bought a stick and staple SOB. As you have noted, there is no excuse of some of the things you have found, and its evident in some cases that a real life test of all components is needed before these new models hit the assembly line. I'm sure nobody filled your revolving cabinet with stuff and then drove around to see it jam up. I'm also sure no one ever tried out the shower either.

Keep up the good work and be sure you correspond with Airstream about what you are finding. The folks there do listen and I've seen changes in the Safari line that address some of the issues that I forwarded to them.

Regards,

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Old 08-25-2002, 08:59 AM   #13
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Andy

C'mon Andy, that was not fair. You and I (and others) are at opposite ends of the spectrum on the wheel balancing/frame failure issue. No one has responded to your posts by questioning your dealership or knowledge because of this disagreement.

I have torn my motorhome to pieces, taken the shell off the chassis, rebuilt or changed many things. Nearly everything is done but the interior. On this journey I have seen many issues that I consider quality, which should have been addressed by engineering. We called it "idiot proofing" (don't flame me, it was in place long before I arrived), make it so it could not be assembled incorrectly.

I don't expect the same level of fit and finish on a Geo as I expect on a Cadillac. Airstream is the Cadillac of the RV industry, and as such owners expect a higher level of quality. Some of the posts I have seen indicate that it is lacking in areas. You look at this and wonder how in the world this could happen, stupid things like an open entrance door covering the refrigerator compartment fan, noisy exhaust fans, shower heads with no flow, etc. Think like a consumer Andy, not a dealer. It is a different mindset. You wonder if once designed or spec'd if it was looked at and tested as an assembly and finished product. Simple changes that could correct glaring problems become very frustrating to the purchaser. When you see multiple instances, it does make you question the integrity of what you can't see.

I look at the time of your post and assume it was a long hard week, you had a few too many "pops" and wrote something you now regret. I sincerely hope it is out of character for you as dealer and representative of Airstream.

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Old 08-25-2002, 10:38 AM   #14
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Discussing, with others, the good, the bad, the so so, that Airstream does or has done or might do, is not the issue.
I many times post things that I too disagree with Airstream, but with facts, not theory's.

The issue is the unnecessary sarcastic comments about someone that I have worked with, for almost 37 years.

Airstream has made mistakes and will continue to do so. So does Ford and GM, and they both have a much greater engineering staff.

Bad mouthing, slamming, sarcastic comments about anyone, including the Airstream factory, I don't believe, is in the best interests of any Airstream site.

John Irwin has legimate gripes, no question. But negative comments, with sarcasm, or attacking Airstream's quality in the manner that he has done, is not necessary.

It more than reached the point of not being germane to the issue.

For the time being, I will follow the suggestion made by Jim Clark,
and post accordingly.

I will also announce that I will be at the Airstream plant on September 9 and 10th, and have several meetings with different departments.

I will therefore, accept any "reasonable question" that someone may have, that needs a factory answer, and will report back to that person and this group, after I return. With that question, please provide a serial number of your coach, in case it may be necessary to review the manufacturing details of that unit.

Hopefully, this matter can be put to rest and we can get back to what Wally saw many years ago. Fellowship is the name of this game, and I for one, believe that it is promoted and elevated by working together, in positive ways, to enhance the ultimate goal and lifestyle of all of it's participants


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Old 08-25-2002, 11:34 AM   #15
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Red face ABOUT LIFE AND CAMPING

LIFE---Quote from my neighbor to all; LIFE IS NOT FAIR; GET OVER IT!!!
CAMPING-- My quote; YOUR NOT CAMPING UNTIL YOUR MISERABLE!!
And I wouldn't have it any other way.........
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Old 08-25-2002, 12:12 PM   #16
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With that question, please provide a serial number of your coach, in case it may be necessary to review the manufacturing details of that unit.



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Andy, I have a question about the AirStream factory archives. On my wall I have a Certificate from Morris Garage which gives the build date of a 58 MGA I rebuilt years ago. I paid a small fee to have the archives searched and provide me the original build date, engine serial numbers, options and colors. The car was built on Oct. 31, 1958. It is black with a orange interior. Not really the car is black with a black interior the orignal was hunter green interior.

Are the Airstream records that good. I would be willing to pay a fee for the information on my trailer, with the proceeds going to VAC or WBCCI.
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Old 08-25-2002, 12:38 PM   #17
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Quote:
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John,

I'm also sure no one ever tried out the shower either.

Jack

From the Airstream Factory Tour.

The drain system is filled and checked for leaks and operation, the fresh water system is pressurized on city water and with the 12-Volt pump, furnaces are heated and refrigerators cooled.
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Old 08-25-2002, 12:52 PM   #18
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Airstreams records would show the day of completion of production of a particular unit.
However, most records, that I know of, were distroyed from pre 70's.
But it's worth a try.


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Old 08-25-2002, 02:39 PM   #19
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Andy- I have been here on this forum since the very beginning, and would truly miss any info that you might impart here. Too much experience not to be shared. If I wasn't 3000 miles from your business I would have visited a long time ago, just to see and learn what I could.
I would expect that any manufacturer may now and again miss the mark on part or all of their products. I love and respect the Porsche company, haved owned a few over the years, and am an avid reader of material on their products. As wonderful and world class as they are for the most part, they have also produced a few "mistakes" which were mechanical nightmares, and even some of their best products have weak areas, like the chain tensioners and plastic air boxes on 911sc models for example. Prone to failure, and corrected after 5 or 6 model years of production.
Anyway- I think we all love our Airstreams and that's why we participate here. Thanks for how much your participation has helped me.
By the way----
It would be great if the factory would tell Fred Hines or someone here what the actual production numbers were on the motorhomes.
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Old 08-25-2002, 03:25 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally posted by Jim Clark



From the Airstream Factory Tour.

The drain system is filled and checked for leaks and operation, the fresh water system is pressurized on city water and with the 12-Volt pump, furnaces are heated and refrigerators cooled.
Yep Jim, I'm sure it put out water when it was tested. My point was practical testing, vs. is liquid coming out the end? I think John's point was concerning the quality of how the water was coming out. The only way you see these things is by taking them out and using them.

Jack
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