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SSquared · 07-06-2015, 10:09 PM

One pothole, two problems

Took our 2013 25FB out for a trip last week. The first leg was down I-25 from Longmont to Monument, in Colorado. This road has lots of bad concrete pavement that causes our rig to porpoise. We usually have our upright cushions fall over, sometimes tumble to the floor, when traveling this road.

This time, we also hit worst pothole we have ever encountered at speed. When we stopped in Monument and opened the trailer door, we found the table had come completely detached from the wall. It was rotated 45 degrees with one corner on the floor. The big seatback cushion that is belongs next to the door was on the floor in the entry way. This cushion has never moved before.

We see that there is nothing but gravity to hold the table in its brackets. Is that the way it is supposed to be? Or perhaps the factory left out a piece on our rig? My wife did a search for table hardware, and found that at least one brand is sold with an extra piece that holds the rod in its brackets, which would prevent the table from coming loose.

After straightening up, we set the fridge from electric to propane, and went to a restaurant for lunch. Upon returning, we found an error code on the fridge. We identified the problem as a possible bad electrode, so we bought and installed a replacement electrode. That got the fridge working.

We assume the bump caused the electrode to fail, though the failure could be unrelated.

cwf · 07-06-2015, 10:21 PM

Wow... they probably know about this, but I would report that to the HWY dept...

Watch your tires VERY closely..

paiceman · 07-07-2015, 05:24 AM

If it were me I would also have the axle alignment checked.

Lily&Me · 07-07-2015, 05:38 AM

I hit a deep road rut in a town yesterday, and my frig popped open.

That has never happened before.

Maggie

AnnArborBob · 07-07-2015, 07:24 AM

It's sad that road conditions are deteriorating so much across the country. Some states do better than others (Florida is a standout in this category.) Unfortunately, most other states do a poor job of maintaining their roads. Our state of Michigan is notoriously bad. On our last trip we noted that Louisiana is giving Michigan a run for it's money in terms of having the worst roads and that Ohio, which used to have pretty good roads, is slipping.

ghaynes755 · 07-07-2015, 08:07 AM

If your table is the type that has a round metal bar that drops into a pair of u-channel brackets on the wall, allows it to drop down to the bed position then there is no safety latch. Big enough vertical movement could pop it out of the catch brackets.

Larry C · 07-07-2015, 12:21 PM

Those brackets can be bent a bit to make the swivel bar more difficult to remove..

Larry

manseyr1 · 07-07-2015, 06:37 PM

I have put many miles on our 27 FB Classic. The table was constantly falling down and disconnecting from the wall and the leg collapsed with just rough roads. I finally fixed the problem by screwing 2 sliding bolt barrels over the wall rod and screwing a hinge hasp into the floor and onto the table leg. This allows the table to fold down when I want it to. I haven't had a problem since.

HiJoeSilver · 07-07-2015, 06:57 PM

Best option on the table is to put it down while traveling. Like stowing sink covers etc. the wall brackets and leg aren't the sturdiest, so putting the table down alleviates lots of potential for damage.

NavyCorpsman · 07-07-2015, 08:56 PM

This past winter all that "global warming" caused months of "global cooling" and it rained and froze (hard), snowed and froze, and most of our roads cracked and heaved. Now when it rains, the asphalt breaks into segments. No sooner than the Hwy Dept pitches a shovelful of hotmix into it, another hole will develop nearby. Big buck whack-a-mole. Or more correctly fill-a-hole.

I saw one last week that looked like an open manhole. And when it rains, it's invisible. Most of the locals know where it is. I pity the unwary traveler.
I do wish I had a Sikorsky Sky Crane to move my AS with. It would take boondocking to a whole new level.

And don't get me started on fuel tax....

jackanddiane · 07-07-2015, 08:59 PM

Or you might trying to slow down a bit

SSquared · 07-08-2015, 09:45 PM

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

manseyr1, did you put your sliding bolts in a vertical or horizontal position? And what do you do with the hinge on the floor when you fold down the table? Do you pull out the hinge pin?

wwhendr · 08-06-2015, 06:59 PM

This is my first post. We just ordered a 27FB and should take delivery in late September. We are also in Longmont so perhaps we can get together and i can learn something from you.

SSquared · 08-06-2015, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwhendr

This is my first post. We just ordered a 27FB and should take delivery in late September. We are also in Longmont so perhaps we can get together and i can learn something from you.

Welcome to AirForums, and welcome to Longmont. PM sent.

For all AS folks in Colorado, I recommend the DenCO unit of WBCCI. They are a good bunch of folks, and we joined as soon as we got our Flying Cloud.

Airstream12557 · 08-07-2015, 04:52 AM

Also, the DenCO WBCCI unit puts on a great rally at Yuma, CO. We went to the Old Threshers last year and it was very enjoyable! It will be coming up in September, as I recall. Well worth attending!

PKI · 08-12-2015, 08:08 PM

We just finished a quick trip from CA to KS and back. Saw a lot of road work projects that will improve conditions on interstate 80/70/40/5 but very few patching efforts. That shovel of hot mix applied by a roving road crew would really help eliminate the big pot holes that ruin your day.

reelfastgreg · 08-15-2015, 09:57 AM

past time for our federal congress to put our tax dollars to work repairing our infrastructure. deteriorating roads and bridges are becoming an ever increasing problem from one coast to the other. unfortunately, those we elected will continue to play games.

NCMEDIC · 08-15-2015, 10:16 AM

Only the peasants use the roads. The elites helicopter hither and yon, on our dime.

Warren

Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

Mvaug45 · 08-15-2015, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PKI

We just finished a quick trip from CA to KS and back. Saw a lot of road work projects that will improve conditions on interstate 80/70/40/5 but very few patching efforts. That shovel of hot mix applied by a roving road crew would really help eliminate the big pot holes that ruin your day.

And supply much need Jobs!

SSquared · 09-19-2015, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSquared

One pothole, two problems

.

We've done two things for the table.

First, we attached the foot to the floor with a hinge. The hinge pin was replaced with a removable clip.

Second, we put a rectangle of rubber material behind each of the tabs in the upper wall brackets. That makes the table more stable in general (it had a tendency to shift when you put even a small amount of weight on the table corners.

We have not been on the road with these modifications yet.