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Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 04:27 PM

Hi
We are in a bit of a fix we have a guy who is transporting a trailer for us
from Phoenix to Galveston for shipping to the uk.
He is on Highway 10 and has got almost as far as Lordsburg New Mexico He has just called to say the belly pan is dropping and he can see a bean
plant and an ants nest that is weighing the belly pan down

The guy knows very little about Airstreams....

we are contacting some pest controllers to get rid of the ants but I'm worried that the belly pan and trailer will get even more damaged... is there any kind person in the area who knows about Airstreams or has some local knowledge who could go and keep an eye on the trailer and advise on how to go about doing this without too much further damage....
A lot to ask I know but its difficult doing this from England....

Please contact me as soon as possible if you can help in any way

Many Thanks

Blu_Hwy_Lady · 08-07-2007, 04:37 PM

A bean plant??? What the?? I think the driver is feeding you a line of bull. How could something grow to any substantial size where there is no light? Plus, an ant's nest? They must be some monstors to weigh down the belly pan. Was the thing sitting in the dirt on the belly pan? I don't see how a substantial amount of dirt could have gotten in any other way... Lordsburg is a loonnng way away from where I am here in New Mexico. Wish I could be of more help because I think you've got a loony driver.

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 04:54 PM

Hi
The guy seems the be on the level and very concerned... lol
He is sending us some pictures.... so we will see! I hope he isn't as loony as the situation sounds... worried sick about it... I think it may be the ants nest that seems to be in the insulation that is weghing it down.
Only wish you were closer as we only have his word for it. This could only happen to us... this is one of those sagas that you dine out on for years to come...lol

Zeppelinium · 08-07-2007, 05:01 PM

If the "ants" are in the insulation, so much the better. A long stick ought to be able to push the insulation off the pan.

The belly pan wouldn't be a big deal to replace--sounds like it's in poor shape anyway. If it's drooping in the front, he needs to somehow get a stick in there and swish the crap off the pan, then use duct tape to hold it up. Otherwise it will act like an air scoop pointed forward.

Drooping in the back isn't as big a deal, but he should still scrape the "stuff" off the pan. If you go to page 3 in this thread
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f437...xle-21438.html
you can see some photos of the underside of my Caravel. This might give you a good idea what your transporter guy is facing. The photos are of a 1970 Caravel.

The pan is often one piece. If yours is a vintage from the 1960s, it also wraps up around the edge to meet the side skin, so it's dang hard to remove--takes a lot of time to drill out the pop rivets and you really don't want to lose it, since the sides are formed to curve around the edges. If it's a 70s model, the belly pan is a flat single piece and the curved edges are provided by what are called banana skins. So taking the 70s pan off is much easier, but still a fair job.

There really isn't a fix unless he has a pop rivet tool and big head rivets. One thing he could do is get some sheet metal screws, probably #8 (are you guys totally metric? that's an old "standard", which I call English, size), but could be #6 or #10, and some washers (if the rivets have pulled out, they leave a hole about 3/16" diameter, so you need a washer). Put the screw in the old rivet hole. He might have to remove the old rivet--sometimes you can do this with a set of slip joint pliers, but usually you need a drill. He only has to replace a few of the rivets to hold the pan up enough. It won't be perfect, but it will get him to Galveston.

Zep

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 05:05 PM

Thank you I will copy your email and send it to him

I will post some pics when I get them... what a nightmare!

vswingfield · 08-07-2007, 05:06 PM

Sorry you are having difficulties long distance. What year and size is the Airstream. The pan on my ’67 Trade Wind rusted (steel) around its fasteners and dropped onto the road returning from a trip, right in front of my driveway! If I had been on the highway I would have never known. If your trailer has done the same thing, it doesn’t take much weight at all for the pan to drop.. Some sort of supplemental bracing or strapping may be in order.

Any idea what kind of bean crop you can expect?

Best of luck, and keep us informed.

Vaughan

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 05:14 PM

Hi
It sure seems like we're havin a heavy bean cr*p ... and we're sure gettin a good sample!
It's a 67 overlander and it seems wot happened to yours is wots happenin to ours

overlander63 · 08-07-2007, 05:46 PM

Absolute worst-case scenario is to take a pair of tin snips, and cut the part that has dropped, toss it inside the trailer, and deal with it when it arrives in England. I have some resources there that may be able to help you, but you will have to get it to them.

vswingfield · 08-07-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dork

Hi
It sure seems like we're havin a heavy bean cr*p ... and we're sure gettin a good sample!
It's a 67 overlander and it seems wot happened to yours is wots happenin to ours

Zep, as always, made excellent suggestions. Karma coming for such a quick and complete post.

I “repaired” mine using lengths of galvanized electrical conduit and the clamps to hold them to the wall. I drilled into the angle iron frame around the black water tank and put pieces of conduit arranged front to back supporting the pan. The conduit is light and the tubular shape is strong.

I also have a bunch of rear facing tubes for rockets for those people who tailgate me with the bright lights on.

Vaughan

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 06:39 PM

We now have pictures and quite a large problem!

Perhaps if nothng else maybe someone can identify the beans....

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 06:44 PM

Thank you all for your suggestions... we have asked him to cut away the ripped pieces under the belly pan and see if he can buy a strap to go right around the trailer to hold what is left together....

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 06:49 PM

Hi
The tin snips sound like a good idea!

Wish we had changed our name... lol

Would be grateful if you could you give the details of your resources please.. looks like we may need them!

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

Absolute worst-case scenario is to take a pair of tin snips, and cut the part that has dropped, toss it inside the trailer, and deal with it when it arrives in England. I have some resources there that may be able to help you, but you will have to get it to them.

overlander63 · 08-07-2007, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dork

Hi
The tin snips sound like a good idea!

Wish we had changed our name... lol

Would be grateful if you could you give the details of your resources please.. looks like we may need them!

Contact Steve Vizard, Airframe Assemblies, Isle of Wight. They should be able to get the aluminum part of your trailer back to rights. I can PM you with his phone number, if you can't find it.

silverback · 08-07-2007, 07:09 PM

From a mesquite tree. My learned southwestern guess is you got critters that make nests. Like some kind of rodents? Or some really strange humans using mesquite pods for belly pan insulation. Unfortunately we're pretty far from Lordsburg too. Maybe somebody south of Tucson or near Las Cruces NM.
Good Luck,
-Ken

**azflycaster** · 08-07-2007, 07:25 PM

Ken is correct, it is from a mesquite tree. Let me know if you need more, my backyard fills up with them every year

. Most likely a rodent was storing them in the pan.

Quote:

Pods are quite sweet and whole pod composition is 80% carbohydrate, 13% protein, 25% fiber, and 3% fat .
Not a significant source of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, vitamins A and C, calcium
or iron. They grind the entire mesquite bean (pod) and producea meal that is 11 percent to 17 percent protein.

I would have the tower keep any panels that have fallen off and remove anything about to fall off. Toss the pods and isulation. Tie and duct tape everything else and keep on trucking.

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 07:30 PM

Thanks Ken... mystery solved

I think its probably rats.. so we got a rats nest, biting ants, mesquite pods and no belly pan

Things are looking up.. We found a guy in El Paso who is going to fumigate for us, the trailer is now in a truck stop instead of an off ramp, some of the crap fell out on the journey and our transport guy is going to strap up the trailer so nothing else falls off

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverback

From a mesquite tree. My learned southwestern guess is you got critters that make nests. Like some kind of rodents? Or some really strange humans using mesquite pods for belly pan insulation. Unfortunately we're pretty far from Lordsburg too. Maybe somebody south of Tucson or near Las Cruces NM.
Good Luck,
-Ken

Alumatube · 08-07-2007, 07:45 PM

I can't think of the critter right now, but there is a type of rat that lives in the desert that collects stuff - the yoyo(?) and a couple other things in the hoard make me think it is that kind of pack rat.

Also, shame on you for trying to sneak such a load of agricultural materials past Customs! Your nefarious plan almost worked, if not for the sharp eye of the truck driver.

Good luck getting everything taken care of. It's a good thing you have such an astute driver!

Susan

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 07:51 PM

Thanks I will give them a call

We also had contact from a company called Maybricks with an offer of help. They must be as mad as us to be awake at this hour.. it's almost 3am here

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

Contact Steve Vizard, Airframe Assemblies, Isle of Wight. They should be able to get the aluminum part of your trailer back to rights. I can PM you with his phone number, if you can't find it.

clancy_boy · 08-07-2007, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dork

Thank you all for your suggestions... we have asked him to cut away the ripped pieces under the belly pan and see if he can buy a strap to go right around the trailer to hold what is left together....

Don't use a strap all the way around the top - may dent the trailer. Just cut off the bad part and replace later or use duct tape once cleaned out to hold it up for now. Not a major issue for shipping to the UK and you can have it fixed later.

Mike

Maybricks · 08-07-2007, 08:01 PM

Hi Susan
We are so lucky to have him, he has done well over and above of what we could ever expect... I would recommend him to anyone who needs a trailer moving, we would be happy to pass on details by pm for anyone who needs a conscientous hauler for their pride and joy

Imagine our suprise if they hadn't been found until they got here....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alumatube

I can't think of the critter right now, but there is a type of rat that lives in the desert that collects stuff - the yoyo(?) and a couple other things in the hoard make me think it is that kind of pack rat.

Also, shame on you for trying to sneak such a load of agricultural materials past Customs! Your nefarious plan almost worked, if not for the sharp eye of the truck driver.

Good luck getting everything taken care of. It's a good thing you have such an astute driver!

Susan