The ½ hour trip to “All Wheel Alignment”, took 3 hours! Had the rims/tires balanced, the tires look good, but are 10 year old, so I will need to keep a real close eye on them. And will replace before we go on any long trips.
I want to put 45 degree down angle axles on the Old Girl. This would raise the trailer 5” in height, the RV tech thinks that may be too high and will talk to Dexter tomorrow and see if other Airstream owners have used the 45 degree down angle…. I am heading to the “Axle threads” to see if I can pickup some Intel for my meeting with the All Wheel RV tech tomorrow morning;
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Trex,
I put the 22.5 axle on the Bambi. Had to do a little welding and drilling, took a couple of days to complete in the cold weather. My only regret is that I didn't replace the axle while the shell was of the frame. Some of us have to do things the hard way. My old rims didn't fit with the changed bolt pattern, and I got to buy tires too!
Tim
Rex, the 32 degree down is available even though it is not on the order form. When you call Dexter and confirm that this is still true. I was able to get 32 down.
Trex,
I put the 22.5 axle on the Bambi. Had to do a little welding and drilling, took a couple of days to complete in the cold weather. My only regret is that I didn't replace the axle while the shell was of the frame. Some of us have to do things the hard way. My old rims didn't fit with the changed bolt pattern, and I got to buy tires too!
Tim
Thanks for the info Beaker....All Wheel said that I can get the same bolt pattern. I hope they know what they are talking about! I was looking at a Thread last nite in the "Axle section" of this forum. The guy was showing in photos his new and old tires. I am trying to recall.... okay, I am going to bring his thread up on another window here, standby. Anyway he went with the Dexters #10, and from a ST tire to an LT tires. Plus new wheels...
The bottom line is, maybe bigger is not alway better, when it comes to axles, and you need to think about the tires, wheels, and axles together as a package. Off to All Wheel again, I am having them repair the brakes on my Dodge 2500....its time.
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Not a good day bad news concerning my tow vehicle, approx.
$2,000 in parts and labor needed. Brakes, one hub, ball joints needed. Looks like new axles will be on the back burner for a month or so. Next, I broke my new drill, (from Harbor Freight), thats what I get for buying a cheap drill. I was drilling self-taping screws into angle aluminum, trying to finish the sofa installation.
On a lighter note, I hooked up the propane and 120/12v power to the fridge and removed the old D-ring weather stripping around the access door to the fridge.
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Rex sorry to hear about the TV. At least now with the fridge working you'll have somewhere to keep the cold ones while working on the trailer.
Chris.
Thanks Chris, I wish I was like my federal Government, and just simply print more money when I need it! My truck is 11 years old and I don't have a monthly truck payment, so a $2,000 hit once every two years or so is better then a $500 a month new truck payment! Can't undercut safety, so it is what it is...the cost of pulling a trailer full of fun!
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Had a good day... built the face frame for the sofa today. First task was to make a scribe with a pencil and a 1 1/2" block of birch. Scribed wall line to my template then used template to scribe to 12"x8' long 3/4" plywood. Fits like a glove on both sides of the trailer walls.
Once I had the plywood cut and fitted, I cut the rest of the Red Birch
1 1/2" sticks to use as the framework for the Seagrass wallpaper. Sanded and stained.... good to go!
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Nice work, Rex. I like the idea of the hide a bed in the front. Are you having the cushions made and upholstered?
Yes I am having a local upholster sew the cushions. I am going to use the old twin bed foam, (Approx. 8 thick), to make the seat cushions, the back piece, and arms of the sofa. All I need is an electric carving knife from Wal-Mart.
Today was very weird. I found myself in Three Banjo Land just five miles from my house. It was like I was on a scavenger hunt looking for a new fan motor for the fridge.
It started at All Wheel Alignment and ended at Ace hardware. The story is too long to tell, but the bottom line is I found a 12v plug-in fan at Ace hardware that will work as a replacement fan, and I think I won the scavenger hunt for the day.
Well.... my truck cost was $1,800. for brakes, rotors, drums turned, and ball joints. Not as much as I first thought. But the quote for the Airstream axles was so high, I backed away from that deal at All Wheel.
The first day they said that there was no cost for shipping, next day there was a $125 to ship. First day they said axles were $300. for axles, and maybe $125 more for "full" axles. The next day after they made phone calls to Airstream and Dexter. The cost for "full" axles w/drums, brakes, etc. was $800 per axle, and a total cost with install was over $3000!
I talked to some other folks in the RV business here in the Redding area and most said that "All Wheel" does really good work, but their parts cost are high. This information came from more than one of the other RV shops.
Anyways, another forum member suggested that I call Colin Hyde in up-state NY. Which I did....his cost for 3500 GVW axles is $1000 delivered to Redding for two "full" axles. I am back to doing the install, but I have some RV techs just down the road from my house who are willing to make a "house call" if I need them.
Here are some photos from yesterday that didn't come thur the first time I posted them. Fridge fan motor...
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Had a good day... finished the face plate for the sofa and installed, (the seagrass wallpaper looks great). Put up the rest of the new curtains. And using my new carving knife, cut down one of twin beds to fit the sofa.
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Here's the photos of our new TV, mounted in the Old Girl. Also installed the panels that encase the fridge.
I am looking for a photo of the original fridge and the framework around fridge, for a 72/31' soverereign.... if you have said photo, can you post here, thanks
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Trex,
I paid a little over 500 for a single axle with brakes and bearings. Had to pick it up from the Dexter dealer, about 30 miles away. Shipping costs from other suppliers were prohibitive.
Nice job on the curtains.
Tim
Trex,
I paid a little over 500 for a single axle with brakes and bearings. Had to pick it up from the Dexter dealer, about 30 miles away. Shipping costs from other suppliers were prohibitive.
Nice job on the curtains.
Tim
Thanks Tim.... As you may have already guessed. The Bunny picked the curtains, and had a friend of hers, sew them. We are both very happy w/curtains.
Man-O-Man! The cost of axles is all over the place. But I feel Colin Hyde is going to work out best for me. And I think, (and hope), it will be a fun day when I install the axles.
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
Today I finished installing the propane lines to the Fridge, oven/stove, and a shut-off fitting for the heater... the Heater is not installed yet, fridge and stove work great.
Also cut and installed, two stainless steel door panels for the fridge, (I need to buy some stainless steel cleaner tomorrow, any suggestions?).
Picked up the flooring at the Home Depot... Allure, traffic master, fake banboo. Got 5 boxes of flooring, 24 sq. ft per box. Should cover the 96 sq ft, plus 10%...
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"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you." -the Stranger-
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"Airstream Nomad"
My truck is 11 years old and I don't have a monthly truck payment, so a $2,000 hit once every two years or so is better then a $500 a month new truck payment! Can't undercut safety, so it is what it is...the cost of pulling a trailer full of fun! 
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