2015 22' Sport - We Made Some Changes

[Frank&Mike]

Linda - the table modification you made looks great. I bet that really opened up that walkway very much. Great job!

[sck]

We have had our Sport for a week (had to drive an hour last night to quickly move it to cover as a hail storm blew thru south of Austin- I could just envision all those dings!) Anyway, I am totally impressed with all the ideas! Now I just need to get going and slowly implement a few. Thank you so much for all your help. (yes we did order the rock guards yesterday and they do come from Europe and it may be 6 weeks before we get them. Can't believe Airstream doesn't make them a standard item)

[sck]

Frank, Mike (and everyone else)
Thanks for all the great idea on how to make our 22ft Sports more accommodating. I hope stupid questions are allowed! I am the dreamer, helping, coordinator in our home and my husband works to implement and do the actual conversion (and he (and I) still busy trying to read all the basic info we need to know) Just for future reference a few questions on the supplies needed will drilling into an airstream:
1. Do you use a certain type of drill bit when drilling into the walls? (do you check diagrams or anything to be sure there isn't any wiring, plumbing etc?)
2. Do you use an particular reinforcement in the hole once you've drilled it ( for items like the toilet paper holders, towel racks (or is it all like working in your own home)
3. Why length piano hinge did you order and were do you order them?

I am sure we will have more questions and I truly appreciate all your advice and suggestions. Thank you!

[Frank&Mike]

Originally Posted by sck

Frank, Mike (and everyone else)
Just for future reference a few questions on the supplies needed will drilling into an airstream:
1. Do you use a certain type of drill bit when drilling into the walls? (do you check diagrams or anything to be sure there isn't any wiring, plumbing etc?)
2. Do you use an particular reinforcement in the hole once you've drilled it ( for items like the toilet paper holders, towel racks (or is it all like working in your own home)
3. Why length piano hinge did you order and were do you order them?

All questions and ideas are absolutely welcome. Questions give each of us the opportunity to think of new ideas to make our Airstreams more accommodating and suitable for each of our unique needs. So please ask questions and make suggestions. To answer your questions:

1. I use the same drill bits I use around the house ... but I do make sure to use very short drill bits to ensure they don't penetrate the outer skin. I try to not allow the drill bit to extend any further than 1/4 inch beyond the drill if I'm drilling into an exterior wall.
2. Most components (toilet paper holder, towel rack, etc.) that I've relocated within the Airstream were anchored to the Airstream with traditional screws, so I have used the same screws when relocating those components ... BUT ... exercise caution in selecting what you use to anchor any component ... taking into consideration again what you're going to anchor that component to).
3. When I modified the bed to enable it to lift, I purchased a 72 inch piano hinge at Home Depot.

Hope this helps.

[Rpatrick16]

Personally, I would hesitate drilling into the "interior skin" of my trailer. With that said, I've "hung" a lot of personal art/photos on the interior walls and plastic panels. I used "double sided sticky tape" that I bought at Lowes/Home Depot. It comes in small pre-cut lengths. It is very effective and you don't need to use very much of it to mount something to the interior skin. Nice thing about this stuff is that when removed it leaves no residue.

[Piggy Bank]

Agree very much with Patrick. I just don't have the heart to use a permanent fastener to anything.

I also agree that removing adhesive is not that big of a deal. I took down the white memo board and put up a nice picture. Used dental floss behind the board to "saw" it off. It was affixed from the factory with foam double sided tape. I then used goof off and then rubbing alcohol to remove the adhesive. Then I hung the picture (in a lightweight Ikea frame with plastic in place of glass) with adhesive velcro.

I have used adhesive hooks for bath items.

I plan to move the TP holder like Frank and Mike did, and will probably use adhesive instead of a screw for that, just to avoid a hole.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I use the 3M automotive type two sided tape; It holds better than the white stuff and doesn't split down the middle during removal. [or failure] Automotive body shops use fishing string to remove the items and the tape can sometimes be removed by rubbing at the end with your fingers and rolling as you go. No chemicals needed.

[Frank&Mike]

But ... the reality is that ... adhesive strips won't mount roller shades.

[Piggy Bank]

Frank and Mike,
I agree with you. And your shades look marvelous!

[Frank&Mike]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Frank and Mike,
I agree with you. And your shades look marvelous!

Thank you It turns out they were really easy to install.

[Boxite]

Airplanes are made of sheet aluminum. Airplanes are held together with rivets (just like Airstreams) and sheet metal screws (just like Airstreams) and sheet metal screws will hold your pictures and toilet paper to the walls.
I installed two more towel racks (from HomeDespot) on the back of our bathroom door, but that door is hollow-foam-filled veneer and the weight of towels while travelling will loosen the racks and damage the door.
So I used "binder posts" and drilled through the door to mount the racks. Problem solved.
I installed a full length dress-mirror on our bath door also... but facing the dinette...not the bathroom...for dressing and making the interior of the AS appear roomier.
Great idea on the toilet paper relocation. I hate the distance from the toilet seat to the OEM location on the lav cabinet door. Thanks for the good suggestion.
WARNING to 22' Sport owners on that accordion shower door: AS failed to properly seal with silicone the lower track and the ends will leak water to a point beneath the shower and it will ooze out onto the vinyl floor in front of the shower and rot the floor. It LOOKS completely sealed...but it's NOT. The "floor" of that track is not sealed at the ends.
Fix: Remove the lower curtain track completely, clean the area, and properly re-seal it with genuine GE Silicone II. (This leak may fool you into believing the shower drain/sewer line has a leak, but it's actually that shower curtain lower track.) This is a wide-spread assembly-line error committed by AS on all these models.

[FCStreamer]

Did you have to drill new holes to install these?

Originally Posted by Frank&Mike

Yes, absolutely, very happy to share the information. Following is the direct link to the shades:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?qu...t+roller+blind

They come in white, gray and black. We chose the gray so the attached photos reflect the SKU for gray. The 22 foot Sport requires 5 shades if you replace each of the blinds. So the attached photos reflect the SKUs for the 5 sizes.

Hope this helps.

[Frank&Mike]

Originally Posted by FCStreamer

Did you have to drill new holes to install these?

I was able to use some of the existing holes ... but did have to drill a few new holes.

[Frank&Mike]

Originally Posted by Boxite

I installed a full length dress-mirror on our bath door also... but facing the dinette...not the bathroom...for dressing and making the interior of the AS appear roomier.

WARNING to 22' Sport owners on that accordion shower door: AS failed to properly seal with silicone the lower track and the ends will leak water to a point beneath the shower and it will ooze out onto the vinyl floor in front of the shower and rot the floor. It LOOKS completely sealed...but it's NOT. The "floor" of that track is not sealed at the ends.
Fix: Remove the lower curtain track completely, clean the area, and properly re-seal it with genuine GE Silicone II. (This leak may fool you into believing the shower drain/sewer line has a leak, but it's actually that shower curtain lower track.) This is a wide-spread assembly-line error committed by AS on all these models.

Good suggestion on the mirror facing the dinette (I've debated installing one on that side as well ... and very good suggestion to everyone on that shower curtain track needing sealant (we had ours addressed twice at the dealership for this issue).

[sck]

Any suggestions on the need for equalizer bars on the hitch. We are planning a cross county trip from TX to western Canada and haven't towed our AS but a few short trips. We have a 22 ft, single axle AS and a newer truck with a tow package and off road suspension

[FCStreamer]

Originally Posted by Frank&Mike

I was able to use some of the existing holes ... but did have to drill a few new holes.

Thanks! That's the only thing that gives me pause - drilling holes into the interior skin. You said it was easy, and I believe you, but I am a bit paranoid when it comes to that...

[lindaebrewer]

Originally Posted by sck

Any suggestions on the need for equalizer bars on the hitch. We are planning a cross county trip from TX to western Canada and haven't towed our AS but a few short trips. We have a 22 ft, single axle AS and a newer truck with a tow package and off road suspension

OMGosh! Yes.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by sck

Any suggestions on the need for equalizer bars on the hitch. We are planning a cross county trip from TX to western Canada and haven't towed our AS but a few short trips. We have a 22 ft, single axle AS and a newer truck with a tow package and off road suspension

You can start a war with opinions on that subject,...
I've towed quite happily with a standard hitch, no WD or sway ctrl... but loading the trailer properly. In my own opinion, the bambi's don't need it generally. Rough roads, deep dips, tight turns, backing up.... are all a problem with them.
Try it without WD and if you don't like it... you can always buy into the WD market later.

[Rpatrick16]

Originally Posted by sck

Any suggestions on the need for equalizer bars on the hitch. We are planning a cross county trip from TX to western Canada and haven't towed our AS but a few short trips. We have a 22 ft, single axle AS and a newer truck with a tow package and off road suspension

I am by no means an expert on this but have learned a lot in the short time I've owned my new 22FB. I pull with a Ford Explorer that has the tow package so my experiences are going to be different (incidentally Ford "requires an equalizer hitch" above 3000#).

Since I'm not sure what size your truck is some of what I am about to suggest may be useless you to.

The important thing I've learned is that your trailer really needs to be level when towing. If the front is higher than the rear your plumbing is going to be in "peril" as it will scrape the travel surface.

Another thing I've learned in talking with those that pull via a "pickup" and don't have "equalizers" they have complained about a "rocking motion"...when the TV hits un-even surfaces. Since an "equalizer hitch" transfers about a third of the trailer weight to the rear wheels of the TV, providing a "smoother ride".

I have to acknowledge there seems to be a lot of different opinions on this subject as my son drives a Ram 2500 and is convinced they are not necessary.

Your about to make a rather long trek and the addition of a "equalizer" set up could be money well spent. Good luck coming to a decision.

[Piggy Bank]

My 2 cents.

Since the weights on the 22 are not that much (relatively), the weight distribution may or may not be important.

But sway control is always important.

I feel for 2 reasons.

1 is that it can help keep you out of trouble.

2 is that we live in a country where when things go wrong, someone is always looking to sue somebody. I feel by using a WDH and sway control, that no one in a court of law could say that I hadn't properly equipped my rig. I advised my co-worker with a very small vintage scotty the same thing. She agreed. Why make yourself a target for those who would be looking for a reason for me to pay for their mistakes?