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jman230 · 04-06-2016, 03:23 PM

Hello, me and the wife just bought a new 2016 22FB to replace our 1972 31' Sovereign. We really liked the floorplan of the Sport over the other single axle models.

One concern is the lack of a rear bumper on the Sports. I know that weight was a concern in the design, but I have seen some used Sports for sale with salvage titles due to rear end damage. Seems a light hit would be the end for it if it happened.

I believe there is an optional bumper available. Has anyone installed one that can say what is involved? Is it bolt on or weld on? Any opinions would be welcome.

Boxite · 05-03-2016, 01:49 PM

I installed a factory rear bumper on our 22' Safari Sport and cannot see how the PO did without it.
The cost was $1K. The delivery date was 4 weeks. The install directions are clear and easy to understand.
The hard part was in the details. Firstly, it is a bolt-on...no welding required. But the bolts they provide are supposedly self-tapping, i.e., you drill the holes in the frame and install the bolts. Unfortunately those bolts are not sufficiently hardened and twisted-off (and I used common hand-tools...not impact wrenches which would certainly have instantly destroyed them.)
To correct that cheap hardware problem, I drilled additional holes (beside the previously-drilled holes which are now filled with twisted-off cheap AS bolts) and tapped them with a tap, then installed graded-8 bolts. The error is not visible and causes no real harm... it's just disappointing those supplied bolts are not better quality. (Using a drill one-letter or 1/32nds larger might solve this problem.)
The only other issue was being certain the bumper was level fore/aft as well as side-to-side, which was accomplished using a floor-jack to pre-stress the channels which slide into the open-ends of the AS frame. (Instructions describe this method and have you cut openings in the plastic banana-wrap, then seal it afterwards using black GE silicone. This actually was good advice and worked very well.)
Be careful when drilling the final holes in the bumper itself for the Cam-locks for the storage compartment lid. You want to close the lid and mark the spot accurately first.
I also did not like the storage-lid support-strut. It was cheap and would be easily damaged, so I substituted a marine companionway support-spring from West Marine. MUCH better.
I would advise anyone without a rear bumper to perform this modification. It's truly a good one!

jman230 · 05-03-2016, 03:19 PM

Thank you for the very detailed reply, sounds like a worthwhile modification.

joekr · 05-03-2016, 04:45 PM

I had no idea this was even available! How much storage space is in the bumper? Do you have some pictures Boxite?

I'd love some more space but it's really tough to tell the dimensions of the storage compartment..

Boxite · 05-04-2016, 07:50 PM

Here's a pic from an online ad:

http://airstreaminfo.com/wp-content/...s/bummper1.png

Boxite · 05-05-2016, 12:58 AM

OK and here's another kit offered for the 22' Bambi
http://airstreamsupply.com/New-Airst...roduct_id=1094

This page offers several kits... the difference, if any, is unclear between the 22' and the 16' ... anyway...
http://airstreamsupply.com/New-Airst...xterior?page=2

I'd still attempt to get it from Andy at InlandRV if I had it to do over.

Belbein · 05-25-2016, 06:30 PM

I insisted on a rear bumper on our Sport 22 right out of the dealership. Got it, took it camping, backed into a tree. Bumper looks like crap now, but the back of the trailer looks fine.

Boxite · 08-20-2016, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joekr

I had no idea this was even available! How much storage space is in the bumper? Do you have some pictures Boxite?

I'd love some more space but it's really tough to tell the dimensions of the storage compartment..

Here's a list of what I have stored in mine:
Complete sewer hose. Roadside flares. Fire Ant poison. Spare Flashlight. Trouble light. Roadside triangles (Collapsible). Awning pole. Firelighter. Few handtools. Rubber gloves. Spare fire extinguisher.

PatSoozy · 01-12-2018, 06:14 PM

The 16 foot is wider than the 22 foot. Funny that the bumper for the 22 is more expensive.

Boxite · 01-13-2018, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatSoozy

The 16 foot is wider than the 22 foot. Funny that the bumper for the 22 is more expensive.

I presume that since the wider Airstreams are more common than the 7'7" width Airstreams... that the less-common bumper is therefore more costly.
It took me a day or two to convince myself to buy one... but I'd never do without one again now that I've experienced the utility and protection.

PatSoozy · 02-09-2018, 03:32 PM

I went ahead and asked our selling dealer to install a bumper before we pick up our 22 Foot sport in April. I hope it ships in time. The labor is a bit pricey, but for a new trailer, I don't want to mess it up. Since we are not terribly experienced backing up a trailer, it seems like a good precaution to make and we will have extra space for the sewage hose attachments that won't fit in the cylinder mounted underneath the trailer. We also ordered a back up camera as this unit did not have one pre installed.

waninae39 · 02-09-2018, 04:59 PM

i tried to order it

they want 200% of list just to ship

AVOID this supplier

UPS Worldwide Express - $1,607.13

Boxite · 02-10-2018, 02:17 PM

I should have been more descriptive of the installation. It's really straightforward.
The trailer frame is a rectangular tube, and the bumper kit includes rectangular tubing which slips inside the trailer frame from the aft end. It's easy to do.... locate where the frame ends at the aft bannana wrap... cut rectangle-holes at the aft end of the frame in that plastic wrap to expose the hollow ends of the frame's rectangular tubing. Insert the tubes from the kit and while laying beneath the trailer drill holes UP thru the bottom of the frame into the inserted tubing and screw in self-tapping bolts. (I ended up adding two more per side of grade-8 bolts into holes I tapped, also.) Anyway, the four bolts snug the inner tubing to the bottom of the original frame-tubing. Attach the bumper to the aft ends of the protruding tubing with supplied counter-sunk machine screws.
Just before final tightening of the main/grade-8 bolts... level the bumper with a floor jack or other means...then tighten the bolts. Drop the storage "box" between the new extensions formed by the kit's tubing and secure it with the provided hardware. Seal the edges of the bannana wrap to the bumper tubing where it exits the frame.
Drill two 1/4" holes for the Cam-locks for the storage lid and install the spring-loaded cams. Install the lid-support.
Step back and admire and wonder how you ever did without this thing!

Skybear46 · 02-11-2018, 09:23 AM

I ordered the AS factory bumper from my dealer a couple of weeks ago and paid $679.00 + $39.00 frt. Am having an RV specialist/repair outfit do the installation as they've done my solar and other add on accessories and saved me much time and money.

Msherw · 02-12-2018, 08:21 AM

Will any of these aftermarket bumpers support a bike rack?

Boxite · 02-12-2018, 10:32 AM

I'd say "no". Bike racks on the rear end of Airstreams are hazardous at best, IMO. Put them up front or on the TV.

Msherw · 02-12-2018, 05:10 PM

Boxite that was my thought but wife asked me to ask. Our TV is an SUV so just not going to try to put them up on top. Whew. I prefer walking in RV parks.

PatSoozy · 02-13-2018, 07:58 AM

I asked my installer and he recommended against it because factory bumpers are welded where this aftermarket bumper will be bolted on. There is a good front mount bike rack available. We are waiting to see if our available tongue weight will accommodate it first before we try that though. The posted tongue weight for the 22 FB is 393 pounds, but I’m still not sure if that is with filled bottles and a loaded trailer. We will load up and weigh first and then decide on how to carry our bikes. Might have to add a roof top carrier.

Skybear46 · 02-13-2018, 08:17 AM

We would be interested in hearing about the tongue mounted bike rack and how it performed. Seems to me with SUV lift gate, filling propane tanks, etc. a roof mount would work the best. We were also advised by the dealer not to use the bumper with a bike rack.

Msherw · 02-13-2018, 03:09 PM

Yep but the SUV is tall and I ain't. So roof mount is out. Looked at the tongue bike rack and said, no way. Plus the tongue rack is expensive as in $800 if memory serves me.

So bikes stay home for us anyway.