tail droop in 27' models?

[jrousell]

I am looking at a 72 overlander.

Is the tail-droop issue less of an issue with the 27' models compared to the 31' models of this era?


I am aware of some of the other gotchas like the absense of grey-water and looking for signs of leaks and rotted floors... checking applicances, and suspension/tires etc....

but the tail-droop thing kinda has me more worried when looking at airstreams...

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by jrousell

I am looking at a 72 overlander.

Is the tail-droop issue less of an issue with the 27' models compared to the 31' models of this era?


I am aware of some of the other gotchas like the absense of grey-water and looking for signs of leaks and rotted floors... checking applicances, and suspension/tires etc....

but the tail-droop thing kinda has me more worried when looking at airstreams...

Have someone stand on the rear bumper.

Have them jump up and down.

Look for the frame as it enters the rear of the shell, to move downward from the shell.

If there is movement, then there is rear end separation, to some degree.

The further it moves, the greater the problem.

Andy

[SteSpot]

As well as a rotten rear bath floor............it also had some type of rack on the rear bumper--perhaps a tire carrier........pj

[tphan]

The floor rot and shell/frame separation kind of go hand in hand. Once you have any separation, this allows rainwater to get into the end-grain of the floor plywood, making it worse. The fix typically involves replacing the last full sheet of plywood, and then jacking up the rear end of the trailer so frame and shell are tight, then re-bolting the entire rear end through the wall bottom channel, reinforcing plates in that channel, the plywood floor, and any and all outriggers, frame members, and reinforcing plates beneath the floor. Then plenty of pop rivets through the interior wall skin that you took off, through the 'studs" and bottom channel. Then a good quality caulk all along where the shell meets the bumper storage compartment. Should last many years after this fix! Good luck!