2005 Airstream Skydeck

[israndy]

Oh, sorry, that's not MY home-built Sky Deck. @Big.Larry.Bus is on Instagram and documents making a school bus into a two story RV in the vein of the Sky Deck. BTW, Larry is the name of the bus.

The wood roof would be very heavy, I am actually thinking about artificial grass for my roof.

If you are looking for photos of an ACTUAL Sky Deck you can always find one for sale online. At the moment there is one at Airstream of Chicago:
http://www.airstreamofchicago.com/pr...-390-731892-10

I got the Sky Deck for the dogs that I don't currently have. My expectation is my mum-in-law and our current dog will pass, my wife will retire, and we will get two new dogs and they will need a place to roam when we full-time. Instead of tying their leashes to the bumper they can run up and down, in and out, pee on the "grass" on the roof, and bark their heads off at people walking by and no one will get bit or stolen. When you close the hatch on the Sky Deck it also has a dog-door-sized door that you can leave open.

I prefer the ability to check out the world from on high. My other RV has a big skylight you can climb out, when I hear someone moving in the night outside it's safer to not go out the door as they could have a gun, checking out what's happening from the roof is safer and easier to pack up when ready to go.

I have taken the RV to events like the Reno Air Races. Having chairs and umbrellas on the roof, along with a large stair case makes watching the races just awesome. Run the roof stereo playing back the control tower, move the umbrellas as the day progresses, have a fridge full of drinks. I had some RVers near me jealously try to climb up on their roof, sitting crosslegged between their AC and their vent fan, bleaching out in the sun. Eventually several came by to check out a roof that is *designed* to be partied on.

I am actually thinking about renting it as I have another RV that I use more often. Probably won't do it until next summer, not too many reasons to take an outdoor patio out and about in CA when it's this cold out.

-Randy

[israndy]

Probably because my RV had a wrap on it before I got it, but all my antennas were missing. It was really fun driving it home across country with just an FM radio and yet no antenna.

I have been trying to find a working replacement antenna for those missing but keep buying cheap ones on eBay that look like they will attach to the remaining stud but they don't or they end up sticking straight out.

Finally gave up and decided to buy a straight replacement, but lucked into finding cheap ones at Out Of Doors Mart.

If you need a dash stereo FM antenna, mounted above the entrance door, find the bolt that comes out of the crooked post in the roof next to the AC under the fairing. I had to get ones of those gripper arms and removed the vent next to the passenger front roof speaker. I was able to reach my arm and push the bolt thru the hole and attach the new antenna directly to the old bolt using included hardware.

If you need a roof stereo FM antenna, mounted above the microwave vent, find the bolt hanging down behind the roof stereo. I was able to push the bolt thru the hole and tape it in place. The problem was that the hole was too small for the included hardware. Oddly I came across the original antenna mount in the drawer in the kitchen when I got the RV. I often wondered what those were, but once I saw the new ones I remembered seeing them. The old mount accommodated the new antenna and mounted as cleanly as the front one did.

-Randy

[israndy]

Kidde is sending me a new fire extinguisher, have you checked yours? I called the number on the recall:

Kidde toll-free at 855-271-0773 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday, or online at www.kidde.com and click on “Product Safety Recall” for more information.

I had taken photos of the extinguisher but didn't notice that there is a number on the tank but NOT on the label. That didn't stop the process as I was able to give the man the serial and model number that were on the label (mine is an Elite10) and the VIN of the RV and he is sending me new tanks, actually for both my RVs.


Otherwise things have been going slow. Waiting for rain to confirm that the resealing of the roof went well. I discovered that I had a leak in the caulk around the water heater. Seems I had pulled it thinking it didn't look neat

I got some Goof-off caulk remover and a plastic scraper and started removing the caulk from all the accessory hatches: furnaces, freshwater inlet, and the water heater. I then did a TERRIBLE job of installing caulk, although historically average for me. I HAVE to remember to tape the area off before I start. Next time. Fortunately I used clear caulk so you really have to look.

I even sealed the refrigerator covers as the fiberglass around them seems to bubble in winter, flat all summer, but it puffs up after rain. Well, it puffed up after those being sealed, so I have another leak or another cause I need to figure out.

But yay! Free fire extinguishers, my old one shows empty but never used.

-Randy

[bobmiller1]

You might want to consider a fire suppression system, extinguishers are basically useless on a motor home because you can't get close enough to use one....last resort only Regards, Bob

[israndy]

I think they included them for kitchen fires or if your generator started melting plastic. Or you pass a car on fire...

I did see the pics of the burned up Skydeck and you are right. I have driven my RV up hills in high and almost completely overheated the engine. I have since learned to downshift.

-Randy

[dskoalabear]

Hi I am looking for a Airstream Skydeck if you find/locate one please contact me dskoalabear at yahoo

[israndy]

I own one, but it's nothing I was thinking of selling. I have been fixing it up. Are you looking for a new condition unit, they are 13 years old, so they will likely require fixing up and refreshing.

Mine is a living unit, with the bedroom, bath with washer/dryer, full kitchen and living room and a folding dinner table at the bottom of the stairs going up. A centered grill table with sink at the front of the roof, and a separate stereo for the roof, with folding seating for 16.

They also come in Corporate model that has a lounge instead of bedroom, a second door at the rear, a desk under the staircase, and dual couches in the slide.

Then there is the Bunkhouse model that has two couches in the back that fold down, a condensed bath and two more sleeping areas in bunk arrangement, the front is like mine with full kitchen and living room.

Not sure which of these you are after, there were only ever 27 total units ever produced, so like 3 of each for each year they made them. Lots of the corporate and bunkhouse models were used for promotion and I think Busch still owns a bunch, but I am curious what is going on with them these days...

-Randy

[dskoalabear]

so you are not selling??
Yes I understand that they were only produced in 2005-2006 etc.
I found 2 for sale alittle over a year ago and didnt realize how hard they were to find...then had Hurricane Irma hit and still dealing with damage from that.

I was reaching out to see if you know of one for sale and if so, please let me know.

thanks
debbie ann

[Firedog1]

I also would be interested in purchasing a Skydeck if you hear of one available

[Mike1997]

ISRandy…..I think you might have this info already, but.....the Jeff Gordon fire damaged Skydeck is being parted out by Vison RV in Kentucky. I was there about 2 years ago and they had 4 Airstreams. I wanted the trim around the docking lights but dude refused to sell them unless I took the whole panel for $1000....needless to say that did not happen. I did get another control module for my water heater and some 12v chrome reading lights.

[israndy]

Yeah, they said if I wanted to plastic cover for my door handle I had to buy the whole door which the handle is not even a part of. Jerks

-Randy

[dskoalabear]

I am looking for a Airstream Skydeck...please contact me

[israndy]

pm sent

[sbpriddy]

I'm looking for one of the early-mid 2000s Skydeck. Any color. If anyone knows of one that is for sale and could point me in the direction I would greatly appreciate it

[israndy]

I found issues with mine of fogged windows and water intrusion in the RV, like the top of the steps to the roof were moldy, also the area above the dash got rainwater from the screws that hold the fascia on the front of the roof not being sealed. Actually filled up the soft touch vinyl above the dash with 5 gallons of water, poked a hole and drained it into said bucket. The windows fogging can be expensive to fix. Some people replace the entire window, others disassemble and reseal them. I drilled out the seal and tried to clean them with a brush. Better, but not the best. The fiberglass end cap on the back is in need of resealing, I tried to take the seals apart and re-rivet them but found the following spring that they had popped again. Perhaps I am using weaker rivets than are needed.

All this was caused by cracks in the sealant on the roof. Especially around the staircase. Check that sealant!! Perhaps if mine was kept inside the issue wouldn’t have occured. I have since resealed the entire roof with fiberglass sealant from Dicor. I spoke to a bunch of other owners here who have actually had more dramatic methods of sealing the roof, including one guy who took all the furniture up and had stubs put in and then sealed them to the roof and remounted the furniture to the stubs. I tried to get one of those RV Permanent Roof companies to quote me but none of them would with the furniture up there. Also ended up pulling down all the ceiling vinyl and discovering lots of mold especially near the staircase, but I have a can of Kilz primer to cover it over with.

When I first set it up I wasn’t able to get the ice maker in the fridge to work. Not sure how to winterize those water lines anyway. Just shut them off below the fridge and ignore it. The outside fiberglass area behind the refrigerator looks like it has delaminated when the sun hits it, bubbles out, but when it cools it goes back to being flat. The pole for the awning over the door rusted, the door was filled with mold. The locker under the driver seat that has all the wiring in it fills with water every rainstorm. Looks like there is a channel above the sidewall that ends at the door so any outside rivets that leak drain above the door inside the wall. Also saw leaking in that channel in the crown molding that screws into this channel, left rusty dribbles on the wall fabric. The floor under my passenger seat rotted out, likely from the leaking in the wall. Easy to fix, just removed the seat, pulled up the tiles, cut the particle board out, cut a new piece to fit, screwed it down and primered it. My propane tank rusted and needed to be replaced, sadly I had it professionally repainted and it cost me more than a new tank..! My generator had panels that also rusted and the leading edge of the basement enclosure as well. Lots of scraping and painting. Had to replace one of the side mirrors as it was also rusted. Not cheap.

The big furnace up front didn’t work, turned out to be the dip switch in the front AC was set to No Furnace. I had to de-rivet the sink upstairs and disassemble it, and then the AC, to get to the switch. When I flipped it the front furnace turned on for the first time ever! But it was in FL for most of it’s life so no one probably noticed. Also discovered that the generator switch in the bedroom was wired backwards, it never worked, but when I took the switch out and shorted the wires it worked, I took the one in the hall out and compared and wired it up the same as that and now they all work.

One of the tank dump valves failed, and I couldn’t figure out how to replace it, but I was able to just take another valve from the hardware store and remove it’s interior and swap it for the valve in the RV. Now I don’t lose all my fresh water while I am driving. The CD changer above the entry step was dead when I got it. Oh and the step cover didn’t work, but they adjusted the pressure at the switch and it works now. The fire extinguisher was under recall from Kidde, I sent them the serial number and they sent me a new one. The entry step has always been a problem. Perhaps it’s the switch near the door, but sometimes I cannot get it to come in, others it won’t go out. Always a problem when I NEED it to do something, the rest of the time it’s fine. annoying! The microwave was damaged by the guys that sold me the RV. I just pulled it an put in a bigger unit. Cannot wait for it to fall off the wall as I drive down the highway.

The fresh water sensor gives an error and I have run out of water a few times. The company that made it sent me an entire new kit but when I put it in I get the same issue. I have yet to figure out the problem, but at least I have enough parts to. The sink faucet in the bath clogged up, but upon removal it was obvious how to clean it out. Had to replace all the struts on the basement and the engine cover under the bed, no biggy. The keyfobs didn’t work, perhaps they were from another RV, and the deadbolt key was missing. Deadbolt worked while driving fine. I did’t like the plastic toilet on such an expensive RV so I had the dealer put a ceramic one in, but they left off the floor tile under it, guess they couldn’t get it back, kinda ugly and hard to clean now…

All the positioning light outlets on the perimeter of the roof pop open when I am away. I always close them and they are always open to the sky the next time I see them. Fortunately no rust as they are marine grade. The speakers up there failed with age and I had to replace a missing antenna but otherwise the stereo works up there. Oddly not connected to the stereo inside. There is an alarm light on the dash that shows if the roof furniture isn’t folded down, but my position switch has failed so I don’t see that indicator. Thinking about just putting a camera up there and feeding the backup monitor with it. One of the motors to fold the furniture failed, but I found the manufacturer and replaced it with a new one. Sadly I bent the actuator during reinstall so it now isn’t entirely straight and I am not strong enough to bend it back. The other bent thing is the escape window in the bedroom. It won’t lock, looks like it’s locked, doesn’t move when driving, but if you push hard on it, or pry from outside it opens right up.

I finally broke down and put a solar panel on the roof as I was spending too much time trying to recharge the batteries that hadn’t been used but were low the next time I visited the RV in storage. I have even put a switch on the chassis batteries after I killed one so it wouldn’t be used, but the solar with two controllers works best for keeping the batteries topped up. I tried to put a tarp over the entire coach the first year to protect it from the sun and rain, but it actually filled up with rainwater like a swimming pool. Had to bail it out. Perhaps I could put boards across the roof under the tarp or something. When it snows the roof fills with snow so I have a snow shovel behind the couch, but the roof doesn’t seem to sag under that weight. The rainwater was incredibly heavy, thankfully no damage from that.

It’s almost like a second home all the things that can go wrong.

[sbpriddy]

Wow, I greatly appreciate all the info. I will have so many good things to ask/check if I decide to still get one.

Thanks again Randy

[israndy]

I don't think the number of items is much more than most RVs. You always need to keep your roof and perimeter sealed. There will be some appliance issues and some wear and tear. This is a Thor RV that was released thru Airstream, but it's not like it was a one and done, Thor makes all kinds of diesel pushers, so they know what they are doing.

The Skydeck is a majestic RV, the extra 2.5' at the top makes it a real head-turner w/o spending the real big bucks for some of those Extreme RVs. Having an additional place to go that is the size of the RV but doesn't get you dirty and that is positioned so high is phenomenal. When I have gone places with mine I see other RVers trying to climb on their roof because I make it look like fun. It's NOT on most RVs. And I have a full-length patio rail, wet bar and built-in stereo, umbrella mounts all around so I can move the umbrellas as the sun moves, marine position lights in addition to the footwell lights to the party going into the night and seating for sixteen people! There is space up there for a grill and a satellite receiver. Heck, you can store your kyacks and umbrellas and a ton of other things up there when your travel. AND it has a full heated basement. I think this could easily be a 4-season RV with it's thick insulation and double-pane windows, other than collecting snow on the roof.

With the 105-gallon water tank, you can be off grid for many days and with the 150-gallon diesel and 42-gallon propane tanks you are not going to run out of heat or power.

[bobmiller1]

Well said, we are looking forward to our trip to Idaho next summer with the 396XL, then I think I will sell it. I have a full list of improvements to finish on it over the winter including the 6 new Michelin tires. I’m waiting for the new 7/16” laminated glass, got all the new sunroof covers and ordered the new water reel. Regards, Bob

[sbpriddy]

Oh cool, well have fun with that trip next summer! Reach out when you want to sell it, that'll line up perfectly with when we will be moving and want to finally be able to get one.

Feel free to text or call when the time comes.
940-395-8588

[israndy]

Originally Posted by bobmiller1

I’m waiting for the new 7/16” laminated glass

Is this some new technology that prevents the glass from fogging up?