55' Overlander - New Frame, New Tanks, New Axles!

[Shiny Rivets]

Hello all, over the last summer we have started the journey of restoring our 1955 Overlander. As most things do on this forum, one thing led to another and we are now fabricating a new frame, new axles etc.

We decided to go to a 5in frame with the two main frame beams being 11ga steel. Looking to have the midspan crossmembers bent out of 14ga sheet metal along with the outriggers by a fab shop.

About to place the order for the steel, tanks and axles, so have lots of questions with all the freedom making a new frame provides.

We are going to be running a composting toilet and plan to do allot of boon-docking. Trying to figure out how the tanks are situated in the frame. Wanted to do tanks within the frame, either two grey tanks and put the fresh under the bed or one fresh and one grey all under the floor.

I see that the newer trailers have small angle irons running front to back possibly to support the floor. I don’t have this in the current design but could add it.

I was looking at this tank: https://vintagetrailersupply.com/55-...70-75-vts-641/

Would that be a good idea given the cutouts in place or is there a better way to do this?

Was going to get Dexter torsion axles that are not airstream specific and mount them to the frame without that large axle plate for the airstream ones. Still more figuring out to do on this….

Please hit me with any wisdom, critique or suggestions!

[Bubba L]

Congratulations on the 55 and welcome. I’m partial to whale tails. Concerning the tanks, weight distribution is important. On our 55 we placed one grey water tank forward of the axle and one aft. That helped with balance having a single axle. In your case, I would do the same and add the freshwater tank also forward of the axle. Chances are you won’t be traveling with full tanks anyway. We also have a composting toilet. I use a macerator pump at the dump station to drain the tanks. Works quickly. I also have a manual valve for the tanks in the event the pump fails. You could use the 4” high tanks and have room to run your PVC drain lines concealed in your belly pan with a 5” frame. If your tongue weight is too light, some people add water to the freshwater tank for balance, if needed. Just a few thoughts.
This looks like a fun project. Keep us posted and good luck.

[57Vintage]

Welcome to the forums. Looking forward to following your progress.

I would suggest you do 2 GW tanks if you want to boondock a lot.

In looking at the dimensions of the FW tank you're considering: Will it fit between your frame rails? The 55" dimension is side to side and I believe your frame rails are narrower than that. I don't recall that it would fit in my 58.

I stayed with the leaf spring suspension, so I'm not the that familiar with the torsion axle. Suggest you discuss with someone such as Colin Hyde about the axle plates used by Airstream before ordering. Colin's a good source for ordering axles.

https://sites.google.com/colinhydetr...torations/home

What are your plans for electric? If you plan on adding much more than original you might want to take a look at my thread. I buried a lot of runs in the belly pan.

Solar?

Keep the photos coming. Have fun.

[Shiny Rivets]

Thank you both for the insights! I'll dig into the electrical. The frame is 55 3/4, so that tank just sneaks in.

I have a probably bad idea of slapping 4 of those tanks in for mega water storage. I know its 1500lbs of water if all 4 are full, but 750lbs seems more reasonable.

I come from boating and just hate short showers :P

Originally Posted by 57Vintage

Welcome to the forums. Looking forward to following your progress.

I would suggest you do 2 GW tanks if you want to boondock a lot.

In looking at the dimensions of the FW tank you're considering: Will it fit between your frame rails? The 55" dimension is side to side and I believe your frame rails are narrower than that. I don't recall that it would fit in my 58.

I stayed with the leaf spring suspension, so I'm not the that familiar with the torsion axle. Suggest you discuss with someone such as Colin Hyde about the axle plates used by Airstream before ordering. Colin's a good source for ordering axles.

https://sites.google.com/colinhydetr...torations/home

What are your plans for electric? If you plan on adding much more than original you might want to take a look at my thread. I buried a lot of runs in the belly pan.

Solar?

Keep the photos coming. Have fun.

[57Vintage]

I understand your desire for the max H2O. But, considering the weight and if you plan on towing with the Rover, I suspect you may exceed tow and tonque limits. Just a reminder to keep this in mind. Doing these reno's is like a spider web, change one string and something else is affected.

If you're going by the Airstream archive docs on weight, those are not close to reality. At best they are shipping weight will all tanks dry and no gear inside.

Example: My 58 Overlander
Archives shows weight at 3850 and tonque at 260 (since the photo shows tandem axles and mine is single both are off)
My last time weighting attached to TV and WD hitch on:
weight on axle 5200 and tonque 640 dry tanks but all camping gear.

Granted I have a beefed up frame, a lot of tanks (2FW, 2GW,1BW) and solar, but you are planning on a beefed up frame too.

[a duncan]

You may not be able to get those tanks in the frame above the axles unless you put them in from the top and then you can not get them out if you have to. I have a 55 single axle and put 2 gray tanks in my 4 inch frame in the bays forward of the axle and one black, That you wont have of course, behind the axle. The tanks would not go above the axle and in your case. both axles unless that 5 inches gives you room to sneak 4 inch tanks in. otherwise you will have to make cross members removable in order to get them up there flat and then slide them over the axle and then bolt cross members back in. It gets tricky. I think maybe order 2 tanks, see if they will go in and then decide to order the other 2. Otherwise you are going to have 2 tanks you paid for and nothing to do with them.
Aaron

[Shiny Rivets]

I thought the archives seemed way too light...

The rover goes to 7700lbs, but I believe lighter is better, hence why I drive a Miata :P

I'm wondering how much weight you added by switching the sheet metal U channel over to rectangle tubes. I was looking at that route but since I already went to 5" frame it would be quite heavy.

I don't think those crossmembers add too much to the strength besides making the floor feel stiffer.

Originally Posted by 57Vintage

I understand your desire for the max H2O. But, considering the weight and if you plan on towing with the Rover, I suspect you may exceed tow and tonque limits. Just a reminder to keep this in mind. Doing these reno's is like a spider web, change one string and something else is affected.

If you're going by the Airstream archive docs on weight, those are not close to reality. At best they are shipping weight will all tanks dry and no gear inside.

Example: My 58 Overlander
Archives shows weight at 3850 and tonque at 260 (since the photo shows tandem axles and mine is single both are off)
My last time weighting attached to TV and WD hitch on:
weight on axle 5200 and tonque 640 dry tanks but all camping gear.

Granted I have a beefed up frame, a lot of tanks (2FW, 2GW,1BW) and solar, but you are planning on a beefed up frame too.

[Shiny Rivets]

Originally Posted by a duncan

You may not be able to get those tanks in the frame above the axles unless you put them in from the top and then you can not get them out if you have to. I have a 55 single axle and put 2 gray tanks in my 4 inch frame in the bays forward of the axle and one black, That you wont have of course, behind the axle. The tanks would not go above the axle and in your case. both axles unless that 5 inches gives you room to sneak 4 inch tanks in. otherwise you will have to make cross members removable in order to get them up there flat and then slide them over the axle and then bolt cross members back in. It gets tricky. I think maybe order 2 tanks, see if they will go in and then decide to order the other 2. Otherwise you are going to have 2 tanks you paid for and nothing to do with them.
Aaron

I would be putting on the subfloor, flipping the frame, inserting the tanks then mounting the axles. I know removing the tanks later would be a massive pain, so I'm going to have at least the piping be accessible with a removable hatch on the belly skin.

[57Vintage]

Originally Posted by Shiny Rivets

I thought the archives seemed way too light...

The rover goes to 7700lbs, but I believe lighter is better, hence why I drive a Miata :P

I'm wondering how much weight you added by switching the sheet metal U channel over to rectangle tubes. I was looking at that route but since I already went to 5" frame it would be quite heavy.

What's the rear axle GAWR, out of curiosity?

The perimeter tubing probably added 130#. I didn't switch out the U channel. The tubing was a base to bolt the U channel/shell to without the subfloor as part of the 'sandwich'.



.The curved channel is the original on the end caps, but I replaced the straight pieces with extruded aluminum channel wide enough to accept the ribs. The subfloor sits inside the perimeter frame structure.



(Frame upsidedown, U channel bolted to perimeter structure. Circles not related to this discussion)