Bumper Plate

[Alden Miller]

My small floor patch project has snowballed. I am now replacing about eight feet of flooring in the back of my trailer. I also want to deal with the rear bumper plate which has obviously helped funnel water into my floor.


My question is do people completely remove the bumper plate and then cut it back from where it goes under the C channel? Or do you cut it and cover the outside with some belly pan extension?


-Alden

[Lumatic]

Hi Alden,
I have a 93/ 34 but have not gotten into the "bumper plate". Assuming you are talking about a piece of angle iron at the rear of the coach where the body meets the bumper (which you may not be) that I have seen in other years and models. If this is the piece, it ties the frame and floor to the body and is necessary.

If you are talking about the "plate" the bumper compartment cover mounts to; yes that is a weak point in Airstream design. I just make sure the joint is sealed with Vulkem.

[Alden Miller]

I am referring to the plate that the bumper compartment attaches to. I want to make a gap where it goes into the trailer because even with caulk it has at some point allowed water penetration to the rear subfloor. I was wondering if others that have done this (as seen in other threads) removed the part that is between the C channel and the frame.


-Alden