Frame inspection

[atz]

Thanks to all for comments…really helpful in starting to draw a picture of what I could face and how the trailer is put together.

The blog by Motor BoatN was really informative for me…not about the rebuild stuff but clarifies a lot about the underneath and shell attachment. I may want to do that some day and had I seen this before it was sold might have bid on it as the inside looks a lot more straightforward and could do it when ready as he did one heck of a job underneath. One thing it did reinforce is that i do want want to get into that now….so need a pretty clean trailer. Another time maybe.

Thanks for the info on "separation". Obviously I do need to look underneath to see if anything and how bad. I have 3 of the 4 people I asked if I could open the belly seam and look saying yes. I will do that even on the ones with no sag or visible rust as worth the investment considering what could lurk (and, as this forum seems to indicate often does).

I am leaning toward need to open as the scope seems like it may not work as well as I thought it would..insulation mainly.

alex

[atz]

Anybody got an idea of how much an RV place or repair guy will want to open up the belly seam…just in the middle seam...on the part rear of the axles to the end of the frame and then do a good job of closing. And how long that might take?

[dbj216]

Hi atz, I'm glad old motor boat thread was informative to you. It is one of many showing how an old Airstream is rebuilt from the ground up. Someone got a very nice Airstream to begin the interior work. It is a good trailer, so that's why it sold quick.

I was luckier than some as my frame was solid as found. I did not have any welding to do to the frame or outriggers. So Airstreams are available not needing a frame rebuild, or have had a frame rebuild already. I'll go out on a limb here. I think the 70s Airstreams have more frame issues than the 60s or 80s. You might consider a nice 1980s Airstream where there might be less frame issues to deal with.

Okay, my estimate to drop the rear belly pan to inspect the frame from the axles to the bumper. There will be about 40 rivets to drill out. There may be two stabilizer jacks to remove. There may be a water heater propane line to remove. When the belly pan comes down, so will most of the old ratty insulation. If the trailer has a rear bath, and many of the old ones did, then there could be a tank cover to remove.

Then a guy would want to install new batting insulation, and maybe replace the belly pan aluminum if it is too corroded to mount back up. The potential seller should be pleased to get new insulation and new belly pan material for the risk of having his trailer inspected in this manner.

I bet a good RV tech could do this work in 6 hours and maybe $200 in materials. Figure 100 an hour shop rate, so I estimate $800.

Other, more experienced Airstreamers may be able to more accurately estimate the cost of rear belly pan removal and replacement.

Here is a photo of my rear belly pan down. Dirty, dirty job! Should be on TV!

David

[Lumatic]

If you can find out the history of the trailer it's a good hint about what to expect. A humid environment near salt water will cause a lot of rust. A dry environment like the southwest will probably have a lot less rust. Surface rust is normal and OK. Penetrating cancer type rust probably means some repairs.

[reinergirl]

I sure do understand you wanting to find one with as little frame damage as possible. Unfortunately if you are looking at a sixties/ seventies trailer like that in the northeast, they are as rare as hens teeth. You would have to find one that has been undercover for most of its life. We just don't have a climate that's friendly to steel.

Go out west, or in an arid climate and it's a different story.

I think you best bet would be to find a project where someone has already done frame/ floor restoration ( with pictures to prove it ) and then given up on it.

[atz]

Thanks to all…lots of good advice and thoughts. I have not located the right one yet, but I am taking some of the above advice and upping my budget a bit in hope that a newer one presents fewer problems. Patience is the key here…..not one of my strong suits. Someday I will try a rebuild (there sure is lenity of info on that and I am good at learning from those things)…but for now I want one I can hit the road with!!!