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12-17-2012, 08:33 PM
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#1
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1972 Travelux Princess 25
Cobourg
, Ontario
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,059
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Is this tail sag?
Looking at an ad for a 1986 Airstream 31 foot, the picture shows a crease on the right side above the bumper. Is this an example of the dreaded tail sag?
__________________
Living in the trailer park of sense, looking out the window at a tornado of stupidity.
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12-17-2012, 08:47 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 932
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Someone jacked that camper up by the rear bumper at some point in its life.
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12-18-2012, 06:16 AM
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#3
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Overland Adventurer
1991 34' Excella
2009 34' Panamerica
Telluride
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,476
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I have the same thing... however the streetside occurred while I was enroute... was not there as we left a campsite then was there at a field stop. I have no rot! I think a gap in the c channel allowed a bump to crush it. Very odd
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12-18-2012, 08:41 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
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Damage like that is common on the longer trailers and is caused when leaving a driveway too fast and the frame skid hits the ground hard.
The frame and floor is jamed up toward the body too fast, and creases the skin.
__________________
Regards,
Steve
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12-18-2012, 08:49 AM
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#5
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Overland Adventurer
1991 34' Excella
2009 34' Panamerica
Telluride
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,476
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Yup! Stupid me hit the ground on my way out of a gas station. The upside of this is I now have a matching set! Symmetry is important to me, arrgh!
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12-18-2012, 08:50 AM
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#6
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Overland Adventurer
1991 34' Excella
2009 34' Panamerica
Telluride
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,476
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I have thought of adding European spec reflector triangles to obscure my oops.
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12-18-2012, 11:33 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vintage Kin Owner
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,801
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It can be a sign of floor rot due to a leak in that corner - road vibration then allows the unsupported wall to fold in. I know. Had mine fixed.
Paula
__________________
Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.
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12-18-2012, 12:15 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Foiled Again
It can be a sign of floor rot due to a leak in that corner - road vibration then allows the unsupported wall to fold in. I know. Had mine fixed.
Paula
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That could be a "which came first, the chicken or the egg" situation, because after the panel is wrinkled, it will probably leak in that area which would cause floor rot.
__________________
Regards,
Steve
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12-18-2012, 03:30 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1971 25' Tradewind
1993 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Estancia
, New Mexico
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,742
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Jump up and down on the bumper and watch where the bumper area is attached to the body. There should be little if any independent movement. Also check the caulk line where the body joins the bumper area. Any cracks or gaps?
__________________
Sail on silver girl. Sail on by. Your time has come to shine.
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12-18-2012, 03:37 PM
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#10
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1972 Travelux Princess 25
Cobourg
, Ontario
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,059
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Is there any way to fix it?
__________________
Living in the trailer park of sense, looking out the window at a tornado of stupidity.
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12-18-2012, 03:44 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganaraska
Is there any way to fix it?
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To fix it 100%, I believe it takes a panel replacement.
__________________
Regards,
Steve
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12-18-2012, 03:50 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1971 25' Tradewind
1993 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Estancia
, New Mexico
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,742
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If by rear end sag you mean rear end separation panel replacement does not have anything to do with it. You might replace that corner panel to fix that dent though, but it does not look necessary.
The fix is to reconnect the floor with the C channel at the bottom of the wall. Not a quick fix. There are numerous past threads on the subject.
__________________
Sail on silver girl. Sail on by. Your time has come to shine.
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12-18-2012, 04:22 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
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Just because that panel is dented, it does not necessarily have seperation. The dent could have and was most likely caused by exiting a driveway too fast and hitting the frame skid.
__________________
Regards,
Steve
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12-18-2012, 04:25 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1981 31' Excella II
New Market
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
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If it did not have the dreaded bumper plate leak before the bottoming out event it most surely does now. Is it a rear bath or center bath? The bumper plate leak is the cause of rear end separation and rear floor and frame rot.
Perry
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12-18-2012, 07:29 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2002 30' Classic S/O
Garden Valley
, Idaho
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,631
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Seems to me that moving to the next larger wheel size would help the tail drag situation some. My 15" rims and tires suck compared to a 16" rim and truck tires. One must also watch that you have room in the wheel well for your new tire.
__________________
2008 F-250 4X4 Lariat V-10
2002 Airstream Classic 30' w/SO #2074
2007 Kubota 900 RTV
1996 Ford Bronco
2007 Lincoln LT
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12-18-2012, 09:10 PM
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#16
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4 Rivet Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 298
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Happened to me. My 34ft bottomed out on the skid plates going up an incline, I also had OSB floor rot that has since been replaced and dent was popped back out when I knocked the new pieces into the C channel on
both sides, there is a slight indention still there but nothing like before.
Not worth replacing the whole panel unless you have $$$ to spend.
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12-19-2012, 07:31 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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I've been able to pretty successfully straighten and strengthen my rear corner panels without replacing them (see http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ml#post1172246). Pappy19, you gain a little bit of height by going to 225-75R16 LT tires, but not probably more than 3/4". If your axles are saging, I'd say that you'd gain more height by going to 32 degree down axles to gain some ground clearance. I'm planning to do both this spring.
Steve
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12-19-2012, 07:39 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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0557,
I was able to strengthen and straighten out the rear corner panels pretty well without replacing them, but it was still a lot of work (see http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ml#post1172246).
pappy19,
I think that you will gain some ground clearance by going to 225-75R16 LT tires (maybe 3/4"). But if your axles are saging, I think that you'll gain a lot more ground clearance by going to 32 degree down axles of a slightly higher rating. I'm planning to do both this spring (although I dread the expense). I need new tires because of age and I don't plan to stick with ST tires after all of the problems that they've caused in the last few years. That forces me to go to 16" wheels too. My axles are saging and tired so they need to be replaced anyweay.
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