Skid plates?

[mybyebye]

Hello,
My wife and I just purchased a 1995 25 ft Excella Classic.
Under the rear on each side there is a short section of 1/4 inch angled steel about 12 to 15 inches that seems to come off of the frame. Are these skid plates ? One is very rusted and I was wondering if it is hard to replace and where I can purchase one. This is my first post here and I will appreciate any advice.
Thanks, Scott

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by mybyebye

Hello,
My wife and I just purchased a 1995 25 ft Excella Classic.
Under the rear on each side there is a short section of 1/4 inch angled steel about 12 to 15 inches that seems to come off of the frame. Are these skid plates ? One is very rusted and I was wondering if it is hard to replace and where I can purchase one. This is my first post here and I will appreciate any advice.
Thanks, Scott

Those "are" skid plates.

You can use most any kind of steel "C" channel, as long as the height stays the same.

Andy

[Scott J-24]

You should be able to go to any welding shop and they can cut off the old rusted/damaged skid(s) and weld on new ones.

[mybyebye]

Thank you for your help with this. I have another question. The skid plate that is rusted out has a pretty heavy gauge ground wire attached to it. I guess it is coming from the 110 volt breaker box above in the rear. Is is possible that this is causing some type of electrolysis? I am also worried that the rust might be carried on through to the frame member above.
Thanks again, this is a great resource.
Scott

[Wabbiteer]

You need a digital camera and use the add-a-photo option to share the scene - one picture is worth 1000 words and all that rot!

My 1973 has the primary ground connection about two feet in on the frame in the same area - there is an extra chunk of 'U' shaped steel frame welded on that protects the black tank as well as acting like a drag shoe... and yes, that was corroded up pretty fiercely from the city water connection being right there as well as the holding tank and the corroded ground lug...

[mybyebye]

link to photo of skid plate with ground wire in center. Other skid plate is like new.
Is it possibly electrolysis ?
Thanks, Scott

https://files.me.com/vispro/ub1zar

[CanoeStream]

They're kinda like squealers on your auto & truck brakes. When they make noise, don't go any further. They will deform thank goodness. You'd tear off your rear bumper if they weren't there. Don't push 'em too far.

[Wabbiteer]

I'm not familiar with the 90's layouts... where is the black & gray tanks?

I found a split in the top of my '73's BW holding tank, the not-so-small amounts of salt & acids usually contained therein had destroyed the galvanized BW tank outer box and gravity led it to the street side... maybe its just that piece of iron had oil on it and the paint failed early... or something more sinister..

[mybyebye]

This is sounding very scary to me. We just bought this unit. Do I need to peel the skin off the bottom and expose frame to see what is going on.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by mybyebye

This is sounding very scary to me. We just bought this unit. Do I need to peel the skin off the bottom and expose frame to see what is going on.

If the trailer has been near salt water, it's then "very wise" to inspect the chassis.

It does not take salt very long to cause frame damage.

Andy

[Scott J-24]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

If the trailer has been near salt water, it's then "very wise" to inspect the chassis.

It does not take salt very long to cause frame damage.

Andy

Andy,

When you say "near" how near do you mean? Are you talking <1/4 miles, 1 mile, 3 miles?

[mybyebye]

It does look like a leak from the bumper seal might have caused this. When I pull out the storage drawer on the rear bumper and look inside I can see where water has leaked into the area in the past. Some surface rust on frame members but does not look to deep. Do I need to remove bumper cover to drop the bottom skins for a better look? 1995 25ft Excella Classic.
Thanks for the help.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Scott J-24

Andy,

When you say "near" how near do you mean? Are you talking <1/4 miles, 1 mile, 3 miles?

Parking within 50 miles of salt water, can and does harm an Airstream and Argosy.

Depending on how close, the damges happen slowly or fast.

The first damage is to the aluminum, since salt is an acid to that metal.

The next is the chassis.

Look at any older Airstream that has aged out clearcoat, that has been exposed to salt in the air, or salt water, and is very easy to see all the little zigzag etchings in the metal.

Same happens to the chassis.

Andy

[Wabbiteer]

Acid rain is another silent killer - pH readings in rain and fog water of below 3 are seen in industrialized areas. Aluminum will self-protect with its oxide layer but Iron will disappear into a brown sludge/dust where its been incubated in a perpetually moist & acidic environment. Acid activity dispersed into the atmosphere also clings to dust or smoke and falls out dry which will give morning/evening dew cycles a double-punch.

People on the West Coast are not immune, Chinese coal power plants lob huge amounts over that Pacific puddle which falls out when hitting the mountains.

[Luc]

Just a quick question about salt and corrosion... I live 2 blocks from the beach in central Florida. Just purchased my, new to me, used unit. I wash and polish the outside any chance I get. What can I do to the rest of it and particularly the chassis to prevent corrosion? Is it an uphill battle? Will salt win?

[Scott J-24]

Originally Posted by Luc

Just a quick question about salt and corrosion... I live 2 blocks from the beach in central Florida. Just purchased my, new to me, used unit. I wash and polish the outside any chance I get. What can I do to the rest of it and particularly the chassis to prevent corrosion? Is it an uphill battle? Will salt win?

As the song goes.... Rust never sleeps.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Luc

Just a quick question about salt and corrosion... I live 2 blocks from the beach in central Florida. Just purchased my, new to me, used unit. I wash and polish the outside any chance I get. What can I do to the rest of it and particularly the chassis to prevent corrosion? Is it an uphill battle? Will salt win?

Spray the entire chassis with "undercoat".

THat provides a barrier to the salt.

Andy