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Old 06-07-2012, 05:54 AM   #21
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1981 31' Excella II
New Market , Alabama
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Posts: 6,145
Leaks are common at the 4 corners because there is a gap between the C-channel for the straight sections and the curved nose and tail sections. Any leaks can run down the wall then travel along the c-channel at the bottom of the wall and then come out at the gap. There is also the issue of the fiberglass insulation that holds water and does not always release it during a rain. Leaks to the right of the door are common as well. I did not find all my leaks until I remove some of the inner skin and patched and patched till I got them all. Fixed windows can leak around the gasket and then in the seam between the window frame. Having the seam filled on the outside does not fix this because the water runs past the gasket and into the frame and then to the nearest gap.

I also had rivets that were loose above and to the right of the door along a Z-stringer. The door is an area there stuff is banged on and gets loose. The front edge of the door frame and any rivets along that front edge are prone to leaks.

Vent stacks are an issue as well and the design of the gasket up there is crappy and prone to leak.

The outside edge of window frames is a good place to leak.

Pulling the inner skins in a leak prone area lets you find leaks but it also allows you to get rid of the stinky pink stuff and fix any small hidden leaks like rivets for awning brackets and tail light assemblies etc.

Perry
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Old 06-07-2012, 07:59 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Okotoks View Post
Here is a rot hole behind the curb side counter where the stock radio would be mounted, also has rot on street side, hole is about 8-10 inch long and 5 inch wide on curb side and 4 by 4 on street side with everything around it solid! What would this be from? It was a torrential downpour last night and no signs of any water there.
My Airstream trailer was designed to hide it's water damage. The only wall space visible was the step area in front of the entry door. All the rest was buried.

I had real similar damage on my trailer. There was a narrow storage cabinet curbside in front of the entry door. That concealed water damage. The water was coming between the skins, running down to the plywood floor wood at the point where the wall sits on the wood, and rotting it out.

I ended up removing the inside skin. I found and fixed 11 separate leaks from the entry door to the front of the window next to the door. The hardest to find was an outside skin lap joint leak that looked perfect from the outside.

These trailers are made with aluminum skin stretched over an aluminum frame with aluminum skin inside the aluminum frame. The outside is held on with rivets in holes every inch or so. Then these trailers are bounced down the highways sometimes 20,000 miles a year. With my trailer the only thing preventing leaks was the Vulkem applied inside the skin.

The point on my skin leak had a light coat of Vulkem inside. I sealed it inside and sealed the seam outside and the leak quit. That leak never showed inside the trailer. It wicked into the wood floor and when the floor rotted away, the water ran into the belly pan.

My belly pan actually held water in better than the outside skin held water out. The step release slot let a gallon or more into the belly pan every time it rained. That was a designed leak point. I mitigated that feature by venting the belly pan in that location.
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Eastern South Dakota is very pretty with hills, rivers, and trees.
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Old 06-07-2012, 08:05 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Okotoks View Post
Here is a rot hole behind the curb side counter where the stock radio would be mounted, also has rot on street side, hole is about 8-10 inch long and 5 inch wide on curb side and 4 by 4 on street side with everything around it solid! What would this be from? It was a torrential downpour last night and no signs of any water there.
Both locations you list are below the VV (Vista View) windows which are notorious for leaking. They can be removed and repaired. I did mine and kept the dual pane setup, which is especially important in our climate up here in the great white north. Not only does it help keep the trailer warmer but it avoids any condensation forming on the inside of the windows.
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Old 06-07-2012, 08:52 AM   #24
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1981 31' Excella II
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Here is a thread I started a while back on the window leaks. There are also links to other good threads in there.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f454...ems-86517.html

Perry
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Old 06-12-2012, 12:53 AM   #25
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Okotoks , Alberta
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Updates!
Wife made new curtains/ drapes? I don't know what they are called.

I fixed the battery box, door was ready to fall off, hinge was only held on by one bolt and the lower support frame work was corroded off. Made some rubber gromets out of sway bar link bushings where the battery cables pass through the aluminum then to the univolt,Installed new aluminum plate and some reinforcement under the plastic battery box and sealed it all up with grey RTV silicone, just need to mount the hinge back to the body tomorrow and we are good to go.
Removed front gaucho to repair the floor ( which I haven't done yet) but I think I may install a futon or hide a bed there instead. If I use a futon I was thinking of making it so in could use the original gaucho tambour doors and mount it all nice? The cost to make new cushions for the gaucho is almost $900 and would still probably find ourselves needing to use a bed mattress to sleep on over top of it. Anyone have any experience or advise on using a futon or hide a bed?
Also got my mom to clean the $--t out of it, she used bleach/water and some mold spray , got from the front to the end of the center beds, smells WAY better!
Center bed frames need work which got me thinking about bunk beds, did a forum search and found a member that made bunks that could fold down and become the back to allow beds to be seating which I thought was pretty cool, but I decided to see what was out there for commercially available bunks, I came up with either military/prison style bunks,haha or the storkcraft highlander sold by Walmart among others which measures 76.5 long, 40.8 wide an 58.6 high.The opening measures 76! and atleast on the curb side is wide enough. Could I come up with that extra half inch in lenght somehow ?

Couple pictures added, the flash on my phone camera was terrible so I edited them the best I could, the one picture of the battery box has a digital thermostat inside, why? I don't know?
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Old 06-12-2012, 09:12 AM   #26
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1981 31' Excella II
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We are using a futon in the front as a temporary replacement for the goucho. A futon is fine to sleep on or sit on but it is too low and reclined too far to make use of the table. You could make a platform for a matress that would be a better height for eating at the table. I am thinking about putting in a dinet eventually.

Perry
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Old 06-12-2012, 03:20 PM   #27
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I bought a jackknife sofa to replace the gaucho. I won't fasten the sofa to the floor. I intend to build a pedestal under the sofa to replace the furniture legs so I can add a rubber strip to minimize movement.
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Click on the link to see a picture of the Sioux River falls near my home.
https://visitsiouxfalls.com/assets/i...uxfalls-og.jpg
Eastern South Dakota is very pretty with hills, rivers, and trees.
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Old 06-12-2012, 03:41 PM   #28
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Alberta Airstream...

My son used to play AAA hockey in the States and Canada and we frequently played in AB (Calgary area, The Hat) and SK (Regina, Swift Current, etc.) so we were in your neck of the woods quite often (played for a team in Airdrie (sp?) during the summer).

I actually looked at several Airstreams over the years when we were in AB and SK. Never did pull the trigger on purchasing one - didn't know how much red tape there would be trying to pull one into the States with a Canadian title so I just skipped it.

Looks like you have some work ahead of you but as the others have stated, once you get things fixed, they are one of the nicest trailers you will find.

All of this talk reminds me that I need to get planning on a trip to Banff/Lake Louise soon...

Montanaandy
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Old 07-25-2012, 12:05 PM   #29
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1979 31' Sovereign
Calgary , Alberta
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Okatoks.

I am picking my 79 Sovereign up today. We can cry on each others shoulders maybe...? I'm in Calgary. Let me know about the Gaucho as that is the only thing missing from mine (so far...)

Cheers

Dan
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