'71 Globetrotter Full Monte

[Minno]

Kip - So, you do not use the "wheels" to hold the awning in at all?


Zep - We had our patio awning fabric unfurl like that in a high cross wind. We increased the tension and installed a second awning latch at the front to help prevent that from happening again. Has not happened again. I built our new grey tank supports out of 1" angle iron and 3/4" plywood for under the tanks. That has held up for over 12 years and survived the North to Alaska caravan.


Chris

[Aerowood]

Chris, the wheels are the primary method of securing the awning. I am planning on putting the same safety on the front. The aft one that is already installed is basically a proof of concept. The spacer is steel as it was all I could find locally, but I have aluminum on order. The bolt also needs to be replaced with stainless. The aluminum the brackets needs to replaced with 6061-T6. The ones seen in the photo are made out of some mystery alloy from Home Depot and is just to soft.

I did put more tension on the awning springs already.

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[Zeppelinium]

Originally Posted by Minno

... I built our new grey tank supports out of 1" angle iron and 3/4" plywood for under the tanks. That has held up for over 12 years and survived the North to Alaska caravan.
Chris

I have been reluctant to give away any height for the tank, but I may just lower the belly pan slightly under the tank, similar to the modern Airstreams. The original tank in the '77 Safar was tiny, on the order of 10 gallons. I can get 22 gallons into the same space if I use every vertical inch. That's probably enough, since the fresh tank is only 35 gallons.

Zep

[dbj216]

Hi Zep: The grey water tank in 70s Airstreams was too small. Maybe is was done just to comply with the edict that campers can no longer drain wash water on the ground in parks. Anyway, Airstream continued to improve grey water capacity in later years.

My 75 Overlander waste water tanks were located in the rear under the bath. Airstream had a drop down insulated tank "pan" that I thought was kinda novel. The tanks were back there side by side.

Anyway, I agree with you about expanding the tank pan to add wastewater capacity. Modern Airstream tanks drain below the frame rails. So that is what I did on the Trade Wind and the Globetrotter. I purchased a 35 gallon black water tank for that area in the rear of the Overlander and drain the vanity sink into it also. I maintained the rear "through the frame rail" drain manifold so I didn't have to drop down below the frame rail. Then I moved a larger grey water to the next frame bay forward of the rear one and drain the tub and the galley into that.

I bought a tank that was about 8" deep and drained it below the frame rail on my Globetrotter. I know it isn't original, but it is just like the wife's 86 Limited. It seems to work well. I drew up the tank pan and a fabrication shop made it for me out of aluminum.

Some photos for you.

David

[Zeppelinium]

I was thinking of only droping the pan one inch. Looks like yours is about four inches. And being close to the axle it's not a problem from road hazards or gas station curbs?

Zep

[dbj216]

Yes, the pan is about 4" below the frame rails. I need an inch of insulation in there. I have replaced the axles on the Globetrotter and I specified the 32 degree starting angle and the "high profile" mounting brackets. These two things added a good three inches of additional ground clearance when stationary.

The lower pan makes a great road kill remover from the highways. Just kidding, but we haven't dragged the rear end yet at all. This 69 Globetrotter was originally built with an above floor 12 gal waste water tank with a vertical drain at the rear of the trailer. We scraped this drain and valve off the trailer twice. I gave up with that design. Another photo:

David

[Aerowood]

Installing grey tanks and dump valves.

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[dbj216]

Hello Aerowood: You are in the midst of a big job. Of course nothing you can't handle, but still, working under the trailer can be tiring, especially for an old geezer like me.

You are building a system clean and up tight, which is even more work. And you are draining through a frame rail. I see you added some robust reinforcements. Welding is a handy skill to have for sure.

The slide valve looks different than the standard Valterra affair. Or maybe I misinterpreted the photo. Is it some exotic slide valve?

David

[Aerowood]

Yes it drains through a frame rail. The reinforcement you are seeing was stock for my 71. As the original drained through there. The valves are Valterra. The 3" is just a rod pull that will have an extension that goes through the rear cross member. The 1 1/2" is a cable valve. I will have an additional 3" cable valve on the black tank. Working underneath the trailer is not that big of a deal for me. I still have two more grey tanks to install but I may have to drop the axle to get the most forward tank in. Then I just have to manifold the three together for a total of 33 gallons of grey.

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[dbj216]

Thanks for the explanations Aerowood: It is good to see Airstream recognized the stupidity of a vertical black tank drain at the rear of the trailer. I am amazed at the through the frame channel drain hole. My 75 Overlander has one but it is in the extreme rear of the frame rail where there is almost no load on it. Likely due to the rear bath layout. You are working hard to get all that grey water capacity by daisy chaining three tanks together. I have read about others who have done the same thing. I have a 1 1/2" drain pipe and valve for my grey tank in my Overlander. It works, but it does drain rather slowly. It is only 27 gallons. Not enough head pressure to get it to swoosh out.

David

[Aerowood]

We've been getting so much rain here in Colorado that it impacting my schedule for installing the rest of my grey tanks. Does anyone know where I can get Gopher Wood?

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[dbj216]

Hi Aerowood: The Colorado rain is so nice and the mountains are green and the wildflowers and pretty. Gotta love that rain. Much better than wildfires.

I have no idea what gopher wood is. Maybe you met "go for some wood" so you can built tank supports.

David

[Aerowood]

FYI, Noah built the Ark out of Gopher Wood.

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[dbj216]

Heck, I didn't know they had pressure treated timbers and planks way back then. Aerowood, you are just a fountain of knowledge. I'm always learning something new from you. However, I truly believe you will find what you need at a reasonable price at your local lumber yard.

David

[Aerowood]

Weather has been preventing me from installing the last grey tank. I have to drop the axle to get that tank installed and I need a good full day of no rain to accomplish. Supposed to be dry for a few days next week.

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[Aerowood]

I don't have room for a P trap for my shower. What are those horizontal traps with a check valve in them called?

[dznf0g]

HepvO

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[Bubba L]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

I don't have room for a P trap for my shower. What are those horizontal traps with a check valve in them called?

We installed a Hepvo inline from the shower to the grey tank. Since it’s in the belly pan, we installed a small removable panel to access the Hepvo in the future if need be.

[Aerowood]

Thanks guys, I just couldn't remember what it is called. Bubba, it will be in the belly pan. My belly pans are held on with 10/32 bolts into nutplates. Now that I have modified the pan that went under the axle it only takes a few minutes to remove them

[Bauxter]

Kip, My p trap has a catch-pan underneath it that allows the trap to extend below the floor, while providing a separation between cabin and underbelly.
Are you worried about extending below the floor, or are you concerned about how high the shower pan/ tub will sit above the floor?
Given the 90 elbow for the Hepvo solution, it may place the shower pan higher in the cabin,...just by a bit, than a P-trap placed below the floor.


mike