It is that time of the year for many Airstream Owners. The End of the Season.
Every year we do an Inside and Outside inspection, cleaning, tighten hardware and repairing whatever needs to be 'improved'.
The Interior often has the most tweaking and 'upgrading unsatisfactory hinges, bolts and cabinet locking assemblies'. Not a restoration. Upgrading from what is failing, using better hardware.
We empty the Interior of everything down to the basic factory new... empty.
Shower Door: Ha ha ha. Been an issue since our 2006. What a bad idea for Airstream.
Floors: We remove the floor mats. Clean the floors looking for where the bases of cabinets may have moved. A dark area along the base of a wall on the floor is a clue. The bathroom left wall has a screw that will split the panel, and needs to be secured. Walls screws that may be concealed with cheap L brackets and secured to the linoleum, to the floor. Then attached hardware to fix it forever... we hope. Bigger and better... works.
Cabinets: Loose drawers and doors noted. Loose white headed screws, picked up and location noted. Loose closet hinges checked for looseness by lightly lifting and seeing movement.
Sink: The L brackets may be loose. The wood itself is loose and I add extra Lath Screws to secure. Different sinks... different solutions. Empty holes... missing screws.
Window Seals...: Check by opening windows, cleaning the glass, wipe down the exterior screen to remove clinging dust. Wipe out the aluminum frame, top, sides and bottoms. Wipe the interior screen down, as well.
Refrigerator outside vent: Sucks dust under Dometic and has dust pile up in front. I use fiber glass insulation to slow the dust coming into the interior. Also taped the opening. If needing service in that area... reverse what you did. Not a problem yet for us.
Fender Wells: Dust sources. Each Airstream is tight or looser than another. We had a 2006 that sucked dust so bad... Airstream Jackson Center fixed it by recutting the fit at the fender well. Cured it, too. Yeah ASJC.
Look at the side to side curves of cabinets. Has the plastic to fill the gaps... slid downward? Use good pliers and pull them back up. I then use a small screw to keep them from sliding down... every again. If you are lucky.
Squeaking on the floors? Check the rubber strip screwed to the floor and pressed against the aluminum. This is 80% of the squeak. Loosen screws... and if the squeak stops, make small adjustments where the screw is set.
OK... my break time is over. We have done the Interior already. I am now in the process of checking every exterior rivet, roof top appliances and attachments, battery box and terminals and on.
If you think this is not worth your valuable time. It is your Airstream. Once a cabinet becomes 'dis-functional' it will come off the wall or slides onto your floor.
Spring will be here, again. We will leave clean and restored to like new. Tools are ready for unexpected surprises.
Problems occur far from major civilized communities... AM reception of the Radio really is poor. I am going to have to search the Forum to find out what to do. My entertainment are After Sunset Talk News. It makes us happy... we are having a great time using our Airstream.
Bring loose hardware. Tools. Tools will accumulate as you own the trailer.