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Old 01-15-2013, 11:38 PM   #361
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1969 27' Overlander
1976 Argosy 28
1978 28' Argosy 28
Lodi , California
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My four + top mods:
Baby safety latches to replace broken overhead bin latches $5 /box of 20 at target.

Small screen door flap on rear bath window with new solar screen to use as a pass thru, use shower wand outside, and reach in to turn on bath faucet to flush line. $20 amazon cat screen door (snaps on, i turned sideways) could also send a small child thru to unlock door!

Re-screen windows with new "solar" screens (dark privacy screens) $20/roll x 2 big box store.
Door photo has the old screen door and new screen on the window on the right.

Tile the kitchen counter using left over granite tile using "tile mat" ( instead of mastic, home depot $25/box) and sanded caulking for the grout ($8/tube HD). Husband bet me that it would pop off on our first trip- its been a year and haven't lost one. I used approximately 3sf of tile that I cut into 18 pieces to fit my limited counter around sink and stove.

Best mod is re-skinning the whole front interior, refrigerator , and overhead bins with alumni steel (spelling?) using scraps from a local custom refrigerator shop. granted this would have been a $1000 job if I had to buy it!

1969 overlander land yacht 27'
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Old 01-16-2013, 06:39 AM   #362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS View Post
................ for $4.50 I bought a toggle switch cover and installed it today. Kind-of makes my sewer light switch look like something important.
Robert, nice touch on the switch - where did you buy the cover. I have been looking for some switch covers and perhaps your source would also have what I am looking for.
Thanks,
Alan
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Old 01-16-2013, 05:34 PM   #363
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alphonse View Post
Robert, nice touch on the switch - where did you buy the cover. I have been looking for some switch covers and perhaps your source would also have what I am looking for.
Thanks,
Alan
Hi, Alphonse; I bought the switch cover from Amazon.
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Old 01-16-2013, 05:37 PM   #364
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alphonse View Post

Robert, nice touch on the switch - where did you buy the cover. I have been looking for some switch covers and perhaps your source would also have what I am looking for.
Thanks,
Alan
I have seen them at either HomeDepot or Lowes
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Old 01-16-2013, 06:09 PM   #365
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Ha! On my trailer? I will tell you if I do one.
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Old 01-16-2013, 09:23 PM   #366
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2011 27' FB Flying Cloud
San Jose , California
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Two really useful and inexpensive upgrades

1. Stove vent fan speed switch.

I spent about $2 for a high capacity resistor--I don't recall its capacity, but it's about an inch long, has aluminum fins and was recommended by the store guy, who seemed to know what he was talking about--at a salvage electronics supply store, another dollar or two on a two position toggle switch, then about three hours figuring out how to install them in our over-stove vent hood without burning down our AS; my wiring knowledge is at the level of a potato. That was over a year ago, no smoke yet ...

Now the fan has two speeds, the regular "wind tunnel" speed that drowns out all conversation, but is useful when clearing smoke from a "cooking oooh oooh" and a much quieter speed that we use almost all the time. The speed select toggle is installed next to one of the halogen lights and is in series with the installed fan on/off switch.

2. 3M Command sticky hangers

They can be bought at almost any hardware store in a variety of sizes and styles. I've installed ten or so in cabinets for handing small utensils, on the bedroom walls to hang clothes, in the shower and bathroom to hang wash cloths and towels, etc. No drilling; they hang on like crazy and are easily removed if necessary. They're very inexpensive.
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Old 01-17-2013, 07:44 AM   #367
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Not sure when AS started using "capped" lug nuts, but for those that don't know, the capped lug nuts have a stainless steel cap over a regular steel nut. Over time (sometimes not too much time) the cap becomes loose or strips altogether and you are left with a small nut that is even harder to remove. I changed out all 24 of my old (2002 Classic) lug nuts with solid stainless steel lug nuts for less than $15. Make sure you take one of the old lug nuts into a good tire shop so they can match up the design and threads. I changed each one out myself, one at a time and then check the torque on my next excursion. After going through hexx on changing a couple of flats on my AS and having the old style caps come loose that required Visegrips and hammer to remove, solid lug nuts were first on my list of changes and upgrade. Cheap at twice the price.
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Old 01-17-2013, 08:37 AM   #368
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pappy19 View Post
Not sure when AS started using "capped" lug nuts, but for those that don't know, the capped lug nuts have a stainless steel cap over a regular steel nut. Over time (sometimes not too much time) the cap becomes loose or strips altogether and you are left with a small nut that is even harder to remove. I changed out all 24 of my old (2002 Classic) lug nuts with solid stainless steel lug nuts for less than $15. Make sure you take one of the old lug nuts into a good tire shop so they can match up the design and threads. I changed each one out myself, one at a time and then check the torque on my next excursion. After going through hexx on changing a couple of flats on my AS and having the old style caps come loose that required Visegrips and hammer to remove, solid lug nuts were first on my list of changes and upgrade. Cheap at twice the price.

X2....

Mcgard's are made in USA quality.

Where I got ours.

Bob
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Old 01-17-2013, 01:32 PM   #369
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Ours jiggly a bit. Didn't like it at all. Going to change mine also. Was just in Tampa " bates" RV. Brake recall. I asked about them. Mech said it not unusall.
Darn. First think on my list.
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Old 01-30-2013, 04:49 PM   #370
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1997 25' Safari
Montgomery , Alabama
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When our son's renters ("Bless Them") moved on, the huge debris field left behind contained at least one useful item. The entrance ladder to their long abandoned above ground pool is an A frame shaped item with a small platform at the top. It is just the right height to enable Airstream roof cleaning (with a long handled brush) and perfect for washing and waxing the upper shiny parts . It is free standing and stable and there is no contact with the trailer sides. In our area these things appear in street-side trash around september...



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Old 01-31-2013, 07:19 PM   #371
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Regarding capped lug nuts...

Pappy 19:
100% right. I discovered them when I kept tightening them and they still seemed to not be tight. ---WHAT! They just seem weird. I replaced all of them too. That was a good under $100 investment.
Randy Bowman
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Old 02-04-2013, 12:01 AM   #372
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2005 31' Classic
Sunrise Beach , Missouri
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Fold down work space

Needed some additional workspace by our front couch to hold computer, drinks and food, and miscellaneous items needed while sitting on the couch so I installed a fold down shelf similar to the kitchen counter shelf in our Classic. Purchased the fold down brackets which exactly match the original Airstream brackets (brown) for $19 from Amazon (including fasteners) and a 12" x 18" bamboo cutting board for the table top from Target for $20. Below are photos of the finished project which totaled $39. It was attached to the back of our dinette in front of the couch. It easily folds down when not needed.
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Old 02-04-2013, 04:29 AM   #373
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very nice!
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Old 02-04-2013, 07:27 AM   #374
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Question

Don't think I posted this here.......

Went to Home Depot, picked up a tube of hot water line insulation,(3/4" copper, 1/2" iron). Slipped it over the upper weathrstrip and.....no more "stuff" behind the protector's.

Bob
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Old 02-04-2013, 07:31 AM   #375
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Great idea! Something to add to our Spring prep list!
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Old 02-05-2013, 07:45 AM   #376
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1978 31' Sovereign
Colorado Springs , Colorado
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barts View Post
Once I bought a pump, I decided I didn't need to haul the small containers any more ... so I bought a new 55 gallon water drum for about $50 and put it in the back of the pickup. I can easily fill it w/ a hose, and the water pump lets me fill the trailer easily.

- Bart
To take Bart's idea a little further, I went to a car wash and asked if they had any empty plastic drums. Turns out all their detergents come in 35 gallon drums and they throw them all away. They gave me 3 of them FREE.

Once you have your drums, they will have 2 holes in the top with removable caps. One is coarse threads, the other is NPT threads. You can get PVC fittings at home depot and adapt from the 2" NPT threads, to a garden hose thread with a ball valve behind it. The whole assembly might cost $10-15. You only need one assembly for multiple drums because it just threads on and off.

When you need water, you just lay one of the drums on the side, hook up a garden hose, and either run it through a pump as Bob mentioned earlier in the thread, or if it is sitting higher than your fresh water door, it will gravity feed into the tank.

The 35 gallon drums are also easy for 1 person to move around and lay on their side, they only weigh 250 pounds, the 55 gallon drums weigh about 450 when they are full.

I will post photos of my ball valve assembly this afternoon. Feel free to PM me if you have questions about the assembly.


Stream on!

Hunter
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Old 02-05-2013, 10:30 AM   #377
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1978 31' Sovereign
Colorado Springs , Colorado
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Here is another ultra cheap mod:

Instead of buying the expensive mud flap system that bolts into your hitch shank, you can build one for about $20.

Go to a steel shop, and buy about 8-12" of "hitch tube". Should only cost a few dollars. Then buy a 8-9 foot stick of 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" angle iron. Weld part of the hitch tube perpendicular on top of the piece that will wrap around your hitch shank.

Call a landscape material yard or concrete plant and ask for a few feet of old conveyor belt material. They will give it to you for free. Cut it to the dimensions you like, and drill holes through the angle iron and bolt the flaps to the angle iron.

Rest the angle on top of the riser piece and weld it in place.

Finally, you can drill a hole in the side and bottom of the shank tube, an weld lock nuts over the tops of the holes so you can secure the sleeve in place on the shank. It will keep it from wobbling while you drive or sliding on the shank.

Total cost was maybe $25

Here are the photos of mine, All I need to do is wire brush it and spray it with a rattle can.



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Old 02-05-2013, 10:34 AM   #378
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alphonse View Post
Robert, nice touch on the switch - where did you buy the cover. I have been looking for some switch covers and perhaps your source would also have what I am looking for.
Thanks,
Alan
Most aircraft parts suppliers carry the switch covers as well.
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Old 02-20-2013, 05:49 PM   #379
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My neighbor must not be an Airstream fan. I fixed my gate for free so that I could park my Overlander in the backyard. When I got home from going out of town he built me a nice 8' fence. That's my mod for under $100 for the week.
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Old 02-20-2013, 06:00 PM   #380
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Cristobal,

At this juncture, you might as well rub salt in an open wound and let your fun-loving neighbor know that he is now famous amongst the airstream community....
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