Quote:
Originally Posted by Tater
I bent one on our first A/S and had to do a field straightening job using a picnic table. You can likely straighten it well enough to get by until ZipDee or ODM has them back in stock. Good luck. PS Be safe with that arm. If you remove it as I did not realizing it was spring loaded and took several bandaids to repair the human damage. Finger still has the reminder of removing the arm. You tube probably has a video on how to properly remove the arm and reinstall.
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Tater is my kind of Airstream Owner. You have to be able to innovate.
The OP shows Hawaii as home and no trailer or length or year... but in the post. Makes for confusion, at best. Maybe update your information.
I had a 2006 where the a big gust of wind bent it enough to be a tight fit afterwards. Bent enough to drag in the formed outside slide. Created a lot of friction to pull out. Not something that oil or lithium grease could help.
I did as Tater said and laid it on a FLAT SURFACE and marked the bend. It was near the center and just 1/16" or so. Took a two to three foot 2x4 and put it onto the side needing to be straightened out... had a small hand sledge I use to quarry Trilobites in western Utah and BEAT IT. The 2x4. Not the metal.
In a pinch the rod is long enough to wedge in the crotch of a tree, near the bend and REBEND the bar to as straight as possible. Sand the excess if close for a better fit.
I slid it into the hollow slide, lightly sanded and then cleaned up, now with a perfectly working shaft. The more bend, the easier to get it to nearly perfect by putting some sweat equity into it.
Can't order the part... take to a metal shop and they will BEAT IT into submission. They have the iron work bench and tools. You have to innovate. Break a Claw on the arm, same thing, innovate... you can drill a hole and peg one to work while you wait for a replacement. From the same wind gust.
Been there, done it. If not handy with tools... pay the machine shop. As long as it does not break in the process, aluminum is a bit different metal than Copper or Steel... but it can be done. If it does not work... you are not out anything.