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ssolid · 01-30-2004, 10:55 PM

Can anyone tell me whether or not Airstreams were manufactured using either asbestos or lead pipes?

If so do you know what year(s) and model(s)?

InsideOut · 01-30-2004, 11:24 PM

A lot of the 60's & older trailers had asbestos in the floor tile (VAT). There have been many discussions here (& some good informational links) that you may want to perform a search a browse thhrough them.

I haven't seen/heard anything about lead pipes though...maybe someone else has ~

Shari

silverhawk · 01-30-2004, 11:37 PM

Lead pipes in a trailer thats a good one. Asbestos in the tiles is no problem unless you purposely try to make a lot of dust when removeing them.

j54mark · 01-31-2004, 06:27 AM

lead is a component of both the copper plumbing and the solder used to connect it together in the older coaches.

Mark

53flyingcloud · 01-31-2004, 09:41 AM

You can tell, as a general rule, if you have the tiles without asbestos by the size of the tile.
The size "without asbestos" is 12x12 inches.
The reason for that is, when the new federal regulation banned the use of asbestos as an ingredients, the 9x9 inch tile were no longer manufactured.
This new size was mandated to avoid confusion as to whether or not you were getting new tiles with asbestos.
I believe that to still hold true today`

ciao

note`
I reversed the size of tiles in text to make it corredt.
thanks all..
2/1/04

markdoane · 01-31-2004, 09:58 AM

Are you sure? I thought it was the other way, the 9×9 contained asbestos and the 12×12 didn't.

53flyingcloud · 01-31-2004, 10:04 AM

100 % sure that's true but, you know, I've been known to have a case of brain fart too..At least it wasn't me that messed up the measurements on the "Hubble"..lmao

Maybe this my day for an attack...anyway,
if I'm wrong..sorry..just reverse the size...

ciao

CanoeStream · 01-31-2004, 10:08 AM

1. 53FlyingCloud was my original source on this I believe. 9X9 is the asbestos stuff (http://www.asbestosresource.com/asbestos/tile.html). 12X12 is okay generally unless very very old -- hard to find in Airstreams. Some old rolled vinyl had asbestos.

2. Lead and water consumption: Modern solders (last 20-30 years??) no longer contain lead. The point: Do not use house hot water or trailer hot water for human consumption. The hot water dissolves contaminants better and has a somewhat higher concentration of metals, plastic contaminants. Use cold water for beverages, soups -- even when at home. This is the acknowledged best practice in food science.

53flyingcloud · 01-31-2004, 10:11 AM

Canoe stream

Thanks for that...I thought I was going to have to give up my glass of wine..lol

ciao

InsideOut · 01-31-2004, 10:32 AM

Your dyslexia is acting up...I agree with Canoe stream 9"x9" most likely has asbestos ~ 12"x12" usually doesn't.

BTW...wine this early???

Shari

53flyingcloud · 01-31-2004, 11:19 AM

Little did I know...my brain works one way and, these darn fingers type another..hmmm
I've been around you folks too much...lmao

slapping bad fingers...!~!~

ciao

j54mark · 01-31-2004, 11:26 AM

Airstream appears to have gone from copper direct to polybutylene (the grey stuff). I do not know exactly when, but somewhere in the 70's. However, it is very likely that ANY copper plumbing in an Airstream will have lead solder.

One also needs to consider the water fixtures themselves. Some studies done about 10 years ago determined that much of the lead in water was leached from the faucets themselves. Brass and copper plumbing both used to have lead added to make them more maleable. Still do, I believe, although the amounts are far less. The effects apparently can be reduced to a near nullity by simply letting a small amount of water run before collecting it for use.

And as long as we are being paranoid, asbestos and lead used to be added to just about everything. Lead oxide as a pigment, asbestos as a binder, filler, and insulator. One wonders about the old Zolotone paints, plastic laminates, trim paints, etc., etc.

Mark

flyfshr · 01-31-2004, 12:46 PM

As for the lead pipes, I don't believe Airstream ever used lead pipes. My coach originally had cast iron waste water plumbing. The way I figure, it lost about 250 pounds from behind the axle when I replaced it all with ABS. The drain valve under the commode was so rusted and a big mass of solid rust and iron that I had to cut it out with my angle grinder. Man did that feel good to pull all of that out.

FF

markdoane · 01-31-2004, 04:08 PM

FF:
That's really strange-my '59 Tradewind had all plastic drain piping, except for the p-trap under the shower and the brass valve at the bottom of the black tank.

flyfshr · 01-31-2004, 04:27 PM

Mark,
Yours must be an OH built unit? I had heard that CA built units had to follow a building code that demanded on cast iron like homes constructioned in the same year. I do not know if this is true, just heard it mentioned once some time ago.

FF

mtlagger · 01-31-2004, 07:18 PM

The asbestos floor tile issue isn't one that should really be of any great concern to anyone. Like in some of the other posts as long as you don't scuff or sand the surface the tile will last for ever. However, the tile isn't the only thing you have to think about. The mastic that holds the tile down could be asbestos containing too. There are many products out that can remove the tiles and the mastic and not render the asbestos friable. The easiest way to remove the tile without breaking them is to use a heat gun. This will release the tile and then allow the mastic to be scraped up too.

Ken J · 01-31-2004, 08:03 PM

Hmmm thats interesting, because I had cast iron in mine also - like FF it was sure great to get rid of all that weight. I was amazed how heavy it was as I took it out.

Learn something new everyday - I thought all had the cast iron.

Ken J.

59toaster · 01-31-2004, 08:11 PM

Our 59 is just like Mark's. It is a Ohio built coach.

All the water line connections were brass compression fittings like those in marks picture. Our shower appears to have about 6 inches of what I think is Galvanized to adjust size. Don't know if that was factory.

markdoane · 01-31-2004, 08:11 PM

By 'cast iron', I presume you're referring to galvanized, threaded pipe? Surely not the old oakum and lead caulked pipe?

Ken J · 01-31-2004, 08:25 PM

I don't think it was galvanized - when I cut it it looked like plain old steel to me - it was the same stuff that we had in our house as I was growing up. It was blackish/rust color. I was threaded though.

Toaster - to my understanding, all the water lines are/were flaired fittings. I wonder if your compression fittings are orginal

Ken J.