Hinge pin

[Goin camping]

We have an '07 25 FB. I noticed that one of the hings pins had worked itself up and out by a 1/2 inch.

I gave it a few medium taps but it did not go back in.

Is there anything I should know before I get a bigger hammer?

[Safari64]

Hi,
I don't know about new Airstreams but I have rehung my 64 Safari door and a lot of doors on old 1930’s & 40’s cars and houses and had a lot of old car door hinge pins raise up. If the hinge pin won't go in with tapping....something is NOT lined up. Try to avoid the urge to use the bigger hammer.

If you LIGHTLY tap on the hinge pin while slowly moving the door open and closed, sometimes lifting on the bottom edge to tweak it up and down, you can usually find the spot where it all lines up and the pin slips down in place. It may take 2 people, a tapper and a lifter.

On my Airstream the pins would slip up ¼-1/2 inch every thousand miles or so (especially on Alaska Highway). I finally drilled small hole at bottom of hinge, through the hinge and pin, and inserted a stainless steel cotter pin (from inside out). It locks the hinge pin in and also makes it so you can’t EASILY pull hinge pin and lift door off to break in.

Safari64

[Jacob D.]

"Try to avoid the urge to use the bigger hammer." - now, that's no fun at all.

The hinge pins on mine had a hole drilled & threaded in the bottom and a bolt screwed in to hold them in place. Unfortunately it was all pretty rusted, but I may look for a stainless-steel replacement for that if the threading is still good.

I was looking at replacement locks and realized, like you say, that since the hinge pins are on the outside breaking in is pretty trivial with a deadbolt lock. I was thinking of getting a drop-bolt lock like a Medeco Steelguard which would probably slow them down, but bolting the hinge pin would also do the trick.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Goin camping

We have an '07 25 FB. I noticed that one of the hings pins had worked itself up and out by a 1/2 inch.

I gave it a few medium taps but it did not go back in.

Is there anything I should know before I get a bigger hammer?

The hinge pins can and will come loose, basically caused by lack of proper running gear balance.

Andy

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

The hinge pins can and will come loose, basically caused by lack of proper running gear balance.

Andy

Andy, Thank you for answering. Do I just tap it back in?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Goin camping

Andy, Thank you for answering. Do I just tap it back in?

Tap it back in carefully.

Then using a center punch, place 4 or 5 punched holes around the top outside edges of the hinge pin.

Then add one more hole in the center of the top of the hinge pin.

Within reason, the pin should now be secure.

However, get the running gear properly balance, and then continue to watch for any further movement of that pin.

Andy

[BIGED52]

Since this is a '07 trailer we are talking about should it need the running gear balanced this soon? Would that be covered under warranty? Just wanted to know, Ed

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by BIGED52

Since this is a '07 trailer we are talking about should it need the running gear balanced this soon? Would that be covered under warranty? Just wanted to know, Ed

Brand new tires are hardly ever in balance.

I don't believe warranty covers wheel balancing.

Andy

[TomW]

Originally Posted by BIGED52

Since this is a '07 trailer we are talking about should it need the running gear balanced this soon? Would that be covered under warranty? Just wanted to know, Ed

IIRC, The Factory does not balance running gear. I would imagine that any warranty service would be limited to tapping the hinge pin back into place.

A LOUD, knowledgeable customer could probably convince them to drill the hinge casing & install a roll-pin.

Tom

[BIGED52]

I guess I am just naive! I just thought that the tires would be balanced on the trailer prior to the "finished trailer" leaving the plant and being road ready for sale. Or at the least that dealer prep would include checking something as important as this seems to be. My mistake... Sorry I brought it up! Ed

[ZoominC6]

Andy, I've been using Centramatic wheel balancers on my rig and still notice the top hinge pin works it's way up a half inch or so after a thousand miles or more. I feel certain the Centramatics are keeping my wheels balanced and assuming I'm correct could it be max tire air pressure (65#) causing a ride too rough for the trailer or some such? Just a thought. You mentioned using the center punch. By doing so, I would be expanding the pin against the interior side walls of the hinge thereby hopefully preventing vertical movement, correct? Thanks in advance for your thoughts or anyone elses for that matter. This pin issue hasn't caused too much concern until now because I can easily tap it back in place with a rubber mallet. Until now, I thought possibly I'd lubed the hinge too much.
HAPPY TRAILS

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by ZoominC6

Andy, I've been using Centramatic wheel balancers on my rig and still notice the top hinge pin works it's way up a half inch or so after a thousand miles or more. I feel certain the Centramatics are keeping my wheels balanced and assuming I'm correct could it be max tire air pressure (65#) causing a ride too rough for the trailer or some such? Just a thought. You mentioned using the center punch. By doing so, I would be expanding the pin against the interior side walls of the hinge thereby hopefully preventing vertical movement, correct? Thanks in advance for your thoughts or anyone elses for that matter. This pin issue hasn't caused too much concern until now because I can easily tap it back in place with a rubber mallet. Until now, I thought possibly I'd lubed the hinge too much.
HAPPY TRAILS

I assume you have load range "D" tires. If that's the case, I would suggest you drop the tire pressure down to 60 psi, and possibly even 55 psi.

A rough ride is similiar to out of balance running gear.

Expanding the top of the hinge pin to fit very tight is the idea.

Keep in mind, that if the hinge design was inadequate, then everyone would have the pin problem.

Since the hinge pin problem is rare, then logic says it must have something to do with that particular trailer.

Andy

[ZoominC6]

Thanks Andy. I appreciate your thought on this. I'll try the lower tire pressure on the next trip and see what shakes out.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by ZoominC6

Thanks Andy. I appreciate your thought on this. I'll try the lower tire pressure on the next trip and see what shakes out.

I think you have another problem as well.

You have a super heavy duty tow vehicle, along with a hitch to tow the Queen Mary.

That setup, transfers considerable road shock not only to the front of your Airstream, but also to anything that can move, like the entrance door.

You didn't say which hinge pin came loose, but my bet is that it's the top one.

If that's the case, then the problem will not stop, until you considerable soften the connection between the tow vehicle and the trailer.

Testing it is easy. When hooked up, stand on the tounge. Jump up and down to make the tongue move vertically. It should move 3 to 4 inches.

If not, then the hookup is way to stiff for your application.

Airstream trailers love a soft ride. When you over hitch (bars too heavy and/or heavy duty tow vehicle), you destroy that softness. That results in many failures, including making the hinge pins come loose, cracked A-frames, fatigue cracks in the frame, shearing rivets, fatigue cracks in the shell, tearing the front shell to pieces, breaking copper tubing in the AC, and many other seemingly, but true, failures.

Remember, that an Airstream is made using a semi-monocouque design, Simple stated, the shell is load bearing. That also means the shell flexes. How much, depends on the kind of bumps, or, the roughness of the ride.

Your shaking the trailer to death. Soften the ride. Your Airstream will love you for it.

Andy

[ZoominC6]

As it turns out, we had just adjusted the spring bar tension to the next hardest setting prior to this last 1K+ mile trip. First thing, I'll got back to the original softer setting and try that out. Everything you say makes sense to me. We're taking a trip this week so I'll know a little more next week after further observations. Thanks again Andy.

[Goin camping]

Andy, Once again you have answered my question. I appreciate you taking the time and sharing the knowledge. Thank you.

[kds]

Wow, Andy, is there anything you don't know???? Thanks for this info. Even though we bought our AS last summer we have not taken it very far from home. This summer we plan on taking two months and driving to Michigan. My top hinge pin was coming up about 1/2 to 1 inch each time we drove the AS more than about 70 miles. Originally, it had 5 year old GYM tires. 2 weeks ago, I went to brand new 16" wheels and BF Goodrich Load range E tires. I thought the pin would stay in since I knew the tires had been balanced by a very good mechanic and friend. It did not. What is interesting is that on our last trip, we did not drain the gray or black water so we had extra weight. The pin stayed in place with the extra weight so I'm thinking, just as you said, we need more "softness". I am at 70 psi right now. What do you think I should lower the psi to so that I have a softer ride but don't damage the tires with a pressure too low. Thanks again for all your help. I have a 2008 27 FB.

Kelly

[TomW]

Originally Posted by kds

... 2 weeks ago, I went to ... BF Goodrich Load range E tires. I thought the pin would stay in since I knew the tires had been balanced by a very good mechanic and friend. It did not. ... so I'm thinking, just as you said, we need more "softness". I am at 70 psi right now. What do you think I should lower the psi to so that I have a softer ride but don't damage the tires with a pressure too low.

Load range E tires, especially pumped up to full pressure, are waaaaaaaaaay to much for your 27' Airstream.

Beware - if the real Andy is online & in the mood to comment, he might confirm my observation.

Tom
p.s. 26' Airstream with LR C tires

[Farmer Dan]

I have the problem with the hinge pin working up, but unlike nearly all the other members, my hinge pin worked out while parked in FL for 3 months. This past
season - March, 2012, when the pin got high enough to grab with pliers I pulled it out and using a straw, ran some high strength Loc-Tite into the bottom of the hinge pin socket. The top of the hinge had already been punched to "stake" the pin in place to no avail. I don't suppose I'll know until next winter if this worked. Anyone else have this happen to them????
Dan

[kds]

Originally Posted by TomW

Load range E tires, especially pumped up to full pressure, are waaaaaaaaaay to much for your 27' Airstream.

Beware - if the real Andy is online & in the mood to comment, he might confirm my observation.

Tom
p.s. 26' Airstream with LR C tires

Thanks Tom, any idea what psi I should be running those new tires on?

Kelly