1973 23' LandYacht Safari Purchase / Winterize??

[Sampsel]

Folks,
I recently completed a purchase of the above mentioned trailer. My wife decided she HAD to have one and made the purchase before I could get up to speed on maintainance requirements. Unfortunately, we're getting an unusual blast of cold weather here in SW Oregon. Temp's into low 20's at night. Trying to keep away damage by running small space heater until WalMart restocks RV antifreeze. I have no owner's manual for this unit, so I truly am learning on the fly. (Anyone have one for sale out there?). What areas do I need to winterize? I drained the water line valves next to the furnace (below the sink), but do I have to do anything with the waste water systems? Sewage lines? Any & all help for a neophyte would be greatly appeciated!!

[overlander64]

Greetings Dan!

The following is the address for copies of owner's and service manuals for Airstream products. This information was obtained from the VAC site:

You can get photocopies of owners manual (1964+) and service manuals (1972-1986) from:

Helen Davis Secretarial Services PO Box 484 Sidney, OH 45365 (937)492-8885

Prices are about $33 and $70 respectively. After 1986 the Owners Manuals included available service information.


I hope this helps with your search for information. Original manuals become available on E-Bay from time to time, but the price for an original manual usually is double the price of the copies from secretarial services if not more.

Kevin

P.S. While you are waiting for Wal Mart to restock the RV Antifreeze, you might want to open the low-point drains and drain as much water from the system as possible. The low-point drains are usually located in the compartment with the water tank as well as in the rear of the coach in the vicinity of the bathroom, and often in the cabinet below the kitchen sink. Raising and lowering the tougne while these drains are open can help to get the water flowing out the drains. There is also usually a drain plug in the bottom of the water heater that can be removed to drain the water heater tank - - there also may be a drain located in one of the closets near the water heater as well.

[carmen]

Hello Dan!

It sounds like a page out of our chapter...I pretty much had to have an Airstream and finally, hmmmm..."persuaded?" my hubby, Pete too! Never fear, you'll find a lot of great information and advice right here...you might even be persuaded to like the thing as much as we all do--don't even get us started!

Anyhow, I noticed this on EBAY as Kevin mentioned: keep your eye on it, myabe a Christmas present for the wife? (something Pete would give me anyhow) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=1871680133

Good luck!

[Chuck]

gee, I'll have to keep an eye on that one...wouldn't you know, the one week I don't check e-bay, and a manual for a '73 appears...Oh, well..it'll probably go for too much $$$ anyway..

Dan: I also have a 73 safari 23'. (mine came w/ a manual...but no service manual). You want to open the valves under the sink that you mentioned, but also, there are several under the bathroom sink. The manual says that you should let all the water drain out, then jack the trailer all the way up, letting anything left in the pipes to drain to the back, and out the drains. When the water stops, do the opposite, lowering the jack all the way. Some more water will find its way out the forward drains.

I don't believe that the manual says that you need to pump antifreeze throughout the water supply lines; they do suggest (as many people here do) that you get a "blow-out plug" and attach it to the city water inlet, and use compressed air to blow out the lines. Then they say to pour a cup of antifreeze into the traps, (sinks and shower),into the black tank, and toilet.

[davidz71]

I had to replace an elbow in the water line coming off my hose reel. It was at the lowest point in the line where water must have collected before I picked the trailer up in AZ. May of 2001. I went through some snow flurries when leaving AZ. and then a 7 hr. sleepover in a N.Mex. rest stop. It was 30 degrees outside when I woke up the best I remember and I was not using any inside heat. I had to pull out the lower shelving inside the streetside wardrobe cabinet to access the plastic wheelwell and then the water line. I eliminated one of the elbows when I replaced the gray line with white Pex hose. I do not want to do that again so I drain the trailer and water heater, blow the lines out, fill the freshwater tank with 6 gallons of antifreeze, pump antifreeze through the lines with the use of the water pump until each faucet is flowing antifreeze. I then open the bypass and pump a little of the antifreeze into the water heater then close the bypass. I let at least a cup of antifreeze go down each drain trap, bathtub included, then let some flush through the commode into the black tank. I have a slightly leaking checkvalve for the city water so I make sure that it flows pink then put an endcap on it. I just have to get that fixed in the spring.

[campviola]

Dan,

I just did the same thing to my husband. We went to look at a 1973 safari and ended up purchasing it on the spot. She was sitting on the side of a wheat field for the past 4 years. When we moved her she sprung a leak and drained water the entire way home. Our guess is that her fluids had not been drained when she was last parked. She is going to be a big project but one that will be a lot of fun. I just received the the owners and service manual. They will be a huge help to you. Good luck. Deb